Fertility specialist offers fresh option
OVERSEAS egg donation can be an affordable alternative for Tasmanians struggling to conceive, says the head of the state’s newest IVF clinic.
Fertility Tasmania specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist Irena Nikakis met internationally renowned reproductive specialist Demian Glujovsky in San Diego at a scientific conference and convinced him to come to Hobart.
Dr Glujovsky, of Fertility Argentina, hosted an information session in Hobart last night on overseas egg donations.
Earlier this month, the National Health and Medical Research Council released its revised guidelines into assisted reproductive technologies, including IVF.
After more than a year of deliberations and consultations, the council ruled out any changes to financial compensation for egg or sperm donation, despite the UK deciding to give donors a £750 ($1278) “gift of gratitude” for all the medications and treatments needed to be a donor.
Fertility Tasmania scientific director Petra Wale said with one in six Australian couples having trouble getting pregnant it was important to be informed about the options available.
“People need choice and opportunities to be able to access affordable procedures,” she said.
“There are some people attending the information ses- sion who are very hungry for new opportunities, and for others it’s their first foray to see if it’s something they might require to achieve their dream of having a family.”
Dr Glujovsky said patients who travelled to his clinic in Argentina for egg donation typically were away for 10 days and the program costs less than $US7000 per cycle.
“Patients go back to Australia and do their pregnancy test here. If it’s positive, they follow through the pregnancy with their obstetrician here,” he said.
“I try to make it very simple because, if it is complex, people give up.
“It is much more affordable than a lot of other countries like the United States and parts of Europe. We do more than 500 cycles of egg donation every year.”
jessica.howard@news.com.au