Question 1

What is the maximum age for IVF treatment at Waterstone Clinic?

Accepted Answer

Waterstone Clinic follows the HSE funding criteria that limit publicly funded IVF to women aged 18‑40, but the clinic also offers privately funded IVF beyond this range after individual clinical assessment. Success data are reported up to age 42, with a live‑birth rate of 32 % for patients 41‑42 and 20 % for those over 42, indicating that treatment is available for older patients on a case‑by‑case basis. Age‑related counseling and personalized protocols are provided to optimise outcomes for each patient.

Question 2

Does Waterstone Clinic provide fertility treatment for same-sex couples?

Accepted Answer

Waterstone Clinic offers inclusive fertility services for same‑sex couples. Female couples can pursue Shared Motherhood (reciprocal IVF), where one partner provides eggs and the other carries the pregnancy, with both partners listed on the birth certificate. Male couples can utilise the donor‑sperm programme for IUI, IVF or ICSI, supported by a dedicated sperm‑donation team. The clinic’s LGBTQ+ inclusive policies are highlighted in its podcast series and patient resources, ensuring tailored clinical pathways and counselling for all same‑sex families.

Question 3

What is the history and background of Waterstone Clinic?

Accepted Answer

Waterstone Clinic was founded in 2002 by Dr John Waterstone as the former Cork Fertility Centre and has grown into a national network with clinics in Dublin, Cork, Kildare, Limerick and Waterford. Over more than 20 years, the clinic has facilitated the birth of more than 10,000 babies and pioneered several Irish medical firsts, including the first embryo biopsy for pre‑implantation genetic diagnosis, the first micro‑TESE service, routine blastocyst culture, and open‑system vitrification for egg freezing. The clinic is an approved training centre for the British Fertility Society and operates a seven‑day service without waiting lists, reflecting its commitment to scientific excellence and patient‑centred care.

Question 4

Does Waterstone Clinic treat single women seeking fertility treatment?

Accepted Answer

Waterstone Clinic explicitly welcomes single women for fertility treatment. The clinic’s donor‑sperm programme is available to solo mothers, and the “Solo Motherhood” podcast episode outlines the step‑by‑step process for single women using donor sperm in IUI, IVF or ICSI cycles. Comprehensive support includes a fertility nurse specialist, counselling, and a coordinated treatment plan tailored to the individual’s needs, ensuring that single women receive the same high‑quality care and success rates as couples.

Question 5

What fertility treatments and services does Waterstone Clinic offer?

Accepted Answer

Waterstone Clinic provides a comprehensive suite of assisted reproduction services. Core IVF and ICSI cycles are offered alongside intrauterine insemination (IUI) and ovulation induction (OII). The clinic specialises in egg freezing, embryo freezing, and sperm freezing using open‑system vitrification. Donor programmes include egg donation, donor sperm, and double‑donation cycles, with the longest‑running egg‑donation programme in Ireland. Additional offerings comprise pre‑implantation genetic testing (PGT‑A, PGT‑M, PGT‑SR), shared motherhood (reciprocal IVF) for same‑sex female couples, surgical sperm retrieval (TESE, PESA, Micro‑TESE), and comprehensive fertility testing for both partners. The clinic also supports HSE‑funded treatment, private insurance coverage, and provides free fertility counselling and nursing support throughout the journey.

Question 6

Who are the fertility doctors and specialists at Waterstone Clinic?

Accepted Answer

Waterstone Clinic is led by Dr John Waterstone, MD, MSc, MRCOG, CCST, who serves as Medical Director and Consultant Gynaecologist and founded the clinic in 2002. The Dublin team is headed by Dr Eithne Lowe, a Consultant in Reproductive Medicine with over twenty years of experience. The clinic’s scientific staff includes senior embryologists, laboratory scientists, and a dedicated fertility nurse specialist team who manage patient care from testing through embryo transfer. Together, this multidisciplinary team combines clinical expertise with cutting‑edge laboratory leadership to optimise IVF, ICSI, donor programmes and advanced reproductive technologies.

Question 7

Does Waterstone Clinic offer egg donation for IVF treatment?

Accepted Answer

Yes, Waterstone Clinic runs Ireland’s longest‑running egg‑donation programme. Patients can access imported frozen donor eggs through a European recruitment network, with a minimum of two blastocysts or one transfer per cycle. The clinic reports a live‑birth rate of over 65 % for treatments using donor eggs, reflecting the high survival and implantation success of their vitrified eggs. A dedicated egg‑donation team provides counselling, donor selection assistance, and coordinates all laboratory and clinical steps to ensure a seamless IVF experience for recipients.

Question 8

What IVF laboratory technology does Waterstone Clinic use?

Accepted Answer

Waterstone Clinic’s IVF laboratory employs state‑of‑the‑art equipment to maximise embryo development. Embryos are cultured in an Embryoscope+ time‑lapse incubator, allowing continuous monitoring and precise assessment of growth patterns. The lab integrates the AI‑driven IDAscore 2.0 platform, which analyses time‑lapse imagery to rank embryos by implantation potential. Cryopreservation utilizes gold‑standard open‑system vitrification, achieving a 98 % survival rate for frozen embryos and over 65 % live‑birth rates from donor‑egg batches. All procedures are performed under strict quality‑control protocols, with regular audits and certifications to ensure consistency with international best practices.

Question 9

What are the IVF success rates at Waterstone Clinic?

Accepted Answer

Waterstone Clinic reports age‑stratified live‑birth rates for IVF/ICSI cycles based on 2022 data. A 34‑year‑old undergoing a blastocyst transfer has a 64 % chance of pregnancy, a 38‑year‑old has a 45 % chance, and a 40‑year‑old has a 30 % chance. Cumulative live‑birth rates per egg collection are 64 % for patients 34 or younger, 61 % for ages 35‑37, 45 % for ages 38‑40, 32 % for ages 41‑42, and 20 % for those over 42. Frozen‑embryo transfers match fresh‑transfer outcomes, with a 98 % embryo survival rate after vitrification and a live‑birth rate exceeding 65 % for imported donor‑egg batches. These results are audited internally and benchmarked against international CDC and HFEA statistics, demonstrating success that surpasses average rates in the USA and UK.

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