Phuket fertility center to give birth to boost in medical tourism

PHUKET: IVF Phuket by the Safe Fertility Center is expected to boost tourist numbers, Vice Governor Suthee Thongyam said at the grand opening of the center’s new building on Sunday.

“The prices at this qualified clinic are much cheaper than similar treatments outside of Thailand. Therefore, I am expecting the clinic to bring more tourists to the the island for in vitro fertilization,” Vice Gov Suthee said.

The center was established in Phuket International Hospital in 2010. Then, in May 2014, members of the medical teams and staffers were moved into the new building, explained Manop Janthanaphan, medical director of the IVF Phuket.

“The IVF Phuket is the only center on the Andaman coast that has been certified by the Royal Thai College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists,” Dr Manop said. “We aim to help infertile couples and fertile couples at genetic risk fulfill their dreams of becoming parents of healthy children.”

More than 100 couples have successfully undergone the procedure at IVF Phuket, which has a success rate of about 50 per cent, Dr Manop explained.

Four children from the program joined their parents at the grand opening.

“My son is now eight months old. Nong Folk is a healthy and lively boy,” Phuket native Kwannate Kliangchuay told the Phuket Gazette. “We still have embryo frozen at the clinic. We will come back for our second child.”

The new IVF Phuket by the Safe Fertility Center is now located on the 4th floor of the CCM Complex Building on the bypass road.

— Chutharat Plerin