First test-tube baby turns 35 as IVF comes of age

Dubai: As the first test-tube baby turns 35 on Thursday, UAE fertility specialists said IVF (in-vitro fertilisation) has come of age. It is considered to be one of the most effective forms of assisted reproductive technology.

The child, Louise Brown, celebrates her birthday on Thursday. The breakthrough 35 years ago resulted in the establishment of the world’s first IVF clinic at Bourn Hall in Cambridge, UK. The clinic has a branch in Dubai.

Since the first baby, there have been more than 5.5 million IVF babies worldwide, according to the clinic.

The IVF treatment has global demand, and the treatment among both expatriates and Emiratis has increased by 10-15 per cent over the last two years said specialists.

Infertility affects one in six couples globally, and rough estimates by specialists suggest that the rate could be higher due to infertility, lifestyle factors like diet, obesity, and stress and the culture of late marriages.

According to Dr Awatif Al Bahar, Medical Director at the Dubai Gynaecology and Fertility Centre (DGFC) under the Dubai Health Authority (DHA), in the last two years the demand for IVF treatment among both expatriates and Emiratis has increased by 10-15 per cent.

The DHA launched in January the Amal - meaning hope in Arabic - initiative to provide free fertility treatments for Emirati couples through the DGFC.

Terming the treatment ‘daily practice’, Dr Awatif told Gulf News that IVF has brought hope to infertile couples and is considered mainstream treatment.

“Most couples choose IVF and the Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), an IVF procedure, in which a single sperm is injected directly into an egg,” she said.

She attributed the rise in infertility to several medical factors. “Male infertility is often due to sperm problems like low motility. Whereas in women, the Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), a condition that affects how a woman’s ovaries work.”

She also said that the culture of late marriages and deferred motherhood contributes to the rising infertility rate in the UAE.

According to the specialists at the Bourn Hall Clinic in Dubai, worldwide the rate of babies born via IVF treatment is three per cent. In the UAE, the rate is much lower.

A spokesperson said, “Heat has a negative influence on male fertility, leading to poor sperm quality. Male infertility is the primary contributing factor in over 50 per cent of cases and this can be a difficult social stigma to tackle.”