IVF treatment with Chris

I’m a highly experienced IVF (in vitro fertilisation) specialist dedicated to helping women and couples overcome fertility challenges and achieve their family-building goals.

There are several reasons why IVF may be used to treat infertility. These include reduced egg or sperm quality; structural or functional issues; or the presence of an inheritable genetic condition. In such cases, IVF treatment can help bypass some of the barriers associated with conception, helping you achieve a healthy pregnancy.

Before deciding if IVF is right for you, I will evaluate your individual lifestyle, circumstances and preferences. This will include a formal fertility assessment of you and your partner (where applicable), to determine if IVF is best suited to your fertility needs.

All IVF procedures take place at Newlife IVF, the doctor-owned fertility clinic I co-founded with five other like-minded practitioners in 2018. Our team of fertility experts is committed to best scientific practice, applying the latest evidence-based tools and techniques to optimise each and every IVF cycle.

IVF treatment involves a series of steps, beginning with the collection of a couple’s eggs and sperm (or the selection of a suitable egg and/or sperm donor). Egg retrieval is a minor procedure performed under light sedation, with a single retrieval collecting an average of 8–12 eggs. Meanwhile, male partners provide a fresh semen sample on the same day as egg collection.

The egg is then placed in a laboratory dish with the specially prepared sperm sample – containing around 100,000 sperm! This process is referred to as natural insemination, with the aim that a single sperm will unite with and fertilise the female’s egg. If fertilisation is successful, the fertilised egg rapidly divides over the next five days (with help from a special incubator that mimics the conditions of the female body), resulting in an embryo.

Embryos that reach sufficient growth are suitable for transfer into the woman’s uterus in the hope that it will lead to pregnancy. One embryo will be transferred at a time, with any remaining embryos frozen (available for use in a future IVF cycle if needed). A pregnancy test is performed ten days after embryo transfer to determine if the IVF treatment cycle has been successful.

Patient journey

Here's what to expect on your IVF journey with Chris
Referral information

You need a referral letter for a fertility specialist from your GP. You can book your appointment before getting a referral – just make sure you bring the letter along on the day.

Make an appointment

Appointments can be booked at my consulting suites in Box Hill, Clayton or East Melbourne. Telehealth appointments are also available for added convenience. All IVF procedures (egg retrieval and embryo transfer) are performed at Newlife IVF’s fertility treatment centre in Box Hill.
Book an appointment here.

First appointment

Understanding the cause of your fertility issues is essential to ensuring your treatment meets your fertility needs to achieve the best outcomes. Therefore, our first appointment will involve taking a thorough medical history from you, performing relevant examinations and ordering appropriate tests. We will also discuss the available treatment options.

Before you begin IVF treatment

I will register you as a patient at Newlife IVF, where I am an accredited fertility specialist. If not performed previously, I will also arrange routine tests, such as screening for infectious diseases, to lessen complications associated with conception and pregnancy.

Attend required meetings

Couples and individuals must attend a mandatory counselling session before undertaking IVF treatment to ensure that all the details are clear to you. You’ll also meet with a member of our finance team to discuss the costs associated with treatment, as well as a fertility nurse to take you through your treatment schedule. These meetings also give you the opportunity to have your questions answered by my caring and compassionate team.

Begin IVF treatment

Your IVF treatment cycle will begin on the first day of your next period. A fertility nurse will guide you through this process, including the fertility medications you will take and how and when to take these. Your medications are designed to stimulate your ovaries to produce mature eggs before egg retrieval. Throughout this period, we will monitor your response to treatment using blood tests and ultrasounds.

Advanced IVF techniques

In many instances, standard IVF insemination techniques are used to fertilise the egg with sperm – exposing the egg to hundreds of thousands of sperm in a laboratory dish. However, I may recommend more advanced techniques to increase the chances of a successful IVF cycle.

Such techniques include intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), which involves gently injecting a single sperm into a mature egg to facilitate fertilisation. If ICSI is being used as part of your IVF cycle, I may also recommend intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection (IMSI). This technique involves selecting the ‘fittest’ sperm for injection into an egg.

Although these techniques may increase the chances of successful conception, they are not always necessary. Rest assured that we will discuss all of the potential treatment options available before developing a treatment plan specific to your fertility needs.

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Working with the Newlife IVF team

I’m very proud to say that I am part of the Newlife IVF team. Newlife IVF is one of only a few independent providers of specialist fertility care and IVF in Victoria. Fully owned and operated by doctors (not shareholders), clinical empathy lies at the heart of our practice – we put patients first, not profits. Along with our collective experience and expertise, patients can expect an exceptional level of personalised care, tailored to their specific circumstances, preferences and lifestyle.

I consider it a real privilege to work alongside and learn from a team of this calibre. With our firm commitment to best scientific practice, patients can feel confident that our all-new, state-of-the-art laboratory incorporates the very latest scientific tools and techniques, including the EmbryoScope time-lapse system, DNA fragmentation testing and non-invasive chromosomal screening. From these world-class facilities, we are able to offer services spanning the entire spectrum of fertility care, from fertility testing through to assisted reproductive techniques like IVF.

Learn more about Newlife IVF.

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Useful information

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Polycystic ovary syndrome

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Fertility treatment options

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Attending IVF consultations and procedures

I perform all IVF procedures (including egg collections and embryo transfers) at Newlife IVF’s flagship treatment centre in Box Hill. Newlife IVF is one of only a few independent IVF providers in Victoria and offers a more personalised, caring and supportive experience than corporate-owned clinics. With a state-of-the-art laboratory, Newlife IVF incorporates the latest scientific tools and techniques to provide comprehensive fertility care for individuals and couples needing help to conceive. IVF and fertility consultations can be booked at any of my Melbourne-based consulting suites in Box Hill, Clayton or East Melbourne.

Newlife IVF Box Hill
Consultations and scanning
Ground Floor
120 Thames Street,
Box Hill North 3129

Map: Apple | Google

T: (03) 9418 8299

Newlife IVF East Melbourne
Located at Epworth Freemasons
Consultations, Suite 106
Day procedures, Ground Floor
320 Victoria Parade,
East Melbourne 3002

Map: Apple | Google

T: (03) 9418 8299

Newlife IVF Clayton
245 Clayton Road,
Clayton 3168

Map: Apple | Google

T: (03) 9418 8299

Newlife IVF Box Hill
All procedures
Ground Floor
116–118 Thames Street,
Box Hill North 3129

Map: Apple | Google

T: (03) 9418 8299

Have a question on your mind?

You're not alone. Read up on some commonly asked questions.

How much does IVF cost?

The cost of IVF ranges between $3,901 to $5,500 per cycle. This includes your consultations and ongoing support from your fertility specialist, nursing and embryology team. Also included are all laboratory and scientific work, blood tests and ultrasounds, procedures (including egg collection and embryo transfer), and vitrification (freezing) of your embryos with six months’ storage. This range also takes into consideration the use of advanced scientific techniques that may increase the likelihood of a successful IVF cycle, such as ICSI. However, additional charges apply for medications, hospital day admissions and anaesthetist fees. 

Your support team will take the time to explain the fee structure in great depth before you embark on IVF treatment, ensuring that you remain fully informed.

 

What causes infertility?

There is no single cause of infertility. A person’s ability to have a baby will depend on their age and other factors such as their general health and lifestyle – this is true for both men and women. Thus in order to identify possible causes of infertility, both the male and female partner require a fertility assessment. During  your fertility consultation, I will order tests to help assess what may be causing your fertility issues and recommend treatment or lifestyle changes to help you have a baby.

Can I get pregnant if I have polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)?

Some women with PCOS may have difficulty getting pregnant but there are treatments available that will increase your chances of having a baby.

Find out more about PCOS and fertility here.

How long should I try to get pregnant before seeing a fertility specialist?

The general recommendation is to seek help after 12 months of trying for women 35 and younger, or 6 months of trying if you are older than 35. However, if you have concerns about your fertility, you should see a fertility specialist as soon as possible.

See this guide on when to see a fertility specialist.

Do you help same-sex couples who desire a pregnancy?

Yes. I am experienced in helping same-sex couples achieve their goals of starting or growing their family.

Find out more about fertility treatments for same-sex couples here.

Who are Newlife IVF?

Located in the heart of Box Hill’s medical precinct, Newlife IVF offers comprehensive fertility care for individuals and couples needing help to conceive. As one of only a few independent specialist fertility centres in Victoria, the Newlife IVF team prides itself on offering patients a more personalised, caring and supportive experience than that of corporate-owned clinics.

Newlife IVF offers a wide range of fertility services from its brand-new, purpose-built fertility centre in Box Hill where patients can undergo all their investigations and treatment in the one place. Co-located services include a fully accredited, state-of-the-art laboratory, day surgery (operated by Epworth Eastern), specialist nursing and counselling services, medication dispensing, ultrasound, pathology, and an andrology lab for semen analysis. Some of these services are also available at Newlife’s satellite sites in Clayton and East Melbourne.

Helpful resources

Need further information? Please feel free to check out the below links:

OMFG!

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