Back in biblical time, to conceive was considered an extreme blessing. Women who were barren were viewed as being cursed by God. This was an embarrassment and painful time in the life of a married woman.Tracking forward to today, things have changed considerably. There have been many medical developments over the years to prevent pregnancies, or to control the number of children a woman may want to have. But there have also been scientific breakthroughs that have assisted women who wish to conceive naturally, but can't. Among them, egg donation and In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), both of which are available in T&T.
Creating a miracle
Without understanding the procedure of donating an egg and IVF, one may think it a very painful and interminable process.But according to director of the T&T IVF Fertility Clinic at Westshore Medical Hospital, Dr Catherine Bain, that couldn't be further from the truth.She assured that it was not a painful procedure, and emphasised how hard the medical team worked to ensure complete comfort of the donor and recipient during that period.
Dr Bain explained that although the clinic was happy to have donors who were simply willing to assist a family create a miracle by donating their eggs for free, it was willing to pay every egg donor $5,000 each time she donated an egg.She added that all donors were required to undergo screening tests before they could be accepted unto the programme. These tests include HIV, hepatitis, B and C, syphilis and sickle cell anaemia.
"We are also very critical and specific in choosing our donors. Donors must not be over 35 years of age. They must be a non-smoker for at least three months. They must have normal FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone) and AMH (anti-mullerian hormone) hormone blood tests, as this estimates their egg numbers. They must be free of transmissible diseases and inheritable disorders, free from severe endometriosis, never had previous hyper-stimulation of the ovaries, and their body mass index (BMI) must not exceed 33," Bain underscored."All information on the recipients and the donors are kept strictly confidential," she assured.
So many wish to conceive
Since its introduction here in 1995, Bain said IVF has successfully brought joy to thousands of families all over the world. So much so the requests were more than expected."We have so many people, not just from Trinidad or the Caribbean, on our waiting list. But people from the US, London and other parts of the world, who prefer to have their fertility treatment done with us because our waiting list is much shorter and we are more affordable than the fertility clinics in their respective countries," Bain disclosed.
About the director
With passion and enthusiasm, Bain gave a bit of insight into her background and how she became involved in reproductive endocrinology."I am a gynaecology/obstetrician, but while I was back home in the UK after I graduated from Bristol University, I worked in several major London teaching hospitals where I was exposed to reproductive endocrinology," she said.
"I fell in love with the whole idea of being able to create a life and to bring hope to families," she continued.Today Bain has given up gynaecology and solely specialises in fertility treatments, early pregnancy, and transvaginal ultrasound work.
Bringing a blessing to T&T
Describing herself as a Trini, she said prior to making the twin-island state her home in 2004, she had consistently visited."I'm married to a Trinidadian," she giggled. "When I left London I came to Trinidad looking for a job in the public medical sector, but I wasn't getting a job with the level I was at...with all my qualifications. "It wasn't too long after, I met Professor Samuel Ramsewak from UWI. He was running the IVF Fertility Clinic at Medical Associates which he started in 1995. I began working with him as a gynecologist/obstetrician, but within a year I was dealing with fertility treatment, which is what I really wanted to do as I had practised reproductive endocrinology for ten years in London," Bain explained.
"Today there is still an IVF unit at Medical Associates (in St Joseph), but we have also evolved and last year we opened this branch, our third (IVF West Shore Medical)." •For more information, visit ww.trinidadivf.com, or call the clinic's head office at 662-8344.•Look out for part two on Giving the Gift of Life