Merck Philippines remains true to its legacy of its continuous advocacy on fertility awareness. On its 5th year of Fertility Awareness Campaign, Merck remains committed to changing lives of couples with fertility problems.
The local arm of the world’s oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company, Merck Philippines has been proactive in their fertility awareness campaign since year 2013.
This year, the campaign, which is aptly named “Bridging Baby Steps,” aims to continue education on infertility and raise awareness about the in-vitro fertilization (IVF) methods available in the country through seminars and information dissemination.
World Health Organization (WHO), defined Infertility as “a disease of the reproductive system defined by the failure to achieve a clinical pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular unprotected sexual intercourse.”
Turning Dreams to Reality
Infertility is related to a person’s socio-cultural practices, including the marrying age, educational status, and professional goals. Data from a Synovate survey in 2011 shows that one out of 10 Filipinos are suffering from infertility.
Dr. Virgilio M. Novero Jr., head of St. Luke’s flagship Center for Advanced Reproductive Medicine and Infertility (CARMI) said that a couple’s fertility can also be affected by issues in the female and male reproductive systems, as well as various medical conditions that can affect the quality of the egg and sperm cells.
The ART of Procreation
Infertility should not be the be-all and end-all for couples, as there are means and ways to this.
One available method for childless couples is Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). This treatment procedure enables multiplication of ovarian follicles and facilitates egg cell retrieval. During the process, embryos will be formed outside the body of a female patient and will be transferred once the “cultures” are successfully formed. Patients who are suffering from severe sperm deficits, blocked fallopian tubes, unexplained infertility, mild endometriosis, and ovulation disorders can be candidates for this treatment.
With regards to IVF being risky, Dr. Novero shared that the success rate of such procedure has grown tremendously over the past years. He said that about six million children around the world were born via IVF.
Dess Cartaῆo, Sales & Marketing Manager for Fertility, Merck Philippines said: “As they say, ‘where there’s life, there’s hope.’ We, at Merck Philippines, understand the heartaches of couples who can’t conceive a child. We want to let them know that there are means and ways to combat infertility. ”
Join “Bridging Baby Steps” on October 21, 2017 at EDSA Shangri-La Manila.
Visit www.facebook.com/fertilityawarenessphilippines to know more about infertility and IVF in the Philippines,
