KUALA LUMPUR: Not so long ago, in vitro fertilisation (IVF) was just a theoretical procedure for infertility that produced what were then known as “test-tube babies.” Today, it is practically a household word.
Thanks to IVF, a couple – Intan Noorshah, 42, and her husband Mohd Faisal Imran Ismail, 38 – who had been waiting and trying for a child for nine agonising years, were finally blessed with two bundles of joy two years ago.
“I was confirmed pregnant in June 2020 and did not expect to conceive with only one fallopian tube as the left tube had to be removed because of a health condition.
“Prior to this, I was pregnant at end-2019 but had to be aborted as the foetal heartbeat could not be detected,” Intan told Bernama, as she shared her IVF journey at Sunfert, a leading fertility centre in Malaysia, which was a last resort option for the couple to have a baby.
“Coincidentally, we were seeking consultancy at Sunfert and after the session, we decided that it was time to try IVF at Sunfert given that it is a leading fertility centre in Malaysia,” she added.
According to Intan, after her first treatment at the clinic, she was overjoyed to receive confirmation from her physician that she was indeed pregnant with twins through the IVF treatment.
Recalling her IVF experience, she said there were challenges no doubt as both are working in the information technology field, with a hefty sum of money spent on pregnancy efforts.
“Before this, I underwent Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) – a fertility treatment that involves placing sperm inside a woman’s uterus to facilitate fertilisation – at a hospital but did not achieve the desired results.
“Throughout my treatment at Sunfert, I personally felt that the process was less stressful as the staff and doctors were ready to go the extra mile in reaching out to patients and made us comfortable, coupled with the fact that specialists here were well-versed with my case.
“Reflecting its patient-centric approach, doctors and staff here have created a warm and welcoming environment for patients,” she said, adding that life with her husband became more meaningful and fulfilling with the presence of the twins, Idris Zakariya and Iris Zafira, 2.
Specialises in fertility treatment
This writer was recently taken on a tour of various facilities available at Sunfert International Fertility Centre in Bangsar here. The visit was organised by the Malaysia Healthcare Travel Council (MHTC).
Sunfert’s spacious interior exudes a warm and inviting atmosphere, with the green outdoor landscape generating a therapeutic effect on visitors. The centre is designed to provide privacy and personalised care in a cosy and informal setting.
With its strategic location close to shopping malls such as Mid Valley, KL Gateway Mall and hotels such as Pullman Kuala Lumpur, the centre has become a reputable choice for foreign medical travellers seeking fertility treatment.
Foreign healthcare tourists seeking medical treatment at the fertility centre have easy access to the public transportation network such as MRT, LRT, Monorail and KTM.
Established 14 years ago, Sunfert is backed by a team of highly trained embryologists, fertility counsellors, geneticists, and nurses to offer the most up-to-date treatment in the field of assisted reproduction in a friendly and supportive environment.
Sunfert is known for being at the forefront of fertility innovation, providing world class Assisted Reproductive Technology including IVF treatment, Pre-Implantation Genetic Screening (PGT), embryo freezing and Intrauterine Insemination (IUI).
The patient-centred fertility centre is accredited by the Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee (RTAC) from Australia and New Zealand.
On the international stage, Sunfert was awarded ‘Fertility Centre of the Year in Asia Pacific’ for the second time at the Global Health Asia Pacific Awards 2023 while also securing the ‘Excellence in Patient Service Provider of The Year in Asia Pacific’ award.
Sunfert says it is committed to bringing world leading fertility technology to Malaysia to ensure its patients have the best chance of having a healthy baby.
According to Sunfert Medical Director Dr Eeson Sinthamoney, after the first consultation, its fertility specialist will recommend a treatment plan to suit the customer’s needs.
“Sunfert is an integrated centre offering various fertility treatment as well as helping couples have babies. We support patients at every stage, from diagnosing the patient’s problem until she finally conceives,” he said.
While other medical centres are focused on IVF as well as providing obstetric and gynaecological services for patients, he said Sunfert on the other hand, leverages the latest technology and science to ensure it provides the latest proven fertility treatment in Malaysia.
Infertility doesn’t mean giving up your dreams of a baby
Having children is the normal social expectation after couples get married. However, failure to have a child due to medical infertility and unknown reason could affect both individuals in a marriage.
“Insensitive remarks from the people around them including close family members toward couples who have been married over one or more years, would add pressure on either husband or wife and implying that they are infertile.
“However, not all cases related to childless couples are due to infertility. It could also be attributed to health issues, unhealthy and sedentary lifestyles or intimacy issues are among the factors,” said Dr Eeson.
He said Sunfert specialists will identify the situation faced by the clients or patients before recommending treatments for fertility.
Besides giving advice and consultation, specialists will use the best possible option to encourage patients to conceive naturally without going through fertility treatments including IVF, to have a baby, he said.
“In some cases, patients are unable to conceive as they are categorised as obese, and in this respect, we would advise them to lose weight and help them with the techniques of intimacy during fertility period to ensure they get a better chance of getting pregnant.
“The rising trend of pushing the age of marriage among women in the 30’s who spent most fertile years building their career instead of having babies, could have also attributed to the reduced fertility phenomenon among women.
“Studies have shown that fertility among women peaks in the early 20’s. As the age of women increases, the chances of them getting pregnant reduce significantly,” he said adding that the centre also provides hormone injection and medications that can boost fertility.
Expertise and costs
Sunfert is also the choice among Malaysians for its expertise and affordable prices, said Dr Eeson, adding that it is also sought after by healthcare tourists from Indonesia, Singapore, China, Japan, Australia, the United States, etc.
“Feedback from our foreign customers or patients show that they are satisfied with the services provided here, describing them as on par, or even better than those provided in their respective countries, especially in respect of our expertise, as well as the lower prices offered.
“At Sunfert, we appreciate those who are willing to travel long hours or thousands of kilometres just to be treated at Sunfert and as such we don’t want them to feel depressed through their stay while receiving medical treatment here,” said Dr Eeson.
He said Sunfert has taken the approach by strengthening ties with its strategic partners abroad to ensure that patients undergoing treatment here do not have to travel frequently from their country while offering affordable services that are time and energy saving.
“For example, Singapore patients who seek treatment at Sunfert for medication or hormone injection, they have to return home the next morning.
“Our specialists here will then liaise with our Singapore counterpart who will monitor the patients’ health condition, including ensuring they follow the medication regimen.
“Through this approach, overseas patients do not have to stay long in this country for treatment at Sunfert as they will be monitored by their own doctor in their home country while waiting for the next appointment,” he said.
With the latest technology, Sunfert will be able to realise the dreams of every couple to have their own healthy baby, said Dr Eeson adding that with its own laboratory facilities, Sunfert will be able to identify the potential risks on every pregnancy in the early stages including having Down Syndrome babies.
“For example in IVF treatment, to avoid untoward incidents taking place on the newborn baby, we will conduct various tests on both husband and wife. As such, any problems can be detected early before fertilisation takes place.
“The quality of a woman’s egg plays a key role in her fertility and her ability to have a baby. High-quality eggs have the best chance of developing into an embryo, implanting in the uterus, and resulting in a successful pregnancy,” he said, adding that Sunfert has successfully helped bring over 5,000 babies into the world through its advanced fertility treatments.
Empowering IVFKasih for increased pregnancy rate
Sunfert has also embraced Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives with focus on the less fortunate communities.
Dr Eeson said through IVFKasih, a CSR initiative for the people, Sunfert is committed to helping more childless couples, who have difficulty in conceiving, to get pregnant at an earlier age.
“We help couples with a low budget but with the desire to have a child as well as young couples who are on the waiting list at government hospitals,” he said, noting that the initiative uses a unique and innovative approach to reduce cost without affecting the pregnancy rate.
“Young couples who have been waiting much too long for their own child will grow old, causing them to become less fertile,” he said, hoping that the programme would be able to assist more couples to start a family in the future.
The IVFKasih programme was officiated in 2016 by the Raja Permaisuri Agong, Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah, who is also founder and life president of Tunku Azizah Fertility Foundation (TFF). – Bernama
