Priv.-Doz. Dr. Omar Shebl

When the renowned Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics was integrated into the recently founded Kepler University Hospital Linz in 2016, the news went around the world in the medical community. This was not least thanks to the outstanding expertise of the senior consultant and deputy board member Dr Omar Shebl. When it comes to making the wish for a child come true, his reputation is truly outstanding – even when most other specialists no longer see a chance. This is also due to the fact that this specialist is also one of the absolute masters in reproductive surgery.

As Associate Professor (or “Privatdozent” in German), Dr Omar Shebl is very familiar with all areas of gynaecology and obstetrics. Yet the native of Upper Austria decided to specialise in one domain early on – reproductive medicine. Precisely because unfulfilled wishes for children are usually extremely stressful for the couples concerned, his attention was already focused on this socially vital topic during his studies at the University of Vienna.

When Dr Shebl took over the position of Senior Consultant at the then already renowned Fertility Centre in Linz in 2013, his expertise was already astonishing – and word quickly spread far beyond the region of the Upper Austrian capital: Here was exactly the right contact for all couples who would like to accept professional support on the path to a desired child. Because this step is an important and very good decision: As soon as you turn to the proven specialists at the Kinderwunsch-Zentrum (“Fertility Centre”) in Linz, you’re no longer alone with your problem – and no longer at the mercy of crazy and depressing thoughts or misinformation. After all, you’re putting yourself in the hands of recognised pioneers in the field of reproductive medicine.

Mastery in reproductive medicine: The challenge of having children

But it’s not only his enormous expertise and immense experience that make Dr Shebl an ideal companion when it comes to the desire to have children – it’s also his empathy. That’s really important in this area: To successfully provide the appropriate medical help, the specialist is there to offer advice and support – both emotionally and professionally – while keeping an eye on detail at all times.

Anyone who has failed to conceive and wants nothing more than to have their own child has come to the right address with Dr Shebl – for other reasons too: He’s also familiar with many special treatment methods thanks to his excellent international network – and he has access to the most modern equipment at the Linz centre.

High empathy – from the first conversation to success

Even during the non-binding but committed initial consultation, Dr Omar Shebl provides comprehensive information on all important aspects surrounding the desire to have a child and its possible fulfilment. Several findings are available in most cases – this usually providing clues to the causes.

A clearer picture: Explaining everything to both partners

The Linz specialist always approaches his patients with an open mind – both partners benefitting from a full examination. A spermiogram is typically conducted to clarify the causes, and in the case of infection or inflammation, there is close cooperation with other specialist departments – for example with the Department of Urology and Andrology at the Vöcklabruck Regional Hospital. The inhouse human genetics laboratory usually provides clarification in such an examination.

For women, a hormone status determination – or a patency test of the fallopian tubes – often helps. A uterus endoscopy, which is performed at the end of the menstrual period, can also provide information about the internal condition of the uterus and provide the specialist with valuable information. Dr Omar Shebl is happy to take the time to clarify all conceivable causes that stand in the way of the desire to have a child in close consultation with the couple in question – enabling the best individual therapy to be chosen. Patience and perseverance are often needed by everyone involved – from the partners as well as from the specialist, who is always aware of his responsibility as a sensitive and careful companion on the path to the desired child.

After hormonal stimulation therapy in the woman – which precedes all treatment methods – the most innovative therapies are utilised in the Fertility Centre. Often the longed-for pregnancy is already triggered by finding the right time for sexual intercourse after hormone treatment. But also in the case of artificial insemination, Dr Shebl has a wealth of experience – especially in difficult situations.

In vitro fertilisation: Familiar with the most innovative methods

When it comes to in vitro fertilisation, in which fertilisation is performed outside the body in a test tube, the high level of expertise offered by Dr Shebl is highly sought-after internationally. This is often done when the fallopian tubes are not functional – or have even been removed on both sides. Here too, the specialist demonstrates an impressive mixture of expertise and empathy – because often women have already been through a protracted illness at the time of this treatment. So it’s no wonder that many women who want to have a child after surviving cancer or even during therapy turn to the Linz specialist. Dr Shebl is also happy to help women who have endometriosis.

Another topic with which Dr Shebl often draws international attention to himself is embryo transfer. In this process, the fertilised eggs grow in an incubator for a few days, using special incubators in our own IVF laboratory that imitate the oxygen-reduced environment of the uterus – a truly state-of-the-art method. This is a key reason why the Fertility Centre Linz has particularly high growth and pregnancy rates. When embryos or blastocysts are then introduced into the uterus in a nutrient solution and via a soft catheter through the vagina, hope begins – which often leads to the much desired parental happiness. A tremendous advantage in this situation: The embryo transfer is almost painless; in the worst case, the pain is comparable to ordinary menstrual pain. And a little more than two weeks later, a pregnancy test will show whether the desired child is actually on its way.

Best results in reproductive surgery

Dr Omar Shebl also experiences such success with great joy. The happiness of parents is close to his heart – especially when couples have long cherished the dream of having their own offspring. It’s precisely the complex cases that stimulate his medical zeal – for instance when it comes to getting pregnant despite a PCOS syndrome. Because as soon as the hormonal control cycle is disturbed, the difficulties often begin when trying to get pregnant.

Whether it's a metabolic disorder, whether endometriosis is preventing family planning or whether cancer is the underlying cause – it's good to be able to turn to a real specialist in difficult and demanding situations – a specialist who, with his high level of expertise, can also help through surgical interventions. As a recognised expert in reproductive medicine and especially also reproductive surgery, Dr Omar Shebl brings with him the experience of numerous successful operations – all this having helped paved the way to couples fulfilling their dream of having children. Such aspects of his expertise also reflect the success rates that make the Linz Fertility Centre at Kepler University Hospital stand out as a true centre of excellence.