For Megan and Carl from Canada, the road to parenthood was a long and emotional one. After several years of trying to conceive and multiple unsuccessful IVF treatments in Canada, they eventually faced a difficult realization: treatment with Megan’s own eggs was no longer working for them.
Their search for another option eventually led them to Unica Clinic Brno, where they decided to pursue IVF with donor eggs.
In this video, Megan and Carl openly share their experience — from the difficult decision to use donor eggs and choosing a clinic abroad, to travelling from Canada to Brno, working with their patient coordinator Joanna, and finally welcoming their son Walter.
When the journey takes an unexpected turn
Before considering treatment abroad, Megan and Carl had already been through several unsuccessful IVF cycles in Canada.
Eventually, they began looking into donor eggs. However, finding an affordable option was not easy. Donor eggs available to them in Canada were being shipped from the United States, making the treatment financially difficult. They also approached several friends about the possibility of donating eggs, but ultimately none were able to do so.
“It was kind of a hard time when we were trying to figure out what to do with our treatments — if we should give up, if we should keep trying with the donor eggs.”
It was during this period that they began researching clinics abroad.
Why they chose Unica Clinic
Megan and Carl explored several clinics before making their decision. For them, medical expertise and a professional approach were particularly important.
“We found the Unica Clinic because it looked like an extremely professional, very scientific place,” Megan recalls.
She was also familiar with McGill University, where she had studied, and appreciated the connection they found between the university and Unica.
But their first contact with their patient coordinator, Joanna, ultimately played an important role in their decision.
“As soon as we got connected with Joanna, our coordinator, we knew we made the right choice.”
For a couple preparing to travel across the Atlantic for fertility treatment, having someone available to answer those questions made a significant difference.
Travelling from Canada to Brno
Choosing fertility treatment in another country naturally came with some uncertainty.
Megan was particularly nervous about travelling abroad for treatment without having met the doctors beforehand. However, the team helped them prepare remotely, including coordinating their treatment, medication and travel arrangements.
Once they arrived in Brno, their concerns began to fade. They were also pleasantly surprised by how easy communication was.
“I was nervous that maybe people didn't speak English and we'd need translation, but it was totally smooth. Everybody spoke English really well.”
Coming to terms with donor eggs
For Megan, one of the most difficult parts of the journey was accepting that she would not be able to have a child using her own eggs.
“The most difficult part of our fertility journey was definitely finding out that traditional IVF was not going to work for us with my eggs. It feels like a life-changing moment when you realize that you're not going to have a child with your own genetic material.”
It took time for her to process the idea of using donor eggs. But with the support of the Unica team, the decision gradually became easier.
“Once I finally wrapped my head around it that we were going to use these donor eggs and the generous person that donated them was someone that we would just trust and go ahead with it.”
The moment they saw a positive pregnancy test
After everything they had experienced, seeing a positive pregnancy test was an emotional moment.
“When we did get that positive pregnancy test, it was so incredible.”
After years of unsuccessful treatment, it was difficult for them to believe that it had finally worked.
Carl was able to accompany Megan to many of her ultrasounds, including the first one — a moment he remembers particularly vividly.
As the pregnancy progressed, they watched their baby grow, saw the heartbeat and gradually began to see his features develop.
Looking back on the journey
Megan also reflects on what she wishes she had known earlier in her fertility journey.
The repeated disappointments and uncertainty were emotionally exhausting, and she feels that she needed time between treatments to process what had happened and consider the next step.
“Now that I have Walter, it just feels like I should have just gone ahead and that one didn't work — okay, next one, because it's gonna work out.”
Looking back, however, the difficult moments have a very different meaning.
“There were just so many ups and downs. I felt very, very emotionally exhausted from the journey that now it feels totally worth it.”
For other people still going through fertility treatment, Megan hopes their experience can offer encouragement and hope.
Watch Megan and Carl's full story
In their video testimonial, Megan and Carl share their experience in their own words. Their story is a reminder that fertility journeys do not always follow the path we initially imagine. Sometimes, finding another way forward requires time, difficult decisions and the courage to consider a different possibility.
