Women’s healthcare spotlighted at Arab Health 2017

This year for the first time, the Harley Street Fertility Clinic will be at Arab Health to highlight the extensive range of fertility services they can offer Middle Eastern families who are trying to conceive.

Part of the Harley Street Medical Area, the Harley Street Fertility Clinic is supported by a team of specialist consultants in the fields of fertility, gynaecology and urology, who offer advice and treatments in all aspects of assisted conception, gynaecology, endoscopic surgery and male infertility.

Located in Marylebone in the heart of central London, the clinic provides comprehensive assistance to couples who are not able to conceive on their own. This ranges from simple techniques such as timing intercourse and inducing ovulation, through to more advanced treatments such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and IVF/ICSI using a sperm or egg donor or surrogacy.

Speaking about fertility in the Middle East, Dr Geetha Venkat, founder of the Harley Street Fertility Clinic, said: “The issue of infertility within the Middle East is a complex subject.”

“Whilst the medical speciality of assisted conception has developed and more advanced techniques have emerged to treat couples struggling to conceive, cultural attitudes towards infertility still prove to be a barrier to couples who need to seek help to start a family.”

Dr Venkat, an obstetrician, gynaecologist and consultant IVF specialist with over 25 years’ experience, explains that with education, attitudes in the Middle East are changing.

 “More than ever, couples are coming forward to seek treatment and specialist fertility clinics are being established and growing within the region,” she added.

“Treatments are becoming more accessible and success rates are increasing. It is important that couples explore their options to ensure they are supported and helped through these issues to address any infertility problems. We can offer discrete consultations with female specialists to make sure patients feel comfortable throughout the treatment process.”

One of the common problems facing couples trying to conceive in the Middle East is Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, which is a very common gynaecological problem within the UAE and GCC region.

Obesity and lifestyle is also a common problem of infertility, which, in line with global trends, fertility problems are on the rise in the GCC and UAE region and lifestyle is one of the key contributors to this increase.

Dr Venkat added: “Middle Eastern culture traditionally dictates that couples produce large families. The pressure therefore exerted on a couple, and more specifically the woman, when conception is not readily achieved is immense. This stress, in turn produces a negative field of energy within the body which hinders a couple’s chances of a successful pregnancy. In some cases, this can also lead to comfort eating which will again exacerbate any underlying conditions such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.”

Dr Venkat and her team will be at Arab Health 2017 to discuss the issue of the fertility across the Middle East. They will be located on the Harley Street Medical Area stand on the UK Pavilion.

This year there will also be a number of female UK clinicians speaking at the congress including:

Dr Olga Kapellou, Consultant Paediatrician & Neonatologist, from HCA Healthcare UK, will be speaking about her experiences in the UK and the recommendations from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Dr Kapellou, who specialises in preterm and term infant developmental follow up, will also discuss how to diagnose and treat jaundice in newborn babies up to 28-days old.

Female orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeon, Dr Ros Miller FRCS Tr & Orth is also a confirmed speaker at the 2017 congress. Dr Miller specialises in foot and ankle pathology and is internationally renowned in all foot and ankle conditions, from Minimally Invasive Surgery to Total Ankle Replacements. She is also a pioneer of NEMISIS (Neuropathic Minimally Invasive Surgeries), a pioneering solution for the treatment of diabetic foot pathology. She will be at Arab Health to talk about the global problem of diabetic foot ulcers and her pioneering work in this area.