Fertility treatment delays ‘will impact older women’

Dr John Waterstone, medical director of Waterstone Clinic, says many patients are still unclear on how to access the State-funded fertility treatment scheme.

NIAMH GRIFFIN, HEALTH CORRESPONDENT, IRISH EXAMINER

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-41242642.html

A leading fertility specialist has warned any delays in referrals to the State-funded fertility treatment scheme could further reduce older women’s chances of conceiving.

Dr John Waterstone, medical director of Waterstone Clinic, says many patients are still unclear on how to access the scheme.

And he cautioned that any potential “bottlenecks” could impact women in their late 30s or early 40s for whom fertility treatment is less likely to work.

“Patients probably still aren’t aware how the mechanism works,” he said.

“We don’t send patients to the fertility hubs, the GP has to make a referral for the patient concerned.”

There are six such hubs including in Cork University Maternity Hospital and Nenagh Hospital.

Hubs can then refer eligible couples to a private clinic of their choice, from a list of HSE-approved providers of which Waterstone Clinic is one.

“If [a woman] is 38 or 39, the passage of time means her chances are going to reduce because the chance of success is very much related to the woman’s age,” he said.

“If there is a big delay in getting through the bottleneck of the hub, it could be significant for them.”

The new scheme funds one cycle of IVF among other options, and he said while some women do get pregnant after one cycle, this is not certain.

“It’s not even guaranteed to work. Some couples will have several cycles and still not end up with a baby,” he cautioned.

Women aged up to 40 years and 364 days are eligible for funding.

Dr Waterstone said this is because “the treatment is less likely to work for women who are in their 40s. Is that fair on women in their 40s? Probably not but it is pragmatic”.

However, he is worried that the impact of age on fertility may not be fully understood.

“Some do [know], some don’t,” he said, describing a clinic where “every single patient I saw was 41, 42, 43, 44. I didn’t see anybody who was in their 30s. It was thoroughly depressing [for them].”

He explained how the chances of success vary with age.

“If you are in a good unit with good success rates and you are, say, under 35 the chance of a baby out of one IVF cycle is 50%-ish,” he said.

“Then as the woman gets older, that chance goes down.

“By the time she is 40, it’s gone down to 25% to 30%, and as a woman gets older still into her 40s, their chance gets lower still.

“By the time you get up to age 42, 43, the chances have gone to 5% or 10% maximum.”

It is not yet clear for how long the Government will involve private clinics in this system, he said.

“The fact there has been a huge over-run on the Department of Health budget this year means it all depends on how much money and how they are going to dole it out, and is IVF going to be seen as a high priority or not so high priority,” he said.

The HSE and Department of Health fertility treatment scheme opened for GP referrals on September 25 in the first phase of a process expected to include further treatment options after legislative changes.

Publicly Funded IVF – Information from the HSE

|Vista Primary Care Waterstone Clinic Kildare

Information on the Publicly Funded IVF Scheme

Stephen Donnelly, the Minister for Health, has released information regarding funding for assisted human reproduction (AHR) in Ireland. The scheme is set to begin in September 2023.

The Minister announced the eligibility criteria for patients to access one complete cycle of IVF or ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) treatment, funded by the HSE. This service will initially be provided by approved private providers on behalf of the HSE, while the HSE builds to deliver the service directly within the public health system.

How Do Patients Qualify for the Scheme?

Individuals who are experiencing fertility issues must have an initial consultation with their GP who can perform initial tests. The GP can then refer the couple to their local Regional Fertility Hub if appropriate (the hubs do not accept self-referrals). The fertility hubs offer services including blood tests, semen analysis, fertility-related surgeries, and treatment such as ovulation induction with follicle tracking. There are six fertility hubs nationwide, based in the maternity hospital networks.

From September, the Hubs will be able to refer patients who meet the access criteria to the private clinic of their choosing for treatment. The treatment will be publicly funded and provided free of charge if the patients are eligible. Female patients must be under 41 years of age and meet the necessary criteria. Male patients must be under 60 years of age and meet the necessary criteria. The treatment will be provided at the HSE-approved private clinic of the patient’s choice.

What are the Criteria to access HSE-funded fertility treatment (IUI, IVF, ICSI treatment) in Ireland?

The Department of Health has indicated the following access criteria:

You must be residents of the Republic of Ireland
You must be referred to a Regional Fertility Hub by your GP for tests or treatment
At the time of referral, you must be aged 18 to 41 if you are a woman or aged 18 to 60 if you are a man
The intending mother must have a BMI of between 18.5 and 30
You must be in a relationship with your partner for at least 1 year
You must have no children with your current partner, including any children you are a legal guardian to. At least one partner must not have any living child. If only one of you has a child from a previous relationship, you can still be considered for treatment.
You may be considered for treatment if you have had no more than 1 complete round of IVF previously and have no unused embryos in storage.
You must never have had a sterilisation procedure to prevent pregnancy (including a vasectomy or blocking/sealing your fallopian tubes)
You cannot have treatment if more than 2 people plan to be parents to the child.

Are sperm donation or egg donation treatments covered under the publicly funded IVF scheme in Ireland?

Treatment is not yet available to you if you cannot use your own eggs or sperm, if you are in a same-sex couple, or if you are single. The Department of Health plans to make donor-assisted human reproduction available when required regulation is in place.

What if I am Not Eligible?

Treatment for patients who are not eligible for HSE-funded treatment, or who require donor gametes, is still available privately to patients. Tax relief will continue to be available on the costs involved as part of the tax relief on medical expenses scheme. The Drugs Payment Scheme will continue to cover drugs used as part of fertility treatment.

When Will The Funding Be Available?

The Department of Health is committed to rolling out the scheme from September 2023.

Waterstone Clinic appoints leading Fertility Consultant to new flagship clinic in Dublin

We are thrilled to welcome Dr Eithne Lowe to the team at Waterstone Clinic to the position of Consultant in Reproductive Medicine. She will work mainly at our new flagship clinic in Dublin city centre. Founded by Dr John Waterstone, we are opening its new fertility clinic in Dublin later this month in response to the growing demand for our expertise in Ireland.

Dr. Lowe has over 20 years of experience in reproductive medicine; she most recently held the position of Fertility Consultant and Medical Director at Galway Fertility Clinic. Dr. Lowe previously worked as a Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist in Galway University Hospital and a Consultant Gynaecologist at the Bon Secours Hospital.

Waterstone Clinic Dublin will provide a full range of fertility treatments and services, ranging from fertility testing and assessments to help couples get started along their journey, to specialised services such as IVF, egg freezing and egg donation treatments. Waterstone Clinic prides itself on its patient-centred and science-led approach to fertility, ensuring the right decisions are made at every stage to give their clients the very best chance of having a baby.

COVID-19 Vaccines

|A close up shot of Coronavirus 2019-nCoV an infectious flu virus which causes respiratory illness. Human blood samples in a medical lab. 3d illustration concept.|A close up shot of Coronavirus 2019-nCoV an infectious flu virus which causes respiratory illness. Human blood samples in a medical lab. 3d illustration concept.

Updated 6 Jan 2022

COVID-19 OUTBREAK AND THE REPERCUSSIONS FOR OUR PATIENTS AT WATERSTONE CLINIC

The prevalence of the virus in the Irish population is higher now than at any previous time, and extreme vigilance is necessary over the next couple of months.

CORONAVIRUS INFECTION: SYMPTOMS, TRANSMISSION, PROTECTION

This infection remains a threat to our patients and our staff. It is highly contagious, particularly because infected persons can transmit the virus before they develop symptoms. Symptoms include fever, cough, difficulty breathing, tiredness, sore throat, and loss of taste or smell. Coronavirus spreads through droplets from infected persons as they breathe but especially when they cough, sneeze, shout, laugh or sing. Inhalation of infected droplets is the most important route of infection, touching infected surfaces (on which infected droplets have landed) is a possible but less likely route of infection. Small, poorly ventilated spaces, particularly cars, are dangerous places. Vaccination has proved highly successful in preventing transmission of the virus and in preventing hospitalisation and death in those vaccinated. Vaccination is not completely protective and may be less protective against new strains, such as the Delta variant. For these reasons, social distancing and mask-wearing continue to be important in preventing an infected person from passing the virus to others.

Waterstone Clinic has a responsibility to its patients and staff to minimise the risk that the virus is transmitted in our facility. We also have a duty to point out the potential risks of coronavirus infection in pregnancy. Patients and staff must comply with the protective measures we have introduced.

THE RISKS OF COVID-19 IN PREGNANCY

While the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) has given its approval that all fertility treatments can continue, patients must be aware that COVID-19 has introduced a new element of risk for pregnant women.

Pregnant women with COVID-19 infection appear twice as likely to be admitted to intensive care units and to require ventilation, compared to their non-pregnant peers. The likelihood of death for pregnant women with COVID-19 also appears greater. The absolute risk of death for pregnant women with COVID-19 in the Western world appears to be about 1 in 1,000: this is a small risk, but a new risk for pregnant women that did not exist previously.

With regard to risk for the fetus in pregnancies affected by COVID-19: there does not appear to be an increased risk of early miscarriage or birth abnormalities, nor is there any convincing evidence of vertical transmission (i.e. from mother to fetus). There is certainly an increased risk of premature delivery (3 times higher than in the general pregnant population) either because of premature rupture of the membranes or because of concerns about maternal wellbeing. Extremely premature delivery can result in death or disability for the baby. Evidence is also emerging of a possible increased risk of stillbirth in pregnancies complicated by COVID-19.

GUIDELINES ON VACCINATION AND PREGNANCY

Official advice about vaccination for women who are pregnant, or hoping to conceive, has been confusing and has changed over time. In the USA, all of the professional medical bodies concerned with fertility and pregnancy care are agreed that the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer or Moderna) should not be withheld from women who are trying to conceive, who are pregnant, or who are breastfeeding. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) has actually recommended that patients undergoing fertility treatment should be encouraged to receive the vaccination.

The advice from similar authorities in the UK and Ireland have been less clear-cut and has tended to be non-directive. Advice from professional bodies for women who are pregnant or are hoping to conceive is bound to change as time passes. Irish women who are pregnant are being offered either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines by the HSE and are being advised not to be vaccinated either before 14 weeks or after 36 weeks.

WATERSTONE CLINIC GUIDELINES ON VACCINATION AND FERTILITY TREATMENT

Waterstone Clinic recommends that patients hoping to become pregnant avail of vaccination if offered it. We recommend that patients complete vaccination before undergoing any fertility treatment. Ten days should elapse between the second vaccine dose and the day that FSH injections (or Clomid or Letrozole tablets) begin in IVF, IUI, or OII cycles. In FET cycles, 10 days should elapse between the second vaccine dose and the day that estrogen treatment begins (or Day 2 in natural or FSH stimulated FET cycles).

Similarly, for men, at least 10 days should elapse between the second vaccine dose and the production of a semen sample for treatment purposes.

Alternatively, patients offered vaccination could proceed with planned fertility treatment and postpone vaccination until pregnancy (after 14 weeks gestation) or after a negative pregnancy test.

WATERSTONE CLINIC GUIDELINES ON TRAVEL

For patients who are travelling internationally before beginning their treatment, our guidelines depend on vaccination status.

Patients who are fully vaccinated can begin their treatment cycles without delay or additional COVID-19 testing.

For patients who have received only one dose or are unvaccinated, ten days must elapse between their return and the day that FSH injections (or Clomid or Letrozole tablets) begin in IVF, IUI, or OII cycles. In FET cycles, 10 days should elapse between the date of return and the day that estrogen treatment begins (or Day 2 in natural or FSH stimulated FET cycles). For male partners, at least 10 days must elapse between returning and the production of a semen sample for treatment purposes.

Patients returning from a holiday abroad who develop any symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, must not visit the Clinic and must inform the clinical team immediately.

MINIMISING COVID-19 RISK DURING TREATMENT AT THE CLINIC

Waterstone Clinic continues to take all possible precautions to minimise the risk of transmission of the virus at Clinic visits. We are concerned that the easing of restrictions in June and July 2021 may have been premature and that a further wave of infection (particularly in the young) is inevitable. We are therefore requiring patients to continue to social distance in the Clinic and to wear masks.

We are also insisting that partners do not attend consultations in person, but take part over the phone or by video call. During treatment cycles, partners or accompanying people are not to enter the building other than to produce semen samples or to support patients after egg collection procedures. Under exceptional circumstances, partners or accompanying persons may be requested to attend by the clinical team.

Some patients are unhappy that Waterstone Clinic’s current protocols concerning COVID-19 risk are more stringent than those in HSE hospitals. We can understand this, but make no apologies about our attempts to minimise risks for our patients we hope will become pregnant, and their unborn children. This is not a trivial disease for pregnant women. We will reassess our protocols at the end of September 2021.

Patients must continue to restrict their social interactions and behaviour outside of Waterstone Clinic in the course of treatment cycles to keep themselves and others safe. Patients will be questioned in order to assess individual risk and give appropriate advice. Tests for COVID-19 may be required and treatment cycles may need to be cancelled.

MINIMISING COVID-19 RISK IN PREGNANCY

Patients who become pregnant at Waterstone Clinic must understand the potential risks of COVID-19 and do all that they can to minimise the possibility of picking up the infection. Infection in late pregnancy (after 26 weeks) appears most dangerous, and we would advise that you take extreme caution at this time. Waterstone Clinic strongly recommends strict social distancing, reinforced by mask-wearing, for all patients pregnant during this pandemic. Super spreader events (such as the church choir practice in Washington State) have demonstrated the ability of an individual with minimal or no symptoms to infect large numbers of people in the vicinity. Any individual (who is not a household member) represents a potential danger to a pregnant woman if they are within a two-meter range and masks are not being worn by both parties. Pregnant women can now reduce their work-related risk by availing of the vaccination being offered by the HSE. Women whose work exposes them to the public should check with the HR or Occupational Health Department of their employer to discuss decisions and ways around risk reduction in pregnancy.

‘I wanted to find love for the right reasons. Freezing my eggs freed me up to make the right choices’

Kathryn Leslie was 35, single and based in New York when she decided to preserve her fertility. The 38-year-old Limerick native is now engaged and living in Zurich

As told to Katie Byrne, Irish Independent, November 24 2020

“I’ve always known that I wanted my own family someday. When I was growing up in Limerick, my mam was a childminder. She minded other people’s kids from the village so there were always babies and children around our house.

When I was older, I started working in children’s rights and specifically on child protection policy and advocacy. I lived in Tanzania for five years, working for UNICEF, the UN’s children’s agency. When I was 30, I moved to New York to work at UN headquarters.

I was young, free and single, living the life with my friends. I was out three or four nights a week with the girls, going on dates and having a blast.

New York is such a cool city but I never saw myself living there long-term. When you work for the UN system, you tend to move around the world a lot. And I wasn’t sure I wanted to keep doing that. After five years, I wanted to get a new job, a new challenge, preferably in Europe, to be closer to my family in Ireland.

I was also conscious that I hadn’t met anyone yet. After five years in Manhattan, I was admittedly getting fed up of big city life, and dating. When I was living in Tanzania, I had met someone but he died in an accident early in our relationship when I was 29. And even though I was dating in New York, I never met anyone else that I connected with.

At 35, I was really looking for a change and fresh start closer to home. Randomly, at the age of 35, I also started getting all of these targeted ads on Facebook and by email, like ‘Have you thought about egg freezing?’. They were sent in a way as if to say there was something all of a sudden “wrong” with me. Then I was chatting to my sister and she had two kids through the assistance of the Waterstone Clinic in Cork. She had a great experience with them so when I was home in Ireland for Christmas 2017, I made an enquiry about egg freezing.

In New York, one round of egg freezing costs around €20,000 — and my American health insurance didn’t cover it. There was no way I was paying that amount of money and I also didn’t want to have my potential eggs in America if I wasn’t going to be living there.

That initial enquiry with the Waterstone Clinic really kick-started the process. The next time I was home in Ireland, I went for a fertility check. The clinic told me I was fit and healthy and said it was better to do it now than later. Then they said ‘here’s your plan’ and I was thinking ‘the plan?’. I didn’t expect them to produce an operational masterplan. It was a bit overwhelming.

I learned that the process of having your eggs frozen is actually quite time- intensive and logistical. You have to get regular scans and start the hormone injections on the third day of your cycle and take the injections at the same time every evening for up to 10 days. I was thinking, ‘how the hell am I going to manage all of this?’

It was crazy, but the nurses and staff were so helpful — I really felt professionally supported and not just in a clinical way, but in a caring way too. The monitoring of the follicle growth was happening in New York and then, when the follicles were of a certain size, I would book a flight to come back to Ireland for what they call the ‘trigger shot’ and then have the procedure.

All the while I was getting scans at a gynaecologist in New York on my lunch breaks, and they were sending the info back to the Waterstone Clinic.

There was even one evening when I was going from the office in New York to the airport and I had to inject myself on the airport bus because you have to take them at the same time every day. I could see people looking at me thinking, what is your one up to?

Given the over and back between New York-Cork-New York, the whole process of two rounds took about five months from the initial enquiry to the final procedure and we got 42 eggs in total.

Initial storage costs were included in the price for one year, and after that you can renew storage for blocks of five years.

Overall, I found it to be a very empowering and reassuring thing to do. It was a relief — and it really helped me make the decisions I needed to make that year with ease and it relaxed me in terms of dating.

There was so much going on between leaving New York, moving jobs and not having met the right partner. So I just thought, do you know what, I’m going to take this one thing — this ticking time bomb — and give myself some reassurance and insurance for the future.

Like everybody, I wanted to find love for all the right reasons. And I didn’t want the baby-making thing to be a driving factor.

Freezing my eggs freed me up in many ways to make the right choices. You can’t control whatever happens in the future but the one thing you can control is putting your eggs — your fertility — on ice.

I left New York in December 2018 and moved to Zurich a month later for a new job as head of safeguarding and child protection at FIFA.

A month after moving to Zurich, I met Mathias. I didn’t know anyone when I arrived and, before shutting down my Tinder account, I decided to give it one last swipe. It was his first time using Tinder. I was his first match and his first date.

My decision to freeze my eggs actually came up on our first date. We were in a bar in Zurich, tearing into the cocktails. Five cocktails later — maybe six — we started talking about wider life issues and it somehow came up.

He was actually very impressed. He told me later that it was one of the things that made him become more attracted to me.

Mathias and I got engaged six months after our first date and starting a family is very much on the cards. We were supposed to get married this month, but we had to postpone it because of Covid.

When I decided to have my eggs frozen, a few friends messaged me to tell me that they were thinking about it but they weren’t sure. I told them to go for it. If it’s crossed your mind, I said to them, it’s crossed your mind for a reason.

If egg freezing helps you live your best life and not have worries or stress about your fertility or getting older; if it helps you make the right decisions for the right reasons, then my advice is to just go for it.”

https://www.independent.ie/life/health-wellbeing/i-wanted-to-find-love-for-the-right-reasons-freezing-my-eggs-freed-me-up-to-make-the-right-choices-39783008.html

Fertility Services to Continue Throughout Level 5

As appeared in the Irish Examiner on 10 November, by Paul Hosford

Fertility services will run for the entirety of Level 5 restrictions, with an overhaul of the system planned in the coming years.

Services shut down in March at the beginning of the pandemic and many did not reopen until June, causing severe interruption to the family plans of thousands.

Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond said an overhaul of the system was confirmed to him by Health Minister Stephen Donnelly in a Parliamentary Question.
He said he had received calls from constituents who were worried that their family plans would be impacted.

“My office has received correspondence from so many prospective parents worried that this latest round of Covid restrictions will rob them of their last chance to have children.

“This is because fertility services were largely suspended during the first round of Covid-19 restrictions in March, to the detriment of so many people throughout the country.”

The system will be rolled out in a phased manner over the coming years.

“A three-stage system will be introduced, beginning with primary care in GPs, moving into Regional Fertility Hubs and extending to IVF and other treatments if necessary.”

Mary McAuliffe, the Head of Clinical Services at the Waterstone clinic in Cork said that the protection of the services is vital.

It’s huge. It takes people a lot to think that they’re going to come to a fertility service and it is very time-sensitive. Our patients are really sensitive that it’s time-sensitive, so the closure put a lot of worry on people. It’s fantastic that we’re proceeding with the confirmation that we can be open. People deserve that care and attention.”

Deirdre Gorman, the Head of Nursing with Sims IVF said that while the initial closures were made out of an abundance of caution, they were “traumatising” for prospective parents.

“Every month counts when it comes to your fertility so even a few weeks ago when there was a threat of a lockdown, our phones were hopping with people worried we would close.”

Both clinics say they used the closure to implement rigorous safety regimes for patients.

One in six couples in Ireland struggles to conceive within one year and up to 6,000 people undergo fertility treatment every year.

Why Have Your Fertility Tested?

Knowledge is Power

Martina Kelly, Fertility Nurse Specialist, Waterstone Clinic Kildare

One in six couples have difficulties conceiving, so fertility testing can give couples reassurance and choices. Knowing your fertility status is very important information for future family planning.

The first question we are often asked is when should you go to a fertility clinic? You can have a fertility check whether or not you are trying for a baby. If you are trying for a baby, the general advice depends on your age. If you are over 35, it’s important to see a specialist if you have been trying for 6 months, and if you are under 35, see a specialist after a year. If you’re not actively trying for a baby, you can have a fertility check at any time. The information from the check will let you know where you stand and help you make decisions, such as considering preserving your fertility.

Before you meet with a doctor, you and your partner will have some tests so you can get the most out of your consultation. The male partner will have a simple semen analysis test and the female will have a number of blood tests, to help us measure ovarian reserve, which will provide information regarding your ability to conceive.

One of the tests that can give us a good sense of your fertility timeline, is the AMH test. Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH), is a hormone produced by cells inside the little sacs in the ovaries that each holds an egg. These follicles release the AMH hormone, and the amount of it in the blood serves as a proxy for the amount of eggs remaining in the ovaries. Alongside this, we look at the amount of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) in the blood. This hormone works to kick-start the maturation of the eggs in the follicles, and if there is a high level of this hormone, it can be a sign of low ovarian reserve.

In additional to hormonal tests, it is essential to have a fertility focused ultrasound to view the ovaries. Put together, this information gives a picture of your overall fertility potential. Combined with your partner’s semen analysis result, we can determine if fertility treatment might be necessary, and which options would offer you the best chance of success.

Having health checks at a fertility clinic does help, by not losing time. Fertility issues are very common and even if you don’t want a family right now, being proactive about your fertility can make all the difference when you are ready. Having your reproductive health information will help you make decisions and take out the guesswork. Knowledge is power: once you know, you have choices which is everything in the world of fertility.

Martina Kelly, Fertility Nurse Specialist Kildare

Martina is a fertility nurse specialist at the Waterstone Clinic in Kildare. She trained as a Registered General Nurse in the Midlands and was one of the first nurses in Ireland to specialise in women’s health. She has worked all over the world, in Australia, Barbados, Trinidad, the UK and Ireland. Having worked in fertility for many years, Martina is passionate about women’s health. She runs the Waterstone Clinic Kildare site, helping women and couples fulfil their dreams of parenthood.

Starting Fertility Treatment During A Pandemic

Where to Start

The Gift of Time

Dr John Waterstone

More and more couples and individuals are beginning their fertility journeys since the coronavirus epidemic swept the country. There is no doubt that the pandemic has had a huge impact on how we live our lives, and while it has taken away so much, it has at the same time, given us a gift of time to evaluate our priorities.

In a recent survey of nearly 400 of our patients across our five clinics, we asked what changes the pandemic has brought about. 82% of them answered that it has made them value family more. 71% agreed that the pandemic had given them more time to think about starting a family.

Many couples have been trying for a family during the pandemic, and have asked for fertility advice. Fertility is strongly linked to the age of the woman. For women aged over 35, our advice is to see a fertility specialist after six months of trying; and after a year of trying if you are under 35. If you are part of a couple, your fertility potential should be assessed together. The tests are very simple: women need some blood tests, including an Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) blood test, and a fertility-focused ultrasound scan. Male partners need a simple semen analysis test. Looking at all the results together, we can build a picture of your overall fertility health, including your ovarian reserve (the number of eggs in your ovaries).

Having a fertility check doesn’t always mean you will need fertility treatment. Some couples only need reassurance and advice, and some need treatment. If you do need treatment, we will build a plan with a recommendation for a treatment that will give you the best chance of success. There are simple and low-cost treatments such as Ovulation Induction (where you take medication, and conception takes place through intercourse at home) or Intrauterine Insemination (where you take medication and conception takes place through a simple procedure). If you need more specialised intervention, we may recommend IVF or ICSI treatment.

Fertility treatment can be a stressful time for couples, and even more so in the time of COVID-19. Right now, a key worry for many is how soon can they start their journey. While fertility testing and treatment were paused at the height of lockdown in March and April, international guidelines have been updated and fertility services are now classed as essential, so they are not restricted, even at Level 5 in Ireland. We have implemented many health and safety measures to keep our patients, staff and clinics safe and COVID-free.

Many people worry that they are losing time, that their fertility is declining and they might miss their opportunity to have a baby. Time can be the enemy of fertility, so use the gift of time: have an assessment and make sure that time is on your side.

Dr John Waterstone is Medical Director of Waterstone Clinic

Kildare Clinic Now Open

|Vista Primary Care Waterstone Clinic Kildare

Our Family Is Expanding

We are delighted to announce the opening of our Kildare Clinic.

We now have five clinics across the country, and our Kildare clinic will enable patients to access diagnostic tests, consultations with our doctors, ultrasound scans, cycle monitoring, and semen analysis while staying close to home.

Our specialist team are experts in the field of Reproductive Medicine. We have achieved most, if not all, of Ireland’s scientific milestones in fertility since we opened our first clinic in 2002. We provide cutting-edge fertility care to our patients at a standard that is second to none. Over 500 babies are born every year from treatments at our clinics.

Our clinic is located in Vista Primary Care Centre, Ballymore Eustace Road, Naas, Co.Kildare (map)

For appointments, contact [email protected] or call 0818 333 310 | 045- 874389

Getting Through Christmas with Fertility Issues

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5 Tips For Looking After Yourself at Christmas During Your Fertility Journey

Christmas can be an emotional time, with lots of expectations and pressure from outside, and pressure you might put on yourself too. If you are worried about the Christmas season, a little bit of planning and preparation can help you feel less uncomfortable and to enjoy the time you have to relax: it’s your Christmas too!