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Dubai Fertility Centre Opens at Healthcare City

DUBAI - After a brief closure of six months, the Dubai Gynaecology and Fertility Centre, a regional centre offering full fertility treatment, including gender selection, opened its doors at the new premises at Dubai Healthcare City on Monday.

Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, wife of His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, inaugurated the centre. Previously located near Rashid Hospital, the old centre has been shut down and will be demolished.

Since its inception in 1991, the centre has served thousands of couples with fertility problems. Last year, the first ‘designer baby’ was born to a UAE couple with fertility issues after they received treatment at the centre. However, the gender selection process is done only on two conditions: family balancing and genetic complications.

Besides offering IVF and gender selection treatments, the centre has always been in the eye of the storm for storing frozen embryos.

Embryo freezing, a medical procedure used by women who are not able to conceive naturally, is a matter of religious debate on the federal level.

Currently, a total of 10,000 embryos are frozen in the country out of which 5,000 are in this centre. The remaining are kept at Tawam Hospital in Al Ain.

“2006 statistics showed a pregnancy success rate over 45 per cent using frozen embryos,” says Fatima Abdulla Musabih Buhannad, Director of the Dubai Gynaecology and Fertility Centre. “This rate is considered one of the best all over the world.”

Samir Radi, Senior Embryologist and Head of Department at the centre says that freezing of embryos is no issue. “We are working as usual.”

However, as per a federal law, private fertility clinics are not allowed to store embryos for fear of lineage mixture.

Until 2006, more than 2,100 babies were born as a result of fertility treatments that the centre provided. Until now, 14,000 couples have received consultation for fertility, gynaecology or obstetric care. “Success rates for all fertility treatments fluctuate. However, at present, our results are comparable (in some cases higher) with those of some of the most recognised Fertility Centres in Europe and the United States,” said Buhannad.

The centre also provides specialised fertility and gynaecological services, especially all types of infertility treatments from assisted reproduction treatments to Artificial Insemination (AI) and Ovulation Induction (OI).

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com