Dubai: Gurgles, chuckles and smiling faces of mums and dads marked the celebration of International Family Day by the Dubai Health Authority (DHA)–run Dubai Gynaecology and Fertility Centre (DGFC) on Monday.
The centre has treated over 21,600 couples for infertility since it opened its doors in 1991 and has enabled the birth of 4,200 children to date with Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), said Hana Obaid Tahwara, Director of the fertility centre.
Humaid Al Qutami, chairman of the board and director general of DHA, who felicitated all the parents, said he was very proud of the achievements of the centre. “We have a success rate of 65 per cent which is higher than the success rate in fertility centres in the developed world,” he said. Of the 4,200 babies born, nearly 100 were born to Emirati couples.
Abdullah Moosa Mohammad and Sana Nasser Al Khamiri, who took advantage of the government’s Amal initiative, were able to celebrate with a triple bonanza after years of trying for natural birth. “My triplets – Omar, Hazza and daughter Futtaim - are a year old and such a source of joy for my wife and me,” Mohammad told Gulf News.
Another couple, Oxana and Andre Yannovich held their 14-month-old old daughters, Arine and Victoria, beaming with pride and happiness. Oxana told Gulf News: “We have been in the UAE for eight years. When I could not conceive conventionally, I decided to come to the DGFC two years ago. After two failed attempts at In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), I conceived on the third one. I could not believe the news and prayed for a safe pregnancy. For me, the birth of my twin daughters is a miracle. I do not mind the sleepless nights or the occasional difficulties as their love, hugs and kisses have brought so much meaning to our lives.”
Marianna Kobtseva has a six year old son Daniel and when she wanted a second baby, she could not concieve the natural way. “I waited for four years and finally, tried the Intra Uterine Sperm Injection (IUI) that helped me conceive my baby Katerina, who is now six months old, My husband, who is a pilot, and I are thrilled and wouldn’t mind going in for a third child with help from the centre in a few years from now. I want to have a large family,” she said.
Butaina Al Atta, a mother of five, has been a veteran at the centre which she first visited nearly 11 years ago. “I came to the centre when I failed to conceive for nearly six years after marriage. I spent a lot of money at a fertility clinic in Germany, but 11 years ago after my assessment here, doctors treated me using the Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) technique which give me my first triplets — Ahmad, Khalid and Aisha (10). Delighted with this, I approached the centre again seven years ago and had Abdullah, followed by Mohammad, who is now five. I am overjoyed to be the mother of five beautiful kids.”
Dr Wael Esmail, assistant medical director for Medical Affairs at the centre, said 60 per cent of the patients who came to them were Emirati nationals and 40 per cent expatriates. “With such a large pool of people, we get all the possible textbook examples of infertility ranging from stress, low-sperm count to consanguinity issues. Ours is the second fertility centre in the Middle East and the first centre in the UAE to receive international accreditation.”
The cost of one IVF cycle is approximately Dh25,000 and usually, a mother conceives after two failed attempts, said Dr Esmail, pointing out that some health insurances covered the cost of fertility treatments. About 50 per cent of the couples, he added, went in for gender selection not so much because they prefer a male child but more to be able to strike a gender balance in their family.
