I have to admit, I am afraid of IVF. I have heard many horror stories of not just the emotional impact of the whole process, but specially the effects of the drugs that one needs to pump into her body. The traditional approach requires one to take a cocktail of drugs (both orally and by injection) even before eggs can be harvested from the ovaries. One has to make sure the drugs are taken at specific times of the day. That rigorous routine scares me (I can barely keep up with my vitamin requirements)! But more than the routine, which I have read is easy embraced by people who want to be pregnant bad enough (I am not sure I am one of them), I am also scared of how some of these meds affect the female hormones, which then impact the body and the mind. I can deal with the body (I think, maybe?), not sure I can deal with the craziness.
So, why did I go for it? And why Kato?
My OB-Gyne mentioned that Kato has a different approach to IVF. It is affiliated with the Kato Ladies Clinic in Japan where most of the local doctors trained. This is what the website says about the clinic.
Kato Repro Biotech Center (KRBC) is a state of the art facility backed by evidence based protocols and techniques, superior technology and 18 years of experience in assisted reproductive technology (ART) by the Kato Ladies Clinic (KLC) in TOWAKO group in Japan. We also are collaborating with New Hope Fertility Center in New York and Life IVF Center in California. Our patient’s interest will always be our priority.
My OB-Gyne, who is not affiliated with KRBC, said Kato's approach to IVF is more body-friendly. So I looked it up and saw how their approach differed with other IVF clinics in Manila. You can read about it here - The KRBC Way.
Basically, the process requires minimal stimulation. Hence, no huge cocktail of drugs prior to egg retrieval. Actually, if a woman ovulates regularly, she may opt to not get a stimulated cycle at all. She can just wait for her regular cycle and harvest an egg per cycle. In my case, I already told the doctor that I would opt for a stimulated cycle. In addition, the process of collecting eggs (or oocytes) also differ. Whereas in the traditional approach, the woman is fully sedated because of the risks involved in oocyte collection, Kato's process does not require full sedation. They use a very fine needle to retrieve the oocyte and the patient can go home just minutes after with minimal discomfort. Finally, the clinic also follows the Kato Ladies Clinic (in Japan) process of single embryo transfer. This minimizes the possibility of multiple pregnancy which can be quite risky. A six-year study in the KLC showed that multiple embryo transfer does not necessarily increase pregnancy rate. The clinic now employs 100% single embryo transfer without reducing the pregnancy rate.
I thought it was worth a try. I felt better knowing that their process can minimize the impact of IVF on my body. In fact, they call the process mini-IVF.
My two visits had been pleasant so far. What struck me is how full the clinic was during those two visits - the first was on a Saturday and the second on a Sunday. I could not believe how many couples now resort to IVF. I also cannot believe how many people can afford it. Ha! Other than that, the place was nice.
The clinic is located in an office building in Makati's central business district. I thought it was odd that they chose that location. Anyway, the interior looks like a hospital. You can see photos of the facility here - KRBC Facility. The space is adequate. One thing I learned from my trip to Japan in 2013 was that space is gold. Hence, they really use space efficiently. So that's probably how I will describe the Kato clinic - efficient use of space. I have not been to any IVF facility here or abroad so I have no comparison. Anyway, there is a reason why I chose Kato, so as long as it addresses my issues, I'm ok with it. The clinic is "maaliwalas" so it felt comfortable. There are couches, coffee tables and reading materials (local and international magazines). There is one treatment room where the vital signs are taken and the blood extraction is performed. There are consultation rooms for discussions with the doctors, and there are examination rooms for the main procedures like ultrasound, oocyte retrieval, etc. There is also a recovery room with several beds but I have not seen it yet. There is a monitor on the waiting area that flashes the patient number and the corresponding room where the patient is supposed to go. I was a bit shocked when I first stepped into the examination room. The space is small - just enough for a small bed with stirrups and a corner shelf with towels, sanitary napkins and slippers. There is a curtain draped across the bed such that the lower half of the body is on the other side of the curtain. One end of the room opens to some sort of corridor where the doctors and staff are. So, I was thinking, if I was on the first bed, and the staff and doctors need to attend to patients in say beds number 2 and 3, then all of them will have to pass by my bed and see me in an awkward position with my legs on the stirrups. My only consolation is that the curtain across my tummy prevents me from seeing them and them from seeing me. They will only see my female parts.
There is a separate area for the male procedures. I have not seen that area but my hubby had his semen analysis done there. Next time, I'll ask him to take photos.
Anyway, that's the set up. It was ok. Like I said, I have not seen any other IVF clinics but some of the testimonials I've seen says the facility can be likened to the facilities in Singapore so I guess it's pretty standard. I will take photos next time.
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