I never thought it'd ever come to this...worrying about fertility and ever being able to have a family of my own. Going through life YOLO-ing may have its perks, but it certainly has its downsides and one of which is the inevitability of having to question your ability to have a home to go to after all is said and done. After all the partying, the dream-chasing, will you be content going home to an empty couch, a peaceful space, yes, but far too quiet for an aging you? These were questions I feel that I eventually have to face and continually bugs me a boring day in and out.

So when Merck Philippines held a seminar on fertility awareness last October 2016, I knew I couldn't let that opportunity pass. Merck Philippines, the local arm of the world's oldest pharmaceutical and chemical company, joined forces with IVF Davao, Inc, Mindanao's first IVF facility, for this event. This project also coincides with IVF Davao's first year anniversary. 

Infertility plagues many couples and its often a painful topic to talk about to outsiders, let alone publicly. One in eight hearts aches for a child worldwide. An infertile woman said of the issue, "I felt like I was grieving so many things. This loss felt so different because there was no body, no funeral, just the death of our dreams." Infertility is the inability to conceive after 12 months or more of unprotected intercourse. In particular, one out of ten Filipinos suffers from infertility. According to Dr. Ma. Lourdes Cablin, President of IVF Davao, this is a sizeable number of the population.

In Vitro Fertilization Davao Clients

As someone whose priority is finding my place under this sun and cementing a legacy for myself, having kids is definitely something I'd put on the back burner at the moment. But just because I don't want that now, doesn't mean I don't want it sometime in the future. I've only heard of artificial means of getting pregnant through Hollywood tales. Hearing about these pregnancy methods (ART or Assisted Reproductive Technology/In Vitro Fertilization) from local doctors certainly puts my mind at ease that: one, the technology does exist; two, it's here in the Philippines; three, it's safe; and four, it doesn't cost a million.

ART or In Vitro Fertilization involves removing eggs from a woman's ovaries and fertilizing them outside her body. It's straight out of a movie or a commercial; only it's real. During the event at Marco Polo, couples who've successfully conceived through this method through IVF Davao shared their experience. Their stories were wrought with emotion and the doctors who've attended to them also provided detailed information on the whole process.

This isn't a one-stop deal and definitely not for the faint of heart. So it helps to have a team who has you and your partner's back and your utmost  made sure they were cared for every step of the way. Which made me all the more excited about getting checked for options on possible infertility prevention. I found out about egg freezing which costs Php15,000 a year with a maintenance fee that gets cheaper each year. That's certainly a viable option for ladies like me who, if I may say it again, dreams of having kids with a big "but not yet."

Answering the audience's questions were the IVF Davao Team of Doctors and their clients

IVF Davao is the first clinic of its kind in Mindanao. Their mission is to deliver competitive service with compassion, respect and utmost accountability, quality care to clients, and providing a venue for continuing education through training and research. They're located at BWC Building, Brokenshire Hospital, Madapo Hills Davao City and may be reached through these numbers: 63 82 305-1163 / 305-3521 local 4507 and this email: ivfdavaoinc@gmail.com. IVF Davao is also on Facebook, like their page and leave a message for your queries.

Besh, if I'd ever need a sperm donor some time in the very distant future, would you volunteer?

Lastly, you may be just as relieved as I am to find out that the price for In Vitro is close to only a quarter of a million - that's about a down payment for a really nice car, which isn't so bad. With lab maintenance and continuing education of doctors, that's a really great bargain for couples who long to become parents.