by Deborah Condon 

The healthy baby girl, Bridget, was born on June 27 at Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH).

PGD allows people with a specific inherited condition the option of trying to avoid passing it on to their own children.

People who are candidates for PGD include carriers of single gene defects, such as cystic fibrosis (CF), the most common genetic disease in Ireland. Other candidates include people who themselves are affected by chromosomal disorders such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy, myotonic dystrophy, haemophilia A and fragile X syndrome.

The PGD technique involves generating a number of embryos via IVF (in vitro fertilisation). With IVF, a woman’s eggs are fertilised with sperm outside the body in a test tube and the resulting embryo is placed back inside her womb.

In the case of PGD, before the embryos are put into the womb, they are biopsied, which means one cell is carefully removed from each cell. These biopsied cells are then sent to the UK to be analysed.

Only those embryos that are diagnosed as being unaffected by the particular condition are selected for transfer into the womb of the woman.

Commenting on the birth, Dr John Waterstone, a consultant obstetrician at CUMH and medical director of the Waterstone Clinic who delivered the baby, described the birth as ‘an important milestone in Irish reproductive medicine’.

The parents of baby Bridget, Patrick Mullane and Lisa Cooke, opted for PGD as they were at risk of having a baby with CF.

PGD is ‘the most technically challenging treatment in assisted reproduction’, according to the Waterstone Clinic, which is one of only two Irish IVF units to have attempted it.

Also commenting on the birth, the centre’s head of research and development, Dr Xiao Zhang, said that they are ‘delighted’ with Bridget’s birth.

“It is the result of a lot of hard work over the past few years validating and perfecting the underlying laboratory processes,” he added.

http://www.irishhealth.com/article.html?id=23831

By Joe Leogue, Irish Indpendent

A HEALTHY baby girl has been born following revolutionary treatment that allows couples at risk of a specific inherited condition to avoid passing it on to their children. John Waterstone, consultant obstetrician at CUMH and medical director of Waterstone Clinic – who delivered Bridget – said she is the first arrival after pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) in Ireland. PGD allows couples at risk of a specific inherited condition to avoid passing it on to their children. Conception takes place through IVF treatment and embryos are tested for the condition before being transferred.

Dr Waterstone described the birth of Bridget to parents Lisa Cooke (24) and Patrick Mullane (33), from north Cork, as “an important milestone in Irish reproductive medicine”. Lisa and Patrick were at risk of having a baby with cystic fibrosis, the most common genetic disease in Ireland.

A spokesperson for the Waterstone Clinic said that PGD is the most technically challenging treatment in assisted reproduction and that the centre is one of only two Irish IVF units to have attempted it. Dr Xiao Zhang, head of research and development at Waterstone Clinic, said the embryos were frozen by means of ‘vitrification’ with Lisa returning later to have one embryo transferred into the uterus. “We are delighted by today’s success – it is the result of a lot of hard work over the past few years validating and perfecting the underlying laboratory processes,” Dr Zhang said.

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/health/healthy-baby-bridget-makes-irish-medical-history-30408246.html#sthash.qdGM45NW.dpuf

Barry Roche, The Irish Times

The birth of the first baby in the Republic following a technique to screen embryos for genetic conditions such as cystic fibrosis prior to implantation has been hailed as a major milestone for Irish reproductive medicine.

Baby Bridget weighed in at a healthy 7lbs 9oz (3.4kg) at Cork University Maternity Hospital on June 27th when she was born to couple, Lisa Cooke and Patrick Mullane who were at risk of having a baby with Cystic Fibrosis, the most common genetic disease in Ireland.

Dr John Waterstone of the Waterstone Clinic, which carried out Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) on embryos belonging to the couple, explained that Bridget’s birth was a highly significant development for couples at risk of having a baby with CF.

“We are very pleased to announce the arrival of the first baby after PGD in Ireland – this is a fantastic day for Patrick and Lisa and an important milestone in Irish reproductive medicine,” said Dr Waterstone who is also a Consultant Obstetrician at CUMH.

One in 19 Irish adults is a carrier with the altered gene that causes Cystic Fibrosis and approximately one in 400 couples are at risk of having an affected baby but PGD offers couples the opportunity to have an embryo screened for the disease, he said.

“PGD allows couples at risk of a specific inherited condition to avoid passing it on to their children. Conception takes place through IVF treatment and embryos are tested for the condition before being transferred,” said Dr Waterstone

Head of Research and Development at the Waterstone Clinic, Dr Xiao Zhang explained that PGD, which costs €9,800, involves a laser assisted embryo biopsy to remove cells for genetic analysis and must be carried out with great precision.

Dr Zhang explained that following the biopsy procedure for Mr Mullane and Ms Cooke, the embryos were frozen by means of ‘vitrification’ with Ms Cooke returning later to have one embryo transferred into the uterus.

“We are delighted by today’s success; it is the result of a lot of hard work over the past few years validating and perfecting the underlying laboratory processes,” said Dr Zhang, adding that the Waterstone Clinic was one of only two Irish IVF units to have attempted PGD.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/birth-of-first-baby-screened-for-cystic-fibrosis-a-milestone-1.1857015

The first birth following Pre-Implantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) carried out in Ireland has just been announced by Waterstone Clinic. A healthy baby girl was delivered safely at Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) on Friday June 27th. Dr John Waterstone, Consultant Obstetrician at CUMH and Medical Director of Waterstone Clinic who delivered baby Bridget, said “we are pleased to announce the arrival of the first baby after PGD in Ireland; this is a fantastic day for Patrick and Lisa and an important milestone in Irish Reproductive Medicine”

PGD allows couples at risk of a specific inherited condition to avoid passing it on to their children. Conception takes place through IVF treatment and embryos are tested for the condition before being transferred. Waterstone Clinic’s PGD success involved a couple, Patrick Mullane and Lisa Cooke, who were at risk of having a baby with Cystic Fibrosis, the most common genetic disease in Ireland. One in 19 Irish adults is a carrier of the altered gene that causes Cystic Fibrosis and approximately one in four hundred couples are at risk of having an affected baby. Cystic Fibrosis is a debilitating, life-limiting condition, sometimes requiring heart/lung transplant.

PGD is the most technically challenging treatment in assisted reproduction and Waterstone Clinic is one of only two Irish IVF units to have attempted it. The laser assisted embryo biopsy required to remove cells for genetic analysis must be carried out with great precision. Successful PGD is only possible where a robust blastocyst culture system and an efficient embryo cryopreservation programme are already in place.

Dr Xiao Zhang, Head of Research and Development at Waterstone Clinic, whose expertise in the area was central to the introduction of PGD, explained that following the biopsy procedure for this couple, the embryos were frozen by means of ‘vitrification’ with Lisa returning later to have one embryo transferred into the uterus.

Dr Zhang says “we are delighted by today’s success; it is the result of a lot of hard work over the past few years validating and perfecting the underlying laboratory processes”.

Waterstone Clinic continues to lead the way in advancing reproductive medicine in Ireland by offering the latest in assisted conception technologies and achieving success rates comparable with the best in the UK and US.

In addition to the many health risks such as cancer and heart disease, smoking also directly affects fertility in both women and men. Before beginning fertility treatment we strongly advise you to give up smoking to significantly improve your chances of becoming pregnant (Practice Committee of the ASRM, 2008).

Effects of smoking on fertility in women:

• Smokers are 54% more likely to take 12 months or longer to become pregnant. (Practice Committee of the ASRM, 2008)
• Smoking can cause genetic abnormalities in developing eggs
• Smoking directly effects hormone production including oestrogen
• Menopause can occur 1 – 4 years earlier for smokers than non-smokers
• Smoking is responsible for increased risk of miscarriage within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy
• Smoking increases the risk of pregnancy complications, in particular pre- eclampsia and placental problems
• Smoking also causes a great health risk for babies. Babies born to smokers tend to have a lower birth weight than non-smokers. This can be as much as 200 – 250g lighter.
• Smoking is linked with damage to the DNA of sperm and thus poor quality sperm
• Smoking has been associated with poor sperm movement (Homan, Davies & Norman, 2007)
• Men who smoke have a lower sperm count than non-smokers.

Effects of smoking on fertility in men:

Remember: Passive smoking can be just as harmful to fertility so it is important that both partners give up smoking together!

Smoking and fertility treatment:

Not only does smoking affect natural fertility, there is a strong link between smoking and poor outcomes of fertility treatment (ESHRE, 2010).

Smokers may need to undergo nearly twice as many IVF cycles than non-smokers to achieve  a  pregnancy.

It is ideal for those who are thinking of starting a family or have been trying to conceive for a short time and would like an assessment of their reproductive health.

Prior to your appointment, you will be asked to complete a questionnaire to allow a thorough assessment of your reproductive health. As well as performing the necessary fertility tests, we aim to provide couples with advice on how to improve their chances of conceiving naturally.

If a fertility issue is identified, early investigation and management will be arranged.

What is involved in an early fertility assessment?

Semen Analysis- a detailed test carried out by one of our embryology/andrology specialists to identify if there are any sperm abnormalities

Female Hormone Profile- FSH, LH, oestradiol and a mid-luteal Progesterone level to assess the levels of female hormones and confirm ovulation

Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) level- a blood test that can be performed at any time of the menstrual cycle and relates to a woman’s ovarian reserve (indicating the number of eggs left in the ovaries)

Pelvic Ultrasound and Antral Follicle Count- a detailed transvaginal ultrasound scan assessing the uterus and ovaries for any abnormalities and quantifying the number of follicles in each ovary (follicles contain immature eggs), indicating ovarian activity.

A 30 minute consultation with a fertility specialist where a full medical and fertility history will be taken and lifestyle factors will be addressed. Further investigation will be arranged where necessary and advice on increasing your chances of natural conception.

If you would like to arrange an early fertility assessment please contact 021-4624436 or email [email protected]

The world’s largest study on the effects of lifestyle on the quality of sperm has been published this week, with some surprising findings.

Researchers at the universities of Manchester and Sheffield found that smoking cannabis can have a severe effect on male fertility, yet other lifestyle choices such as drinking alcohol and wearing tight briefs were not considered to cause problems, despite earlier reports suggesting otherwise.

Sperm quality has been in decline for decades, and scientists seem unable to make up their minds as to the exact causes, citing everything from smoking to an increased exposure to oestrogen.

However, the best advice is probably this: if you are concerned about your sperm, consult a doctor, not the internet.

Eat red food

Last month a report published by Ohio’s Cleveland Clinic, following analysis of 12 studies conducted by different groups around the world, found that consumption of lycopene improved the quality, mobility and volume of sperm dramatically, increasing sperm count by up to 70 per cent. Lycopene is an essential nutrient found commonly in red fruit and vegetables such as tomatoes, strawberries, cherries and peppers.

Lay off the laptop

A 2011 study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility suggested there could be a link between using a laptop with a Wi-Fi connection and a reduction in sperm quality. Sperm samples from 29 men were stored normally and under a laptop connected to WiFi. The sperm stored under the laptop became more sluggish and showed signs of DNA damage.

Get off your bike

Cycling has myriad health benefits, but not when it comes to your sperm. A 2009 Spanish study by the Andalusian Center of Sports Medicine and the University of Las Palmas found that a prolonged spell on your bike can severely affect the shape and quality of your spermatozoids. After monitoring 15 Spanish triathletes with an average age of 33 the study found that “those that systematically cycled 300 kilometers a week– had less than 4pc, which is considered a fertility problem”.

Keep your cool

The optimum temperature for sperm production is 34.5 degrees celsius, which is slightly below body temperature. A three-year University of California study in 2007 found that five out of 11 men who stopped taking hot baths experienced a sperm count rise of almost 500 per cent.

Drink coffee – but not too much

In 2003, researchers from Sao Paolo University in Brazil studied 750 men and concluded that drinking coffee can improve the swimming speed of human sperm, although whether this means pregnancy rates are higher among coffee drinkers is unclear. Other studies have suggested that drinking just three cups of coffee a day can cause genetic mutations in sperm, making it harder for them to successfully fertilise an egg.

Following the successful launch of two new outreach clinics in Limerick and Waterford, clinicians from the Waterstone Group, will host a free fertility information seminar in Fels Point Hotel, Tralee on May 27^th.

This patient information seminar will give practical advice to couples on how to maximise their chances of conception and will explain the different treatment options available. As part of the seminar, there will be a series of short and informative talks from the clinic’s specialist team of gynaecologists, scientists and nurses.

The information seminar will begin at 7pm with a talk entitled ‘Trying to conceive – understanding your fertility’, presented by Dr. Waterstone. He will also give an overview of the fertility treatments and options available. Couples will also have an opportunity to meet leading embryologist Dr. Tim Dineen who will discuss male fertility tests and treatments. There will be an opportunity for questions and answers throughout the evening.

“We understand how intimidating it can be to seek fertility advice,” says Dr. John Waterstone, Medical Director of the group incorporating Cork, Limerick and Waterford Fertility Centre’s. “Our hope is that through this informal fertility seminar, men and women will feel more comfortable about taking that important next step. Our expert team of fertility specialists will explain treatment options, what the process entails and answer any queries couples might have.”

The new clinics in Limerick and Waterford provide key fertility services including fertility consultations, fertility testing, diagnostic ultrasonography, ovulation induction (OII), follicle tracking and intrauterine insemination (IUI). Patients from Kerry can now avail of services in both Cork and Limerick. 

Dr. Waterstone explains that fertility difficulties can affect as many as one in five couples in Ireland: “Sometimes difficulties can relate to something as simple as lifestyle, which can be addressed and resolved easily. Other couples may need fertility treatment in order to conceive. In opening two new fertility outreach clinics, we are delighted to be extending our services to people throughout Munster. Assisted reproductive services are evolving and when the best medical and nursing care is combined with the latest scientific innovation and developments, notable success rates can be achieved.”

Waterstone Clinic, the Waterstone Group’s flagship clinic has been providing world-class fertility treatment since 2002. Its multidisciplinary team led by Dr Waterstone offers a wealth of experience and scientific knowledge that, when combined with the latest technology, allows them to deliver success rates that match the best in the UK and USA. Waterstone Clinic is at the forefront of new developments in the field of assisted reproduction and boasts some of the best success rates in Europe.

To book your place register now or contact us on 1800 303 677.

Here are seven common misconceptions about getting pregnant:

It takes a long time to get pregnant after stopping birth control pills.

Many women think that, after they stop taking birth control pills, it will take them six to 12 months to get back to regular menstrual cycles, and that during this time, their chances of pregnancy are reduced.

But studies show this is not the case, said Dr. Jani Jensen, an obstetrician/gynecologist at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

In a study of 200 women who took birth control pills for at least a year, 40 percent had a period or became pregnant just one month after they stopped taking the pill. And by three months post-pill, nearly 99 percent had a period or became pregnant, Jensen said.

Jensen recommended that women who haven’t had a spontaneous period within three months of stopping birth control pills be evaluated to see if there’s a problem affecting their ability to produce eggs.

Couples who want to have a baby should always try for a year before seeking fertility help.

Doctors in the United States generally define infertility as not conceiving after one year of unprotected sex, but some couples should not wait an entire year to get evaluated if they don’t become pregnant.

Studies show that many couples become pregnant within a few months of trying: Among couples without fertility problems, 60 percent will be pregnant within three months, and 75 percent within six months.

Doctors recommend that women age 35 and older try for no longer than six months before seeking a fertility evaluation, Jensen said. Women younger than 35 should still try for a year, unless they have a condition that could make it difficult to become pregnant, such as a menstrual cycle longer than 35 days, Jensen said. In the latter case, they shouldn’t wait a full year to seek an evaluation.

Women who monitor their body temperature to boost their conception chances should wait until their temperature goes up before having intercourse.

Monitoring body temperature is one way women can track their fertility over the course of the month and boost the chances of conception. But women shouldn’t wait until after their temperatures rise to have intercourse because this temperature rise (about 0.1 degrees Fahrenheit, or 0.6 degrees Celsius) happens after an egg is released, Jensen said.

“If you wait to have intercourse to that point, your chance of success is now reduced by more than half,” Jensen said.

Women have the best chance of becoming pregnant if they have intercourse on the day before ovulation, because sperm can live in the female reproductive track for several days, Jensen said.

“What the data seem to suggest is that if there’s sperm really ready and waiting at the time the egg is released that that has the best chance of success,” Jensen said.

If a man has had a child in the past, he can’t be the reason that a couple is infertile.

Some couples think that if they are having trouble getting pregnant, it can’t be a problem with the man if he’s fathered a child before. But there are many reasons why this is not necessarily true, Jensen said.

“The fact that you had fathered a pregnancy in the past doesn’t mean that you have a guarantee for the future,” Jensen said.

Many things could have changed in the years since the man first fathered a child. For example, the man could have gained weight or developed thyroid disease, both of which can affect fertility, Jensen said.

There’s also a remote possibility that the man wasn’t really the father of the child, Jensen said.

Couples should have intercourse every day to increase the chances of pregnancy.

In the days leading up to ovulation, women have a window of time when they can become pregnant. But couples don’t need to have intercourse every day during this period — every other day is just as good, Jensen said.

For most women, the “fertility window” is days 10 to 20 of their cycle (counting day one as the first day of menstrual bleeding), Jensen said. So having intercourse every other day in this window is a general recommendation to increase pregnancy chances, Jensen said.

Certain coital positions can increase the chance of pregnancy.

The idea that coital position affects pregnancy chances, or the gender of a baby, is a myth, Jensen said.

“Doing things like lying down with your feet in the air doesn’t increase the chance of pregnancy at all,” Jensen said.

Expensive vitamins help with fertility.

Some expensive vitamin products are marketed as a way to improve fertility, but the evidence to support this claim is weak, Jensen said. “I strongly urge patients not to take expensive vitamins,” Jensen said.

Source: LiveScience  | by  Rachael Rettner

The medical director of Waterstone Clinic, Dr John Waterstone, has called for the introduction of a new reporting system to increase transparency within the sector and help couples choose a clinic which has a proven track record for producing pregnancies. Dr Waterstone believes that more transparency is vital in the industry in order to protect patients.

“In Ireland, for the consumer – the person or couple who are looking for fertility treatment – we don’t have a transparent reporting system for success rates in this country and I feel that one is necessary,” Dr Waterstone told the Sunday Independent.

“If you live in the UK or you live in America, there are comprehensive reporting systems, so that every fertility centre in that country who carries out IVF treatment has to make returns – which means if you’re a member of the public, you can look up the success rates for the clinic on the internet and it’s all transparent,” he added.

“I think it’s only what the consumer deserves and in Ireland when we don’t have that sort of mandatory transparent reporting system, it’s too easy for clinics to claim that they are successful when, in fact, they aren’t very successful,” Dr Waterstone said.

“The consumer of fertility services needs a mandatory reporting system for success. I feel that’s the biggest regulation change that needs to take place.”

Dr Waterstone also differs from some of his colleagues in the Irish fertility sector, over the practice of social egg freezing, sometimes referred to as ‘egg-surance’.

A growing number of young career women across Ireland are choosing to put motherhood on hold and are freezing their eggs while they are in their 20s and early 30s.

However, Dr Waterstone believes that this procedure is leading to many women putting all their hopes on a technology which has not been perfected here, as no pregnancies have resulted from the process in Ireland as yet.

“It’s a new technology, which has not been successful until very recently,” he said. “Over the last five years progress is being made, but most progress has been made, not in Ireland nor in England, but in countries like Spain in particular and in the USA.”

According to Dr Waterstone, whereas embryos or fertilised eggs can be frozen with relative success, freezing eggs alone is very new territory in Ireland.

As a result, Dr Waterstone feels that social egg freezing should not yet be offered to women here, particularly as a commercial service.

“We are starting to do research on freezing or vitrifying eggs, but vitrifying eggs is more difficult,” he explained. “I don’t make any secret of concerns I would have about recommending that young women freeze their eggs. My advice to them is to just be a little bit careful, the technology is in its infancy in Ireland and we haven’t really perfected it yet.

“I’ve got no doubt that this will be a big area in years to come and it makes perfect sense logically,” he added.

“Every day of the week I’m telling women that as they get older, their fertility is getting less because their eggs quality and numbers are getting less, so freezing at an early age as an insurance policy makes perfect sense, but we need to be a careful before we recommend it to young women, who are then putting their eggs in that basket.”

According to Dr Waterstone, the current method of social egg freezing available in this country may be misleading women.

“I’m a little bit careful about women being misled about how successful egg freezing is,” he explained. “It has been successful in the US, and I’m sure in the future the technology will become more successful, but it hasn’t done so yet in Ireland.”

Up to 3,000 babies are born each year in Ireland as a result of IVF procedures.

Joanna Kiernan, Sunday Independent

http://www.independent.ie/lifestyle/mothers-babies/call-for-fertility-clinics-to-publish-success-rate-charts-30263361.html