DOCTOR MAGDY ASAAD IS THE CLINICAL DIRECTOR OF LONDON FERTILITY CENTRE
How long has the London Fertility Centre been established?
Since the beginning of the 1980s under the leadership of Professor Ian Craft, and has been located at Cozens House since 1990.
On a personal level, what attracted you to working in the field of fertility?
I trained in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 1979 and since the mid- 80s have developed a subspeciality interest in the field of infertility and reproductive endocrinology. It was a new and exciting area of medicine as the introduction of IVF in 1978 offered new realistic ways of helping infertile couples. It is a very rewarding speciality. It is wonderful when you feel that you have helped couples achieve their dreams of having children and introducing happiness to their lives. Unfortunately, it does not always work and one has to be prepared for the disappointments.
Is there a typical person who attends the London Fertility Centre?
Not really, we see people from all walks of life. Heterosexual couples and singles and same-sex singles and couples in a relationship. We also see men and women interested in preserving their fertility through egg/ sperm freezing and those wishing to just test their fertility. Men also preserve their sperm before cancer treatment.
The majority of the people who we see are seeking to have the child of their dreams, whether due to the inability to conceive naturally or have received treatment elsewhere and have been unsuccessful.
What services do you offer which are of particular relevance to gay couples, either male or female, who are thinking of starting a family?
With many years’ experience in helping both male and female same-sex couples to have children, LFC has the knowledge and understanding of their unique needs. We have our own sperm donor bank and run egg donation and surrogacy programs.
Are there any special things, legal or otherwise, to consider as a single lesbian or gay person, or a lesbian or gay couple when thinking of starting a family?
Gay men will need surrogacy plus egg donation. Egg donors and surrogate hosts could be somebody known to the person/ couple seeking treatment or altruistic. All parties need to understand about the surrogacy regulations in the UK and obtain legal advice. Men or women requiring egg or sperm donation or surrogacy need implications counselling. LFC has an experienced fertility counsellor to provide this service.
London Fertility Centre has a sperm bank whose donors are exclusive to the clinic. How do you go about choosing who is suited to become a sperm donor?
Potential donors are screened for medical and family histories and are subject to physical examinations and lots of tests to outrule infections and genetic disorders. They are required to have implications counselling and complete donation forms, personal message and consent forms.
Are there any legal implications about becoming a sperm donor?
Some payment for sperm donation is now allowed by law.
The potential donor must consent to be known to the resulting child(ren) at a later age if the child wishes to know.
Donors and recipients do not get to know each other; however non-identifying information can be given to the recipient.
The donor has the right over the use and storage of his sperm and any resulting embryos, until sperm has been used for insemination or any embryos created have been used for transfer or discarded. A Medical Practitioner’s statement is required to store beyond 10 years.
After an initial consultation, how long can one usually expect between the consultation and a successful pregnancy?
It varies. It can be as fast as a few weeks. It depends on many factors including investigations required, treatment agreed, availability of donors or hosts (if required), and so on.
What success rate do you have?
This depends mainly on the age of the woman producing the egg and is greater in women under the age of 35. However we are seeing an increase in clinical pregnancy rates in women in their late 30s and early 40s.
Which do you think have been the greatest achievements of London Fertility Centre over the past 30 years?
Undoubtedly being pioneers in the development of many fertility treatments and the continuous introduction of technological and clinical procedures enhancing people’s chances of making their dreams into reality.
Again, on a personal level, which part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?
The direct contact with the patients/couples and being able to plan a treatment that suits their circumstances. Meeting the couple when the outcome is successful or receiving their emails or cards is so rewarding. Also when they come back with their children, it is so wonderful.