Private OBGYN clinic Selena in Plovdiv is selecting two couples every month to undergo free in-vitro treatment, the clinic announced in a media statement.

The clinic is engaging in this project that is both social and medical with the aim of addressing difficulties in conceiving a child, something that affects about 270 000 Bulgarian couples, Tatyana Vassileva, Selena’s PR representative, told The Sofia Echo.

Conceiving in-vitro is an expensive and long process with sometimes uncertain results, Vassileva said. In addition to using its own assets, the clinic plans to organise charity auctions and other public initiatives to raise money to cover tests and medications.

Normally, to undergo the whole series of procedures, a couple needs to pay between 5000 and 8000 leva, without a guaranteed final outcome. The National Health Insurance Fund covers only 1500 leva.

Vassileva said that the initiative began two months ago and the first selected couples were getting prepared for the treatment. Because of the great interest expressed in the project, the clinic decided to draw the names of two women on a monthly basis. So far, 600 couples have applied and are awaiting the new drawing that will take place on September 14 on the Evrokom Bulgaria television show Predi lekarstvata (Before You Take the Medicines).

Selena’s manager Dr Georgi Georgiev said, as quoted in the media statement, that the staff had the ambition to help 10 couples every year.

Before taking part in the drawing, potential patients wishing to take need to go through an initial examination. The clinic accepts new patients every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and appointments can be made by calling 032/ 648 020. All physical exams and consultations are free-of-charge.