It’s been a long and emotional five years for Ya-ping and partner, Taylor.
But on 14 June this year, all that changed with the arrival of their baby daughter Lotte, made possible by Bendigo Health’s Public Fertility Care program.
“I feel so grateful,” said Ya-ping of the new public in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) service. “I felt very supported through the whole process”.
The birth has also been a milestone moment for Public Fertility Care because Lotte is also one of Bendigo Health’s first born.
Bendigo Health, through Royal Women’s Hospital helps people access comprehensive, world-class fertility treatment, including genetic counselling, fertility preservation, assessment and treatment.
It’s part of Bendigo Health’s commitment to making access to IVF and other fertility services fairer and more affordable.
The unexplained nature of why Ya-ping and Taylor couldn’t conceive was one thing, then the added obstacle of the cost had them thinking, “this is not going to happen”.
“We went to see a private specialist and they told us roughly how much it would cost for a cycle and that's when we said this is not really feasible and it's not really possible,” Ya-ping said.
“We couldn’t find out why, it was left unexplained. Sometimes when you don’t know why, you question everything.
“I was recommended IVF was because of my age, I was already 40 so the specialist said don’t wait, just go down the IVF path.”
Soon after, Ya-ping saw the news about Public Fertility Care starting at Bendigo Health and signed up in late 2023, delivering a healthy baby girl 18 months later at Bendigo Health.
“Going into IVF is a kind of daunting thought but having someone explaining every detail to you, every step of the way, I found it really good.
Ya-ping said having access to the majority of appointments in Bendigo meant only needing two trips to Melbourne for extraction and transfer procedures which made the whole process much more affordable and convenient.
Impressed with the level of local care, Ya-Ping has recommended the Bendigo service to many of her friends because of the way she was treated and respected by staff.
“They kind of walk with you through the processes and I really think having the appointments here in Bendigo, it's really, really, helpful because you can't afford to travel to Melbourne for all the appointments. So having that done locally in Bendigo was really important.”
It wasn’t all smooth sailing, with the couple experiencing the heartbreak of an unsuccessful transfer. That was a pivotal time when they experienced the immediate care and support from the staff at Bendigo Health who were there for them both clinically and emotionally.
Ya-ping was quick to add that she had a “beautiful pregnancy but a bit of trouble with delivery but I had so many midwives and they really supported me through the entire one week stay.”
Taylor acknowledged the frustration and stress over the past five years but then all the happiness came at once with the birth of Lotte, “Oh, it was pretty special. It was probably the most special time I've experienced in my life so far.”
Public Fertility Care is focused on improving access for people who currently have limited access to private services. It is a free service available to individuals and couples of all genders.
For more information, please visit https://www.bendigohealth.org.au/PublicFertilityCare/