Demand for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) services from couples where the male has previously undergone a vasectomy now accounts for a growing number of patients at a Gold Coast fertility practice.
Fertility specialist Dr Andrew Davidson said up to 15 per cent of the couples he saw wanted a baby after having had a vasectomy.
“It is usually a situation where they are in a second marriage and they would now like to have a baby between the two of them,” he said.
Alan and Mandy Lippiat are typical of this scenario. They both had three children each to their first spouses and thought they did not want any more. Like many men, Alan chose to have a vasectomy while married to his first partner.
Since marrying two and a half years ago, Alan and Mandy have been keen to have a baby.
The couple started considering having another child when they were living in Bathurst, and after relocating to the Gold Coast two years ago they sought recommendations and secured the help of Dr Davidson at CFC.
Alan’s vasectomy took place six years ago so he chose not to have a reversal as the success rates of this reduce considerably after two years. Instead, he and Mandy opted for IVF and Alan underwent a procedure that surgically extracts the sperm from the testis.
“We knew we had the option of trying to have a baby with the help of IVF as we had friends in Bathurst who have gone through the same thing,” said Mandy.
It took three IVF attempts over six months for Mandy and Alan to fall pregnant but their determination was rewarded on April 15 this year with the birth of a beautiful baby boy, Hudson Jack Lippiat.
Mandy had a trouble-free pregnancy with Hudson and said he was happy and content and even starting to sleep through the night at eight weeks!
She said her three children who live with them “love Hudson to bits”.
“The help my other children, who are now 9, 11 and 13 years old, can give me is amazing,” she said.
“We feel so blessed to have Hudson in our lives.”
The Lippiat family has now relocated to Pottsville so Alan can be closer to his work in Ballina and spend more time helping out with Hudson and the other children.
City Fertility Centre regularly holds free information seminars on all aspects of fertility. For more information, visit www.cityfertility.com.au.
City Fertility Centre Gold Coast: Robina Town Centre, Robina; John Flynn Medical Centre, Tugun; Benowa Medical Centre, Benowa.
Other clinic locations – Brisbane City, Brisbane Southside and Melbourne.
Ph: 1300 859 116 or visit www.cityfertility.com.au.
