SMCV’s Sunway Fertility Centre is led by Dr Farah (second from left) and Dr Chung (second from right), which offers a variety of fertility services including IVF.
In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) is one of the most effective treatments for infertility.
IT’S a woman’s problem, they say.
Many are under the impression that when it comes to problems conceiving, the onus lies with the woman.
Sunway Medical Centre Velocity (SMCV) consultant obstetrician, gynaecologist and fertility medicine specialist Dr Farah Leong Rahman says this is one of the many misconceptions surrounding fertility.
“Over the past few years, we have noticed a rise in cases of male infertility globally. There is a definite stigma surrounding male infertility, especially in Asian cultures which prize male virility.
“There are also concerns that in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) can cause early menopause but be assured, this is not true.
“We are utilising the eggs that are present in that particular month and even if not used, these eggs will be depleted before new ones are recruited the following month,” she says.
She opines that while many are aware of IVF, there is still room for improvement when it comes to fertility awareness.
“It is not easy for couples to step forward to seek help and talk about the challenges they face.
“But, it is important to not delay screening or treatment as time is of the essence. Always remember, you are not alone in this journey,” she says.
Consultant obstetrician, gynaecologist and fertility medicine specialist at SMCV, Dr Ashley Chung Soo Bee urges women to seek out clinical assessment and consultation if they are below 35 years old and have been trying to get pregnant for a year, or if they are 35 years old and above and have been trying to get pregnant for six months or more.
“IVF is a treatment for infertility and it is one of the most effective treatments.
“IVF may be an option if you and your partner have fallopian tubes blockage, previous tubal sterilisation or damage, endometriosis, ovulation disorder, impaired sperm function or production, male sterilisation, unexplained fertility, genetic disorder or as fertility preservation for a cancer condition,” she says.
IVF is a series of procedures, she adds, whereby a woman’s eggs (oocytes) are combined with a man’s sperm outside of the body and in a laboratory. Generally involving five steps, IVF includes ovarian stimulation, eggs retrievals, insemination, embryo culture and embryo transfer.
Dr Farah says there has been tremendous improvement in the success rates with better technology and new medical advances over the years.
“SMCV has the latest medical equipment for fertility treatment such as IVF. Our IVF lab is where all the procedures will be done including fertilisation of egg and sperm.
“We have the time-lapse technology whereby a camera will continuously record the embryo development in the incubator and enable the embryologist to have a better understanding of how well your embryo is developing,” she says.
Furthermore, she adds that SMCV offers intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) whereby it involves injecting live sperm into a person’s eggs in a laboratory and thus can create an embryo (fertilized egg).
“The pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT) screening is also available in which we would be able to screen the embryos for genetic conditions prior to transferring the embryo to the womb and it is done in conjunction with IVF.
“PGT also enables us to identify a healthy embryo thus reducing the risk of miscarriage and multiple pregnancies,” she adds.
SMCV opened its doors in September 2019 and now will be launching its very own Sunway Fertility Centre located at level three next to its Women and Children Centre.
Spanning across some 7,222.5sqft, the facility is equipped with comprehensive facilities such as consultation and counselling rooms, operation theatre, treatment room, semen collection room, andrology lab, embryology lab, cryo-preservation room, recovery room, daycare room and the latest technology and systems for various fertility and gynaecological procedures.
Led by Dr Farah and Dr Chung, the services available at SMCV’s Sunway Fertility Centre include fertility assessment, intrauterine insemination (IUI), in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT), cryopreservation, endometrial receptivity analysis (ERA), laparoscopic surgeries and treatment for gynaecological conditions among others.
For more information, visit www.sunwayfertility.com.my
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