Wednesday 12 / February / 2025
Muscat: The Fertility Centre at the Al Wattayah Gynecology and Obstetrics Complex, affiliated with the General Directorate of Khawla Hospital, has recorded significant success since its inception in February 2024. To date, 79 pregnancies have been achieved, including nine twin pregnancies, with 13 births already recorded and 39 cases still awaiting delivery.
Dr. Naema bint Obaid Al Maamari, IVF and ICSI Consultant at Khawla Hospital, highlighted the center's achievements. Since its opening, the center has received over 5,000 patients, conducted more than 30,000 laboratory tests, and performed 900 treatment cycles, including 729 egg retrievals and 224 frozen embryo transfers.
Recognizing the urgent need for sperm extraction procedures, the center has equipped its laboratory with a specialized microscope for inspection and extraction. This has enabled the successful performance of numerous direct sperm extraction operations, with the extracted sperm being frozen for future use in IVF procedures.
To enhance the quality of care, the center has organized training workshops for doctors at referral hospitals to equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to evaluate cases of delayed childbearing and conduct initial examinations for patients referred to the center. Additionally, the center has published educational and cultural materials to raise awareness about the causes of delayed childbearing and available treatment options.
A significant achievement of the center is the establishment of the first specialized database in the Sultanate of Oman to collect and document comprehensive data on cases of delayed childbearing. This valuable data will be analyzed using scientific methods and accurate statistical analyses to improve the quality of services provided by the Fertility Center.
Furthermore, this data will be utilized for conducting groundbreaking scientific studies in the field of fertilization and assisted conception within the Sultanate. These studies will provide crucial insights into the causes of infertility, determine the prevalence of infertility in men and women, and contribute to the development of more effective treatment strategies.
Dr. Naema Al Maamari acknowledged that one of the primary challenges facing the center is the high proportion of patients aged over 40, exceeding 25% of referrals. The center is currently developing specialized strategies to address the specific needs of this age group and provide appropriate care.
Dr. Rahma bint Hamoud Al-Ghabshi, Senior Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist and Head of the Fertility Center, emphasized that the center is the first government-run facility specializing in fertilization and IVF procedures in Oman. Equipped with the latest advanced technologies, including state-of-the-art embryo incubators and laboratory equipment, the center boasts a team of highly experienced embryologists specializing in fertilization techniques and IVF procedures.
The center focuses on treating cases where natural conception is difficult or has been unsuccessful despite exhausting other available treatment options for delayed pregnancy.
Dr. Al-Ghabshi outlined the eligibility criteria for treatment at the center: the wife's age should be 42 years or younger, there should be no healthy children in the family, there should be no significant genetic diseases or extreme obesity, and the body mass index should be less than 35 for optimal treatment outcomes.
The Fertility Center has received widespread praise from beneficiaries. Mohammed Al Balushi, one of the center's patients, expressed his gratitude, stating, "Thanks be to God and His grace, I have begun my treatment journey at the fertility center, which will open the door for me and others, God willing, to achieve the dream of fatherhood." He extended his sincere thanks to the government of His Majesty the Sultan for providing these high-quality healthcare services to the citizens of Oman.
The Fertility Center at the Wattayah Gynecology and Obstetrics Complex represents a beacon of hope for couples facing challenges with conception. The center receives referrals from various sources, including gynecology and obstetrics departments in government hospitals and health complexes, urology clinics, reproductive glands clinics, endocrinology clinics, and oncology centers specializing in fertility preservation.
