A Perth gynaecologist is disrupting the world of infertility treatment with artificial intelligence-assisted IVF cycles starting at just $1350.
Opened in March, the first egg collected at Oasis Fertility Centre is now evolving into a baby as early success results stun the team’s obstetricians, gynaecologists and laboratory scientists.
Laboratory manager Vicky Wai, Dr Sunny Baruah and the team at Oasis Fertility Centre in their brand new state-of-the-art laboratory in South Perth.Credit: Claire Ottaviano
One of the contributors to its success, and a way of reducing laboratory costs, is the use of two time-lapse incubators to view embryos on a microscopic level without having to remove them from the safety of the incubation chamber.
The data collected in the images helps embryologists identify healthy embryos with the highest probability of implantation, aiming for higher pregnancy rates.
“Most of the patients who came to us in the first couple of months are the ones who had tried everything,” centre founder, fertility specialist and gynaecologist Dr Sunny Baruah said.
“They thought, we have already spent thousands and thousands of dollars – this is affordable, what have we got to lose?”
While formal statistics won’t be available for another 12 months, initial cases have returned a 50 per cent success rate.
Dr Sunny Baruah and his wife have a close familiarity with the vulnerability and anxiety experienced by prospective parents after their own battle with infertility.
As young doctors in India, the couple spent seven years trying to fall pregnant before undergoing a traumatic and expensive fertility treatment.
Their son is now 19.
“My personal journey was a huge motivation,” he said.
“It was the most fulfilling moment in my life, becoming a father; everything changed. Suddenly, I was desperately looking to specialise in fertility.
“That is where I found my reason to carry on and after that. My mind was always on, ‘how do I make this easy for people?’”
In 2018, he became the clinical director of a local bulk-bill fertility clinic, later labelled ‘disruptive’ for advocating for cheaper alternative pathways to fertility treatment.
“I’m actually quite happy that I’m trying to disrupt,” he said.
“The whole idea of medicine is to help people.
“It’s as simple as that, you might have a fantastic treatment plan and everything, but if the people can’t afford it, what is the purpose of that?”
Baruah invested much of his own money and time working with suppliers to get the clinic off the ground with a multidisciplinary model which includes onsite ultrasound imaging, blood testing and a wellness centre with counselling and nutrition services.
The launch of a new app also allows mothers to view their progress and connect with nurses and other patients for support 24-7.
Australian Medical Association WA branch president Michael Page, who attended the clinic’s opening in March, said advancements in technology and industry competition could continue to drive the cost of fertility treatment down.
“Fertility treatment in Australia is highly regulated and clinics have to make accurate claims about success rates, they can’t oversell or overpromise,” he said.
“It can be expensive, and that can be off-putting for couples, but the fact is, there is a choice.
“There is a free market, an active market, they can shop around on price, and they can be reasonably comfortable that wherever they end up, they’ll probably be in good hands.”
The clinic’s advertised $1350 starting cost includes planning and management fees, semen preparation for IVF or ICSI, time-lapse incubation, laboratory AI, RI witness, blood and ultrasound monitoring during cycle monitoring, egg collection, ultrasound guided embryo transfer and pregnancy monitoring.
Medication, embryo freezing, day surgery and anaesthetic fees are separate.
Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.