The psychology department of the Gozo General Hospital held the third in a series of Lunch and Learn Talks – an educational presentation for health professionals during their lunch break. During the talk, entitled ‘National health services addressing infertility challenges in Malta’, several speakers from the senior management team of the Assisted Reproductive Therapy Clinic (ART) at Mater Dei Hospital addressed various aspects of infertility services.
The clinic, founded in 2014, offers infertility treatment services and procreation procedures to prospective parents facing fertility challenges to achieve pregnancy or live births.
Tania Sciriha, who oversees the ART clinic, explained the services offered: follicle tracking, which is controlled ovarian stimulation; intrauterine insemination a fertility treatment where a processed sperm sample is directly inserted with a fine catheter through the cervix and deposited in the uterine cavity to facilitate fertility; a continuous IVF programme – centred on the clinical needs of the prospective parent; gamete cryopreservation; donation of gametes and freezing of embryos. The procedures are in line with several acts, including the Embryo Protection Act.
Clinician Judith Mifsud explained the ART clinic process once a referral is made. After preliminary investigations, prospective parents are referred for controlled ovarian stimulation. If, after this process, they do not become pregnant, they are referred for IVF. They are first seen by a geneticist and then referred to the ART consultant prior to commencement of cycle. The process of ovarian stimulation then starts and oocytes are retrieved together with sperm collection, followed by an embryo transfer, hoping for a positive result. If the results of the cycle are negative, prospective parents are called in for another cycle. If all goes well, the prospective parent is discharged and referred for obstetric review and care.
Midwife Alexia Sciberras explained her role, as well as that of the nurse and carer at the ART clinic, who accompany the parents during their journey – before, during and after getting pregnant.
The midwife serves as a key person to service-users during this delicate process. The clinic also provides a counselling service to parents through a number of counsellors who work at the clinic. They offer support not only to the mother, but also to the couple, since the journey to become a parent using assisted reproductive therapy can leave an impact on both parties, as well as on their relationship.
Possibilities of creating better pathways to facilitate referrals for service-users residing in Gozo were also explored.