Responding to a strong demand for IVF and assisted reproductive treatment in the area, Monash IVF is upgrading its services for Penrith patients.
Work is underway for a new clinic at the Somerset Specialist Centre in Somerset Street, Kingswood, which is due to open in July.
The new centre will be located a short distance away from the current clinic and laboratory in Barber Avenue that opened less than three years ago.
Monash fertility specialist, Dr Nikhil Patravali, who is also the Head of Gynaecology at Nepean Hospital, told the Weekender he is excited to deliver first class healthcare for local patients.
“At our current clinic we have rooms on one floor, the laboratory on one and the theatre on another, so we have amalgamated it all onto one floor so patients know exactly where they need to go, which reduces anxiety,” Dr Patravali said.
“It will be state-of-the-art but not just in terms of looks but the equipment in the lab and having extra space will allow bigger and better equipment.”
The new location will include consulting rooms for doctors, two ultrasound rooms, a transfer room connected to a large laboratory, and dedicated spaces for the nursing team and a counsellor.
More than double the number of new patients have registered for treatment with Monash IVF Penrith between July 1 last year and April 30 this year compared with the entire financial year of July 2020 to June 30, 2021.
“We have seen a big rise in cases, around 53 per cent increase in patients, which I think is due to patients perceiving good service,” Dr Patravali said.
“Patients have gone through treatment and are now referring family and friends, so it is great we do a lot of in-house blood collections and scanning to make it accessible and easy.”
Seeing an increased demand for egg freezing and recent government funding support allowing more patients to access pre-implantation genetic testing, Dr Patravali said he is honoured to help people achieve their dream of parenthood.
“Monash IVF supports heterosexual couples, single people that want to get pregnant through donor programs, same sex couples and even surrogacy for women unable to carry a baby,” he said.
“One in six Australian couples will have trouble conceiving but for heterosexual couples we can expect success up to 45 per cent with IVF, which is quite high.
“I live in Penrith so I want to give a high standard of care to the local community and it is great that patients do not need to travel all the way into Sydney to receive high-quality obstetrics, gynaecology and fertility treatment because it’s all available right here.”
Emily Feszczuk
A graduate of Western Sydney University, Emily covers Local, State and Federal politics for the Weekender, as well as crime and general news.