“Everyone who seeks treatment for infertility desires to hold a healthy child.”
“Establishing a comprehensive fertility treatment center in Thailand is no easy task. It requires careful planning, skilled personnel, up-to-date technology, high standards, and a well-designed patient experience to meet all the requirements.”
Reproductive medicine is a specialty that shines the light of hope for married couples who wish to conceive, providing them with an opportunity to give birth. We are honored to interview Assoc.Prof.Dr Suphakde Julavijitphong, an obstetrician-gynecologist specializing in Assisted Reproductive Technology, on how he has become a fertility specialist who trailblazed assisted reproductive technology in Thailand and what makes him interested in helping couples conceive and see the importance of it.
“The field of reproductive medicine is like a beacon of hope, offering opportunities to bring new life into the world. Assoc. Prof. Dr Suphakde Julavijitphong, an expert in assisted reproductive technology, shares the story of what it takes to become an infertility physician pioneering reproductive technology in Thailand. He sheds light on what makes him discern the importance and fascinated with helping people have children.”
Wishing to help those struggling to have children and bring smiles to their face
Dr Supakdee began his career as an internist. He soon realized that treating general diseases had, often, uncertain outcomes. Some conditions in internal medicine don't guarantee a one-off cure; some are chronic, requiring repeated hospital visits and causing long-term stress. These prompted him to decide to shift his focus to obstetrics and gynecology.
“Being an obstetrician is different from being an internist in that when we deliver a baby, we hand over a bundle of joy to the parents, and they leave with smiles. We also find happiness in that moment.”
“After practicing as an obstetrician for a while, despite seeing that delivering babies was wonderful, a persistent group of patients existed who desperately wanted children but couldn't conceive. If we could help and make them smile, it would bring even more happiness and fulfillment. That's why I became interested in furthering my professional training in reproductive medicine and infertility.”
Dr Supakdee had the opportunity to pursue a Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility fellowship in Australia. At that time, Thailand didn't have a low birth rate problem, and people asked why he was studying this field. He explained that infertility is a global issue; there are people who fail to conceive despite trying, regardless of countries. Even in countries with large populations, there are individuals with infertility. So, he decided to bring back his knowledge and technology to help those struggling with infertility in Thailand. Additionally, Dr. Supakdee was one of the first doctors in Thailand to perform Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) to assist with fertility treatments.
Head of IVF Center at MedPark Hospital
When alluding to his current activities, Dr. Supakit, leveraging decades of knowledge, expertise, and experience, plays a pivotal role in structuring the services within the infertility treatment center at MedPark Hospital. Throughout every service phase, meticulous consideration is given to ensure a high-quality treatment experience and satisfactory outcomes.
“We plan and oversee care to achieve conception through childbirth, utilizing the scientific know-how and technological resources at our disposal. We continue to provide continuous care, ensuring that children grow up healthy and vigorous. These procedural steps occur within the confine of our IVF center.”
MedPark IVF center employ innovative technologies to augment the effectiveness of treatment and boost the chances of success. These include state-of-the-art international standard embryo incubation systems, infection prevention systems, dust and humidity control systems, and the latest time-lapse embryoscope technology for embryo cultivation. Additionally, there is an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system known as iDA Score, which assists in selecting the best-quality embryos.
“I aspire for this place to be akin to a dream team of specialized physicians carefully selected to join our ranks based on their expertise, abilities, and ethics. Every aspect of our services adheres to the highest standards, aiming to minimize the likelihood of treatment errors using facial recognition, identity verification, and fingerprint authentication from when patients arrive at the center. At each step, a confirmation process is in place, helping to fill the gaps in human work that could lead to errors.”
Science and technology can help overcome infertility.
When asked to provide an update on the current state of infertility treatment, especially at MedPark, how much progress has occurred, and the expected success rates, Dr. Supakit explains:
“In the past, during the previous era of in vitro fertilization, the fertilization method involved placing eggs and sperm together in a culture dish and allowing a sperm to penetrate the egg naturally. This method carried the risk of fertilization failure. However, in modern times, we employ ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) utilizing a tiny needle to inject a single sperm directly into an egg. This maneuver eliminates the risk of fertilization failure and significantly increases the chances of success.”
“And there is also technology known as vitrification, a rapid freezing technique for embryos. It involves quickly lowering the temperature of embryos within a fraction of a second, preventing the formation of ice crystals that could potentially damage the cells. This method helps preserve and store embryos for future use. So, if parents wish to have a second or subsequent child years later, these embryos can be readily utilized, saving both time and costs.”
In addition, at the center, there is a service that involves taking embryos created through in vitro fertilization and subjecting them to genetic testing before uterine transfer for implantation. This step is invaluable in cases where either parent has a hereditary genetic condition that could pass on to the child, such as thalassemia. The process helps select embryos free from abnormal genes for implantation.
“In older women, there is an increased risk of giving birth to a child with chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down syndrome. The risk of Down syndrome in offspring rises with the mother's age, and it becomes more prevalent in pregnancies of women aged 35 and above. This age group is prevalent among those seeking infertility treatment. Therefore, genetic screening for embryos free from chromosomal abnormalities before implantation can help mitigate the risk of such conditions in the child.”
Throughout pregnancy, the expert medical team also routinely monitors the baby for developmental issues.
Passionate about Dharma and Travel
Because being a doctor requires spending a lot of time with patients, leaving little personal time, Dr. Supakdee hopes that one day, when he slows down his work or after retirement, he would like to travel, exploring both within the country and abroad, trying out rural living, enjoying a slow-paced lifestyle, and continuing to study Dharma.
“After experiencing much of the worldly matter and witnessing life from before birth, through conception, pregnancy, birth, until old age and death, I have come to catch on to the truth that this is something everyone must face and encounter. Now, I'm beginning to take an interest in Dharma, realizing that, in truth, no matter who we are, how wealthy we may be, regardless of our social status, and whether we achieve success, everyone must journey through the same cycle of existence.”
“So, I dedicate more time to studying Dharma. Whenever I have free time, I listen to teachings from my parents, revered teachers, and respected mentors. This rumination helps me stay mindful and discern what are essence and transient. If we deeply understand, it's another crucial aspect of everyone's life, contributing to inner peace, happiness, and contentment.”
