Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - A newsurgical technique developed by renowned obstetric surgeon Nguyen Viet Tien, whois also Deputy Health Minister, could replace the IVF (in-vitro fertilization)method for thousands of infertile women.

The NationalHospital of Obstetrics and Gynecology announcedsuccessful testing of the new technique last week.

It said the technique was studiedand carried out by Tien, known as the “golden hands” of Vietnam’s obstetricsdiscipline.

The technique involves using a“catheter” to broaden the internal orifice of the uterus via an endoscopythrough the womb and abdomen.

After more than 10 years ofstudy, the technique was successfully deployed on two women diagnosed withsecondary infertility.

The first patient, NguyenThi Loan from the centralprovince of Nghe An, was diagnosed withsecondary infertility 8 years after she’d had her first baby.

Doctors foundthat the she had an occlusion in the internal orifice of the uterus, preventingher from getting pregnant.

Both women were in good healthfollowing the surgery.

“A month after the operation, thewomen’s internal OS have become normal. They can have babies in the natural wayafter more than seven years of suffering secondary infertility,” Tien said.

According to the doctor, theinfertility rate in Vietnam was 7.7 percent at present. While either the wifeor the husband or both can be the cause of infertility, leading causes for thewoman were blocked fallopian tubes, occlusion of the internal orifice of the uterus,polycystic ovary syndrome, uterine malformation and endometriosis.  

Recent studies have found thatthe rate of secondary infertility was about 60-70 percent of all cases ofinfertility.

“The percentage is very high.Helping these couples have babies became a concern and a responsibility,” hesaid.

“After many years of working asdoctor specialising in fertitlity treatment, I empathized with couples wantingbabies,” Tien told Lao Dong (Labour) newspaper.

Fertility treatment is usuallycostly and takes many attempts to succeed, and many couples are left feelinghopeless.

In-vitro fertilization was anoption not all couples could afford. In many cases, couples took five to 10years to save the money. But, unfortunately, the women’s ovaries aged duringthis time, the doctor said.

The patients’ despair pushed Tienand his colleagues to find an effective, affordable solution.

After years of research, thedoctor was able to fashion a new technique based on endoscopy of the womb andabdomen.

“I am really confident about thenew method. Based on my experience, I am sure the patients will be able to havebabies normally”, Tien affirmed.

He said the new technique wasvery safe and the side effects were minimal. The operation itself just took anhour and a half.

Other methods carry high risks ofcomplications, he said.

Thanks to the new technique, the Centerfor Reproductive Assistance is able to help dozens of patients every day.

“I canconfidently say that with this technique, IVF or surrogate pregnancies can become a thing of the past,” Tien said.

He said thetechnique will soon be transferred to city and provincial-level obstetricshospitals to reduce overloading at the National Hospital of Obstetrics andGynecology.

“However, onething that concerns me now is that infertility treatment is not covered byhealth insurance,” Tien said.

In manydeveloped countries, childless couples are covered for up to four IVF attempts,he said.

But in Vietnam,even tests are not paid for by health insurance.

“In my opinion,the treatment has a humanitarian purpose, and we should consider this,” thedoctor said.-VNA