More fertility support called for
A Southland woman says there is a lack of support for people going through IVF treatments and there should be a clinic in the south.
Paula Baty, of Winton, endured six years of in vitro fertilisation (IVF treatments) before having her daughter Georgia.
The closest clinic is Otago Fertility Services, in Dunedin.
‘‘Not many women talk about it [infertility], and it’s harder for the guys, but with us it was me [who had fertility problems],’’ Baty said.
‘‘We were lucky to get it publicly funded [but] the driving up there, the staying in motels, the counselling, it took such a toll,’’ she said.
Otago Fertility Service director professor Wayne Gillett said the Southern District Health Board was contracted to provide 120 IVF cycles per year to both Otago and Southland.
About 40 per cent of its patients are from Southland.
More than 25 women in Southland and Otago had IVF privately, he said.
The health board’s volumes in the past three to four years has reached 35 and another 10 to 20 will have their treatment in Christchurch or elsewhere.
‘‘The demand on infertility services is increasing for women over 35 years of age, with about 50 per cent of all cases over 35 – about 10 per cent of all of our patients [women] are over 40.
‘‘Women over 40 do not have access to publicly funded treatment.
‘‘Fertility declines as women age and the consequence of delay will be an increasing number who will remain childless and an increasing number who will not achieve their desired family size,’’ Gillett said.
Private fertility company Fertility Associates is set to take over Southern District Health Boardrun Otago Fertility Services at a later date.
Dr Sarah Wakeman, who works at the company’s Christchurch clinic, said it would look to provide more clinics in the south as the company grew.
However, Dunedin was likely to remain the only clinic where medical procedures could be carried out.
Consultants already travelled to meet patients in Queenstown and it was possible something similar would be set up for Invercargill, she said.
‘‘By having a clinic [there], patients could have consultations closer to home . . . We’d try to streamline things.’’
There was no timeline for the take-over of Otago Fertility Services but she acknowledged it had been a difficult time for staff.
‘‘We [Fertility Associates] are working with the DHB,’’ she said.
Fertility NZ president Nigel McKerras said it was unfortunate Baty had not uncovered the organisation during her treatment.
It provides support and information about infertility and treatment options, and has support groups set up throughout New Zealand, although he concedes there isn’t a group set up in Southland.
The closest support group is in Dunedin but the organisation would pair people up going through treatment from the same area, McKerras said.
While he would advocate for a fertility clinic in every town, the cost of setting up a full clinic would probably be too prohibitive, he said.
‘‘Fertility treatments are tough on anybody. No matter how close you are to a clinic, it’s not a simple journey.’’
The average waiting time for publicly funded IVF treatment was about 12 months, he said.
Monday marks the beginning of Fertility Awareness Week. People wanting support or more information about fertility or IVF can visit fertilitynz.org.nz or call 0800 333306.