The HEALTH | SEPTEMBER, 2019
08
HEALTH BUSINESS
I
T is of general knowledge the global
rate in fertility has been on a steady
decline since the last upsurge of
population after the second World
War. The baby boomers were the
last population boom the world has
ever seen, and since then the global Total
Fertility Rate (TFR) has dropped from five
children per mother to 2.5 children on
average.
This is the figure stated by Dr Paul
Tay Yee Si ang, Fertility Specialist at KL
Fertility Centre. According to him, the TFR
for Malaysians is similar, as it has been
recorded in 2015 to be at two children per
mother on average.
Enter KL Fertility Centre. It is the
brainchild of Dato Dr Prashant Nadkarni,
a fertility specialist with over 24 years of
experience. His passion in fertility treat-
ments has led him to pioneer multiple
fertility centres in Dubai and Malaysia. He
decided to set up his own centre to provide
extensive fertility treatments to the nation,
and the centre hence commenced.
Excellence in fertility
According to Dr Paul, KL Fertility was set
up in 2001 with aim to provide the best
solution to Malaysians struggling with
infertility. “The centre started off as a
small centre located in Wisma Perintis in
Kuala Lumpur. It consisted of around four
to five staff, with Dr Prashant leading the
practice. Over the course of 18 years, it has
grown to a centre with 30 to 35 staff with
seven specialists at the helm. The centre
also started off with performing around 10
cycles of fertility treatments a month, and
is now doing more than a thousand cycles
a month. Every year, we will see around
four to five per cent increase in patients and
treatments done,” Dr Paul states.
The figure is a milestone the centre has
been able to achieve since last year, and has
made KL Fertility one of the largest fertility
centres in the country.
Another notable milestone came in the
form of an international accreditation com-
mittee. Dr Paul explains that “KL Fertility
is one of the few IVF centres that is a part
of the RTAC, or the Reproductive Technol-
ogy Accreditation Committee. RTAC is an
Australian-run external auditor of sorts, that
would audit and present accreditation to IVF
laboratories around the world to ensure that
they adhere to a certain type of standards in
IVF and other fertility treatments.”
The accreditation is not compulsory in
Malaysia. However, the centre has gone
above and beyond to be a part of RTAC as
a way to ensure that they are keeping with
the highest standards of practice.
The might of Monash
The RTAC inclusion was achieved through
an acquisition of the centre by Monash
IVF in 2013. Monash IVF is an Australian
powerhouse in fertility services. They have
been around since 1973, helping the Aussies
to create families and pioneering modern
fertility solutions.
“We were bought over by Monash IVF in
2013 because they have the confidence in
making us a part of their extended unit in
Malaysia. And through the acquisition, were
able to equip ourselves with better technol-
ogy and expertise in fertility treatments for
Malaysians.”
The tech in IVF
Among the technological advancement
in the treatment of IVF the centre has
access to is vitrification. It is a technology
Continuing excellence
in fertility services
KL Fertility Centre moves ahead to bring
the best fertility services for Malaysians and beyond
(above) Dr Paul shares
the importance of
better awareness
in fertility among
Malaysians, and the
quality treatment
they can acquire at KL
Fertility Centre.
Vitrifi cation ensures
better embryo
preservation in an
extended period of
time, and once they
are thawed to be
used on a later date,
the rate of survival
of the embryos is
signifi cantly high.
This technique has
really changed IVF
and its success rate.”
– Dr Paul
to freeze embryos below -200°C in a very
quick manner by the use of liquid nitrogen.
“Vitrification ensures better embryo pres-
ervation in an extended period of time, and
once they are thawed to be used on a later
date, the rate of survival of the embryos is
significantly high. This technique has really
changed IVF and its success rate,” Dr Paul
exclaims.
“Another remarkable furtherance in IVF
technology is something called the PGS, or
Preimplantation Genetic Screening,” notes
Dr Paul.
PGS is essentially a test to identify the
quality of an egg at a genetic level.
“There is only so much that we can see
under the microscope when looking at an
egg. We can only rate the quality through
its physical state. However with PGS, we
can test each egg to ensure that it has the
normal number of chromosomes. 46 chro-
mosomes makes for a normal and quality
egg, while any other number would make
for an imperfect egg.”
Continuous service
for struggling couples
The technologies described are available in
KL Fertility Centre, thanks to it becoming
a wholly-owned subsidiary of Monash IVF.
Dr Paul states the centre intends to become
a leader in fertility services for the years
to come.
“We believe we can continue to help
Malaysians struggling to have children in
the best possible way through our facility,
technology, and expertise. To be part of
Monash IVF certainly makes it easier to be
the best,” says Dr Paul.
KL Fertility Centre has attracted Malay-
sians nationwide to receive treatment at
its facility through partnership with clinics
outside of KL, and has also treated patients
from Indonesia and the UAE. It hopes to
continue the path it is on, and to fulfil the
needs of their patients by creating families.
— The Health