Fertility Facts

This is common and so, we are considered normal, then!

She is Pregnant

AB, she is in her mid 30's and has been married for 1 1/2 years. She contacted me via email and seeking advice about IVF and the doctor. That happened maybe 8-10 months ago.

I remembered there was this occassion. I was having Satay with my brother's family in Kajang and next day, I received an email from her asking whether I was in this location at that time, that actually freak me out a little bit like how she knows and we never met! She spotted the kids and similarity of the photos that I posted on my blog. I asked her why did she dropped by and say hello, she said she was shy!

And then, she went missing for months!

She contacted me recently and announced that she is 8 months pregnant! And here is her story.

She went for her first ever check-up before contacting me but the doctor was not able to detect both of her fallopian tubes. Then, she realised the way forward will be IVF or IUI and that is how she found my blog.  Doctor suggested her to carry out HSG and on the day, when she visited the doctor about the result, the doctor said can't see the tubes, she will need surgery and she told the doctor she has missed her period. Doctor then did a scan and spotted the little beating heart! She is pregnant.

So now still puzzle her so much is like even the doctor advised that she need surgery and how can she get pregnant! Doctor just said forget about it and let's concentrate on the baby. I will agreed with doctor 100%. Just relax, enjoy your pregnancy and soon to enjoy your motherhood.

I once read a blog about this lady who has been trying to get pregnant for like years. The making love part  has become like a homework and no more fun left. She is a Christian and the mother in law is not. Once the mother in law said to her " Come, let's go temple with me to pray to my God, your God is not helping you, maybe my God can help". I find this hilarious but I believe it happen to so many of us and not just her!!

IVF Success Story in Malaysia

Dear Readers and Followers,

My new blogspot :IVF success story in Malaysia has been uploaded and up and running. Thank you for those who has contributed their information and I am very pleased with their 'sharing' spirit! 

I am still doing some research and still yet to post some other success stories. I hope the medical background/history in treatments of these successful couple will be able to assist or serve as guideline for those with the same problem or currently undergoing treatment.

IVF Success Rate In Malaysia

After talking, welcoming childless couples to my home and reading all other blogs about couples who are trying to get pregnant or has successfully got pregnant, I realised that all those childless couples out there are most interested to know the following:-

1. How many years you have been trying?

2. What is yours or spouse's problem?

3. Who is your doctor or clinic you have visited?

4. What procedure you have gone through?

5. How many failures before success?

6. How much does it cost?

Then, I was thinking, maybe I should do some research and start a blog called 'IVF Success Rate in Malaysia". The information of those who has successful upgraded their status from childless to handful or just got pregnant should share some of the above information and the information can serve as a reference to others who are going to embark onto their infertility treatment journey.

To my kind readers/followers,

If you are of the above status, could you kindly answer the following questions and forwarded the reply to me via acbm123@gmail.com. Your assistance is very much appreciated.

1. General Information :

• Age Group : late 20's/early 30's/late 30's/early 40's
• Married for :     years
• Currently pregnant : Yes/No
• No. of children :

2. Treatment/Medical Background

• Husband : Nil/Low Sperm Count/Other (to specify)
• Wife : Endometriosis/ Polyp/PCOS/Other (to specify)
• Name of Doctor/Clinic:
• Type of Treatment : IF/IUI
• No.of trial prior to success:
• Approx. cost spent:
• Total of eggs retrieved
• Total  of embryos developed:

3. Further information (if available and do not mind being contacted (if you have no blogspot):

• Blogspot :
• Email address :

Another Success Rate (6)

Congratulation to Hubby and Me, she is Dr.Prashant's patient with polyps problem and husband with low sperm count but that does not stop them for having a dream to have their child one day. Last Friday, she has her beta test done and the result is 'Yes'!!!!!

Well done, may God bless your pregnancy journey!

Another Success Rate (5)

Mingzy, she is one of my blog follower. She has been trying to get pregnant for 5 years and has recently gone 'missing' for couple of months. Today, I happened to read her post and............ she is pregnant. She is Dr. Prashant's patient. She has 1 failure of IUI attempt but amazingly, got pregnant naturally!!! Like her blog title, wishing for an angle and Angel has knocked her door finally.

Well done and congratulation. A true miracle!

Do drop by her blogWishing for an angle and read her story.

Should you keep secret about your IVF treatment?

I have kept my IVF treatment as a secret for quite some years. I only revealed this to a few family members and close friends, and to people who read my blog. I do not know why I do that, most probably with the perception that people will react by saying"oh, no wonder! so long got no children". I guess people may have figured out why I got the twins but some people will still asked me "do you have any 'twins' history in yours or husband's family?"

A few months back, Dr. Prashant's office contacted me to seek my permission to use my children and family's photos for their website. I struggled with that idea, to reveal or not to reveal? 

I spoken to one of my friend and he thinks that is nothing wrong or illegal for what I have done. Infertility is a very common problem and when my children grown up and able to understand, then, I should explain to them that mummy and daddy got some problem and have seek medical help and this is how, they come to the world and join the family. That conversation has actually changed my mindset and after speaking to my husband, we consented the clinic to use the children photos but not the one with us.

Our beautiful daughter's photo is on their homepage http://www.klfertility.com/ and the rest of the gang can be found here http://www.klfertility.com/fertility-treatment/frozen-embryos/

Actually, I felt honour to be able to be selected by Dr. Prashant, out of his thousands and thousands of success cases. Two months back, the clinic called to seek permission again to use my children's photos for their brochure. We consented that without any hesitance.

From now onwards, I am not going to shy away from people's question whether or not I seek IVF treatment and feel great with my blog followers, who, some of them, become my friends, visited my home and children and some, who seek advice and successfully got pregnant. This is great thing, I am able to share my journey and help others with theirs, too!

Success Rate

Looking back at those successful stories about friends that finally got pregnant, I was thinking I may have given the wrong impression to other about the success rate of Dr. Prashant. I need to clarify that those postings are merely the result of people or friends who have seek my advice and visited Dr. Prashant and finally got pregnant.

As I casually asked one of staff over at KL Fertility Centre (Dr. Prashant's clinic) the other day about how is the success rate, her answer is ' it is always high'. Great, keep up the good work, Doctor!

Another Success Rate (3)

Another thank you, another success rate! 3rd trial after 2 failures. She used to visit other doctor. We met during work and happened to talk about my children, my journey. After that, she took my advice and visited Dr. Prashant. Pregnant at the age of 39!

Eight Surprising Facts About Male Infertility

This is an article by Kristin Koch published in the STAR newspaper on 17 August 2011.

Tighty whities probably won't hurt a guy's sperm count - but his cell phone actually might. Here are some common rummors and myths that a man should know about infertility.

Age is a factor

According to President and CEO of The Fertility Centre of New England in United States, sperm production decreases in men after the age of 40, and certainly after 50. 

Bikes aren't bad

One small study from Austria found that male mountain bikers may experience more infertility from scrotal damage caused by jolting over rough terrain. The study's limited findings have been widely criticised in the medical community and there is no strong data to support the idea.

Boxers are the best

Boxer vs. briefs? It actually doesn't matter. There is no conclusive evidence to support the idea that tight underwear or pants could damaged by squishing a guys's main parts or increasing scrotal temperature.

Cell phones can cause interference

Lately, cell phone have gotten a bad rap. So what's the deal?

Some studies have shown  that it can lead to higher levels of free radicals in sperm samples, possibly decreases the quality of those swimmers.

Laptops can burn more than just the lap

Considering laptops can get hot enough to burn their legs, guys might want to keep them away from the crown jewels. There is evidence that, just like in hot tubs and saunas, the heat from a laptop can raise scrotal temperature and may interfere with sperm production.

Expanding waistlines wont't help you expand your family

Both of you should watch your weight if staring a  family is part of the plan. Adopting a healthy lifestyle will certainly boost your chances of conceiving. Obesity in men is associated with decreased sperm count and quality and excessive weight may also be associated with mishapen sperm, which can interfere with the sperm's ability to reach and penetrate the egg.

Saunas and hot tubs are trouble

Exposure to high temperatures in saunas and hot tubs can heat things up down there, and if the temperature of the testicles gets too high, it can kill sperm and interfere with sperm production, potentially resulting in low sperm count and motility. The damage is permanent.

Stress plays a major role in fertility

For guys, stress can lead to impotence, erectile dysfunction and even shut down the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis (glands that regulate reproductive system)- all of which can interfere with fertility.

It is important for both to work on managing stress. So, regularly do stress-reducing activities together like going for walks, exercising, meditating or just sharing some laughs.

Male Infertility Issue

More than 2.5 million men in Britain may be suffering from fertility problems.  Many men are in denial about the risk of infertility and tend to believe that problems in conceiving are more likely to be the "fault" of the woman. This may have been to protect the fragile male ego and it remains a sensitive area. Most probably male psyche equates fertility with virility, and views failure to father a child with shame.

This is why male infertility has usually been a taboo topic; and the unique problems which the infertile man has to deal with are rarely discussed.

 Factors that Influence Fertility

• A man’s overall health and life style.
• Habits such as nutrition, exercise, smoking, or drug and alcohol intake.
• Medications, including common medications used to treat ulcers and high blood pressure and etc.
• Drugs 
• Lubricants

It is tough enough to deal with fertility issue and top it up with the male 'EGO', I would say, it is VERY tough and impossible in my girlfriend's case.

My girl friend married into a 'ONLY ONE' son family in year 2002. When my gynea friend got pregnant in 2005, I was jealous but took her advice and seek treatment and got pregnant in 2007. My girl friend seek our advice in 2007 and still not able to do anything about it. 

She was constantly under pressure by the family especially during get together session or festive season. When she was asked the question ' when are you going to start a family?', the husband will conveniently walk away and left her with all these 'aunties' questions to answer. Her common answer will be "we are trying". Imagine getting those sort of question from Year 2002 till now? It is 2012 next year, it will a 10 years old question by then!!! In a very traditional Chinese family, of course, everybody will think she is having problem and has recommended her various types of Chinese traditional medication.

She actually went to visit Dr. Prashant in year 2007. Doctor was saying she has a minor cyst problem, not really of a concern and requested her husband to carry out the sperm test. This is the major problem. Until today, he refuses to carry out the test. Dr. Prashant advised her that there is no point trying IVF or other fertility treatments without knowing the root problem. It will be a waste of time and money and again, these treatment will need the husband's sperm. My girl friend even ordered through the clinic a special condom to contain the sperm for test but he just refused to do anything about it.

We have spoken to her and she said she is giving up unless she wants to get in a fight with him. We also think it is no point trying as the fertility treatment journey is a long journey and need commitment, patient, understanding and support of the other partner. She is also age 41 now. 

So, the above, is a classic case of man and his ego! Come on, we are leaving in this new age era! The husband and wife relationship can be like a good friends' relationship. We could share and talk of everything. Maybe it is just my friend's husband who is still leaving in a stone age mentality and a very insensitive person! Poor my girl friend, who still need to deal with all the questions/stress from the family especially when the husband is the only son. She maybe cursed by the family behind her back too!

My personal opinion on dealing with male fertility problem is you have to be very careful with your partner's feeling and should keep the problem between the both of you, talk it through, work it out, be patient and with the blessing from GOD, you may get your little angel someday.

Another Success Rate (2)

I have recently received an email from a reader of my blog. She is currently pregnant with twins and still under her first trimester.

She said she found my blog inspiring and helpful. I am so glad my blog is able to help others. She saw my children's photos in Dr.Prashant's office and realise that I was the blogger she has been following.

I am glad that she successfully got pregnant and may GOD bless her journey. It is excited to hear about another success rate.

Yes, Another Success Rate. She is pregnant!!

I came to know the husband via work. He actually came and see me and chat about my children and my journey of getting pregnant.

He said his wife has a miscarriage few years ago and is skeptical about visiting doctors and going through all sorts of tests. I proposed to him to bring his wife to come to my place and visit my children and I will share my experience with her and let her hold my children.

I am very happy of doing all these, to able to share my experience and see the sparks in their eyes when holding/seeing my children.

I am glad since that visit, they have decided to move forward and make an appointment to visit Dr. Prashant. Since then, nothing is holding them back. They obediently visited the doctors and follow the doctor's instruction and treatment. And 'Bingo', I received a sms yesterday that " my wife is pregnant with twins"!!!!!

What a great news!! As usual, tears running down my eyes. Congratulations! and May GOD bless your whole journey.

Chances of Fertility Treatment Success

I have overhead on the radio this morning about the new free online calculator which predicts couples' chances of having a baby through IVF has been created by scientists.

This will be excellent and with the test results said to be almost 99% accurate, this could save couples the emotional and financial pain of going through or repeated treatment.

The web resource was based on five years of medical records aim to tell women their likelihood of giving birth and this calculator was created by Glasgow and Bristol Universities researchers.

To use the calculator, you have to answer nine (9) questions related to woman's age, how many years of trying to get pregnant, the cause of infertility, previous IVF attempts and the outcomes.

The calculator is available for free at ivfpredict.com.

I have tried earlier myself by reversing the clock to when I had my first child. My score/chance was only 22%, and this is consider very low. Generally, depending on your conditions, IVF has success rate of 40-60%. 

If I were at that time and with this claimed to be 99% accurate calculator available, I may have back-off with the idea of IVF. But look at me now, 3 children, I can't believe it myself sometime if I think about it.

So, I leave it to you to decide. Again, I think a good and honest doctor played a very important role in your decision making. Once again, thank you GOD and Dr. Prashant for my 3 gorgeous children.

Dr. Prashant Nadkarni

I have come to realise that they are quite of numbers of people who visited my blogspot was via the key words of 'Dr, Prashant Nadkarni' and his success rates.

If you are looking for the above, I guess you are seeking infertility treatment. I was also in the same position as you, eager to know the person and the success rates. The treatment is not cheap and you just want to make sure the money is well spent.

My personal opinion, Dr. Prashant will be the right doctor you look for if you are financially capable. Like I said in my previous blog about the doctor, I have visited so many gynaecologists and infertility specialists, I was glad that I have found or got introduced to Dr. Prashant at the end. 

From my experience, others doctors or specialists tend to be very commercial or not so experienced. I was asked to try this and that all these years. I remembered very well my first visit to Dr. Prashant, he was so straight to the point that I have problem and I need to get rid of the problem (cyst) before I should try anything else. I wish previous doctors/specialist could have advised me so that I could have save the time and money.

Some of my other friends also have the same experiences like me, they were asked to do this and that by other doctors. By then, their husbands already got so tired and has refused to go for any other sort of consultation or treatment.

If you have decided to visit Dr. Prashant, you need to be patient, financially capable and willing to scarify your time. Even with appointment made, there is always long ques. The waiting sometimes will take hours. So if you are thinking of going to see him during lunch time, you may end up not able to go back to work anymore.

So, for those out there who is undecided of to go or not to go, I would suggest you go, at least once. Just treat this as a diagnosis. So, you know where you stand, what is your problem and then you decide whether or not to continue seeking his advice.

By the way, I have just got a good news from my friend, who is already 42 and has successfully got pregnant after the 2nd IVF trials with Dr. Prashant. Yeah, another success rate!!! So happy for her!

Good luck to you.

The Doctor

My dream of having children is made possible by Dr. Prashant Nadkarni. He was recommended by my gynaecologiest friend as mentioned in my earlier post.

He has had over 17 years experience in infertility and ivf. He has his own private practice in Damansara and is the Clinical Director of IVF Services in Pantai Medical Centre Bangsar.

Infertility is define as the inability to conceive after a year of unprotected intercourse or the inability to carry pregnancies to alive births.

So, if you are facing the above situation, I would suggest you make an appointment and drop by for a visit/consultantation:

KL Fertility & Gynaecology Centre

Suite 604, 6th Floor, Wisma Perintis

47, Jalan Dungun

50490 Kuala Lumpur

Tel: 03-2093 3500

However, treatment at private hospitals or practices are generally high. Average success rates of conceiving are between 15-30%.

For those who is facing financial issues, you can apply for sponsorship from TAFF. TAFF is a charity organisation headed by Her Royal Highness The Tengku Puan Pahang, Tunku Hajjah Azizah Aminah Iskandariah binti Almutawakkil Allahlah Sultan Iskandar.

Tunku Azizah had sought infertility treatments all over the world and had experienced 16 failures and 6 miscariages. She finally conceived under the medical care of a Malaysian infertility specialist, Dr.PC Wong. Tunku Azizah is now a mother of six children.

To qualify for TAFF funding, couples must be Malaysians married for more than 3 years, with a joint household income not exceeding RM4,000 a month.

Application can be made to the following:-

Tunku Azizah Fertility Foundation

Istana Abdul Aziz

Bandar Indera Mahkota

25200 Kuantan

Pahang

Phone: 09-573 3241 (Amy)

Email: taff2004@streamyx.com

My Infertility Issues

I got married in year 2000. I was 30 and my husband was 35 back then. We have even secretly trying for a baby before our wedding day.

As time past, friends/neighbours/relatives surrounded us started to get pregnant, having babies and with children running around. What we felt was jealous, jealous and jealous!!

In year 2002, after much of a prep-talk to myself. I decided to brave myself to visit a gynaecologist. I was diagnosed with endometriosis and has a blood cyst of 9cm big. I went for a keyholes surgery and a 7 months of treatment.

Year after year, consultation after consultation, check up after check ups. I was still not pregnant!

In year 2005, I met my friend who is a gynaecologist herself, was having problem to conceive. She was finally pregnant with twins. She said to me " if you trust me as a friend, please go and see Dr. Prashant"

I went straight away and again there was cyst problem with me. I underwent another surgery and a series of infertility treatment. Yes, finally I was pregnant in Year 2007 and given birth to my eldest son in Year 2008. I remember very well about the phone call from the Doctor's office to my husband while he was in Jakarta. He said 'OK' and was shocked with the news and demanded the Doctor to sms him to confirm the news. I was stunt too when he called me about that.

I must thank my husband for his support and patient for the wait for a child all these year.

As my husband wanted another child and I was already 38 when I gave birth to my eldest son, I know I have to do this quickly. Yes, I have given birth to my twins, a boy and a girl in year 2009.

I must say we are really blessed. Even with all the stress and money spent, at the end, we would say, it is all worth it. Looking at my 3 beautiful children, they matter to me.

Also, i would have to thank my family members who has pray hard for us and my friends, neighbours who care for us so much.

I decided to start this blogspot with the intention to share my journey of getting pregnant and my treatment to ladies out there who has been trying hard for a baby.

I have recommended the Doctor to my friends and they have managed to get pregnant even at the age of 42. I told my friend, I am like a direct selling person, who is trying to get my friends to go and see my doctor and overjoy by their news when they sms or call me that they are pregnant!!!