Dubai: We've heard of laughter being the best medicine but medical clowns? Well, a private medical clinic in Dubai actually employs the services of professional clowns to treat In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) patients.
"IVF procedures can be very stressful. Studies have shown that clowns can help increase the pregnancy rate among patients by 50 per cent," said Dr Mira Bajirova, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the private Euromed Clinic on Jumeirah Beach Road.
Although the concept is new to the UAE, medical clowning is an accepted practice in many clinics in the US, said the French doctor, who has dealt with over 1,000 IVF cases worldwide.
She said the results of medical clowning are most pronounced when patients are exposed to a 15-minute performance by a clown immediately after the embryo transfer. From cracking jokes and performing magic stunts, the clown uses every trick in the book to tickle the patient's funny bone.
Dr Bajirova said apart from other factors like age, type of infertility and number of embryos transferred, studies have shown that women who visit clinics on a ‘clown day' are twice as likely to become pregnant than those who visit on a non-clown day.
The Euromed Clinic invites professional clowns twice a month for patients who pay for the services. Those who do not wish to incur the extra cost make do with in-house ‘clowns' who do the needful.
Dr Bajirova said laughter, which triggers healthy physical changes, entails a natural anti-stress mechanism. "It boosts immunity and energy levels while diminishing pain — all of which is vital for those undergoing IVF."
Laughter helps those trying to conceive as it releases endorphins, the body's natural feel-good chemicals, she said, adding that it enables them to adopt a positive outlook in an anxious or difficult situation.
Once stress is lowered, the chances of implantation rate also rise, said Dr Bajirova who holds 11 international diplomas and speaks five languages - English, Arabic, French, Russian, Spanish and Chinese.
How IVF Works
In-Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) is a process through which ova or eggs are removed from the woman's ovaries to allow a sperm to fertilise them in a fluid medium.
The fertilised egg is then transferred to the patient's uterus with the intent of establishing a successful pregnancy.
It involves hormonally controlling the ovulatory process and is often resorted to when other methods of assisted reproductive technology to treat infertility fail.
