Why Mackay has experienced a rise in fertility treatments amid Covid

Parenthood can be one of life’s greatest joys but for many Mackay couples, it’s been mission impossible. Meet the doctor who has turned their frustration into bundles of joy.

The number of Mackay parents deciding to begin their family boomed over COVID-19.

“There has been a significant increase of patients in my clinic though the pandemic,” Mackay’s Queensland Fertility Clinic’s Dr Naguesh Gaunekar said.

“The pandemic made people think about their priorities and what’s important to them.

“Parenthood is one of life’s greatest joys and with the nature of modern day life, we can get carried away with other priorities. But this time has allowed humanity time for reflection.”

Dr Naguesh Gaunekar has helped parents conceive through IVF treatments at Mackay’s Queensland Fertility Clinic for 15 years. Picture: Steph Allen

Dr Gaunekar has helped Mackay parents conceive for 15 years, after moving to the region from Adelaide in 2006.

As of November 2021, he has delivered about 5500 babies at the Mater Hospital.

“It’s often thought fertility is a women’s issue and it’s not uncommon for just the woman to show up,” Dr Gaunekar said.

“But 40 per cent of fertility problems come from the man … 20 per cent of fertility problems are a combined issue or unexplained.

“It’s important couples come together, are on the same page and are committed to the journey. It’s not always an easy journey.”

While each case is different, Dr Gaunekar assesses his patients for any medical issues, fertility problems, ovulation or sperm issues, or endometriosis, before charting a plan in line with a couple’s “social circumstances”.

“A lot (of patients) work on rosters and can miss the fertile periods, so we make small interventions to make it work for them and they may not need IVF,” he said.

“But if they do, they’re given the medications to stimulate around 10-12 eggs … then we extract those eggs and fertilisation happens in the lab.

“Day five after egg collection, we put the embryo back and like with natural conception, we wait for a (positive) pregnancy test.”

Mackay Fertility Clinic also caters to single women who wish to become mothers.

“We run a donor program which is run is a very measured way for egg and sperm donations,” Dr Gaunekar said.

Mackay IVF Success Stories

Mirani couple Susan and Josh Cannan welcomed their second daughter Maytira on October 16 2021, after their first round of IVF in February 2020.

The 36-year-old mum had conceived her first child Sydney naturally, but after trying for three years, was having trouble falling pregnant again.

“We had nine failed attempted at IUI (artificial insemination) so in 2020 we decided to do IVF (with Dr Gaunekar),” Mrs Cannan said.

“I did my egg collection – six eggs. From that, three were frozen and in February 2020, I did the transfer.”

The couple were left disheartened after tests showed Mrs Cannan’s hCG levels had dropped, with doctors speculating that she had miscarried.

However, after a bout of illness caused her to be taken to hospital via ambulance, she was thrilled to discover her levels had “surged”.

An ultrasound later confirmed she was expecting.

“It was a relief. It was amazing to have that reassurance,” she said.

At 37-weeks, Mrs Cannan went into labour and after an emergency caesarean, welcomed her daughter, Maytira on October 16 2020.

“You need to go in (to having IVF) without expectations. You can go in expecting it’s going to happen, but that’s not always the case,” she said.

“We were very fortunate to fall pregnant on the first round.

“It can be a long and draining process. Sometimes you need to take a step back and when you’re both ready, give it a go.”

Ten years ago, Lisa Field, 41, was living in Mackay when she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

With dreams of one-day having a family, she decided to approach Dr Gaunekar about freezing her eggs before she underwent chemotherapy, radiation and a lumpectomy.

It was a gruelling process she knew would wreak havoc on her system, and potentially diminish her odds of falling pregnant.

Dr Gaunekar extracted Mrs Field’s eggs pro bono to preserve her odds of conceiving – which had fallen to 5 per cent with IVF and 1 per cent for conceiving naturally.

After moving to Darwin, Mrs Field married in 2014.

She fell pregnant naturally in 2015 with daughter Milla, and again in 2016 with daughter Piper.

Eager to have another child, the couple tried again to conceive naturally in 2017, but were devastated to learn the cancer had returned.

“For years we tried to have a baby afterwards, but my blood levels weren’t good and I was pre-menopausal,” Mrs Field said.

“I had a double mastectomy … which meant no more breastfeeding. It was horrible.

“But thanks to donated breast milk off Human Milk 4 Human Babies … I’ve been able to feed my son Tanner breast milk since he was born.”

After unsuccessful fertility treatments in Darwin, Mrs Field reached out to Dr Gaunekar.

Because of Covid-19 border closures, she was delayed from accessing her frozen eggs in April, and couldn’t return to Mackay until July 2020.

But just one round of IVF with Dr Gaunekar proved a success.

“To this day, Dr Gaunekar stills regularly calls just checking in,” she said.

“I can’t thank him enough. He’s been a godsend.”