10 April 2017
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
More than 1,000 Irish couples undergo donor egg treatment annually
Waterstone Clinic’s state-of-the-art national centre of excellence at Lotamore House. Credit: Janice O’Connell
Waterstone Clinic will host a free patient information seminar on egg donation with renowned American clinic, Shady Grove Fertility. The seminar is on Saturday, April 29th at 11am, at Cork Fertility in Lotamore House, one of Waterstone Clinic’s four centres nationwide.
Annually, more than 1,000 Irish couples undergo donor egg treatment, largely due to the rise in women waiting longer to have children. In 2006, Waterstone Clinic was the first clinic in Ireland to commence an in-house egg donation programme. This is for patients who have a known egg donor, such as a sister or friend, and for altruistic donations from women who want to help couples. In the past five years, Waterstone Clinic has also seen a 50% rise in the number of its donor egg treatment cycles abroad.
Medical Director of Waterstone Clinic, Dr John Waterstone stated: “A recurring issue we see with many subfertile couples is poor egg quality, often relating to advancing age. While donor egg treatment is not suitable for everyone, for many, it can be an effective option.”
The seminar is an opportunity for individuals and couples to learn first-hand about the donor egg treatment process, and to have any questions answered by fertility and egg donation experts.
Donor egg treatment involves a woman using another woman’s eggs rather than her own. Treatment can be recommended where ovarian function is very poor and where a pregnancy using the woman’s own eggs is extremely unlikely.
View of the entrance hall and stairs at Waterstone Clinic. Credit: Janice O’Connell
Dr Waterstone added: “There needs to be open discussion about using donor eggs, so couples and individuals are better equipped with the facts. By hosting a free patient event in collaboration with Shady Grove Fertility, it allows patients an opportunity to explore the route of egg donation, ask questions and find out whether this treatment is a viable option for them.”
Speaking at the seminar will be Shady Grove Fertility’s Dr Gilbert Mottla. The collaborative international programme enables Waterstone Clinic’s patients to avail of Shady Grove Fertility’s extensive donor egg database, which is the largest in the US. Waterstone Clinic’s dedicated Egg Donation Coordinator, Eilis McCarthy manages support services for couples travelling abroad for treatment along with the in-house egg donation programme.
On the collaborative programme, Dr Mottla said: “Shady Grove Fertility delivers highly successful treatment without unnecessary and expensive tests which is perfectly in tune with Waterstone Clinic’s philosophy of care. The clinic also offers a unique service where they will treat a couple with up to six cycles of egg donation and will refund the couple completely if they have not become pregnant.
“Almost 50% of couples who have accessed Shady Grove’s donor egg programme, through our partnership with Waterstone Clinic, have become pregnant on their first attempt. In fact, we are delighted to say that over 500 babies have been born in the UK and Ireland as a result of our donor egg treatment.”
The ground work for all treatments is carried out in Ireland, prior to travelling to Shady Grove Fertility in Washington.
Past patient of Cork Fertility, Niamh Mulhall, who had her son Cillian through the help of an egg donor in 2012, will also speak at the event.
For more information or to register your place visit waterstoneclinic.ie/events
