IVF Services and Pregnancy

I am planning on a pregnancy, who should I see?

From your first consultation through every step of your fertility journey, WHRIA provides expert medical care and compassionate support no matter your fertility needs. From IVF, pelvic health osteopathy & physiotherapy to psychologist support, we are with you every step of the way.

Fertility & IVF Services

WHRIA now offers IVF, fertility preservation and donor service support with Dr James Brown through Connect IVF. Dr Brown offers the full spectrum of fertility care, from initial investigations and first-line treatments through to advanced assisted reproductive technology. He will assess your individual circumstances and help you choose the most appropriate path forward.

First-line fertility treatments

First-line fertility treatments are initial and least invasive treatment options used to help those having trouble conceiving. These fertility treatments are usually only considered for those with mild or unexplained fertility factors and often attempted prior to moving onto more complex treatments but are associated with lower live birth rates. Discuss your suitability for these treatments with Dr James Brown, Fertility Specialist.

First Line Treatments include:

• Ovulation Tracking (OT)
• Ovulation Induction (OI)
• Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) Cycle

Advanced fertility treatments

Advanced fertility treatments involve working with eggs, sperm, or embryos in a laboratory setting to help achieve conception. These treatments are more involved than first-line options and are recommended when initial and first line treatments haven’t worked, or when your fertility factors make them the more appropriate starting point.

Advanced fertility treatments, are collectively known as Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) include:

• In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) Cycle
• Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
• Cycle Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)
• Cycle Oocyte thawing and insemination

Fertility Preservation

Fertility preservation lets you protect your ability to have a family when the timing is right for you. Regardless of the reason why, Dr Brown can assist couples and individuals with:

• Egg Freezing (Oocyte Cryo-Preservation)
• Sperm Freezing (Sperm Cryo-Preservation)
• Embryo Banking (Embryo Cryo-Preservation)

Donor Services

Donor services support individuals and couples who need a donor egg, sperm, or embryo to start or grow their family. You can access our screened, de-identified donor pool or bring your own known donor. Dr Brown will guide you through every step. Options include:

• Donor Sperm Services
• Donor Egg Services
• Donor Embryo Services

Male Fertility Services

Our services address a full range of factors that can affect a man’s ability to conceive. Dr James Brown and the Connect IVF team provide thorough assessment and tailored treatment options for men such as:

• Surgical Sperm Retrieval (SSR)
• Posthumous Sperm Retrieval

Common questions about IVF
Where do I start if I’m having trouble conceiving?
Book an initial consultation with Dr James Brown. He will review your history, discuss your circumstances, and recommend the most appropriate first step, which may be something as simple as ovulation tracking before progressing to more complex treatments if needed.

What is the difference between first-line treatments and IVF?
First-line treatments (such as ovulation induction or IUI) are the least invasive starting point and are suited to people with mild or unexplained fertility factors. IVF and other ART procedures are more advanced and are typically recommended when first-line treatments have not succeeded, or when clinical factors indicate they are more appropriate from the outset.

Does WHRIA only do IVF, or can it help throughout my pregnancy?
WHRIA supports you well beyond fertility treatment. Once pregnant, our pelvic health physiotherapists, osteopaths, and psychologist can provide care throughout your pregnancy and after delivery, including treatment for pelvic pain, pelvic floor rehabilitation, and emotional wellbeing support.

I gave birth years ago and still have pelvic pain. Can WHRIA help?
Yes. WHRIA specialises in pelvic pain during and after pregnancy and delivery, no matter how long ago. Our pelvic health team can assess and treat a wide range of conditions including pelvic girdle pain, prolapse, pudendal neuralgia, and bladder or bowel dysfunction.

What types of conditions in pregnancy do you see?

Amy Corcoran and Elizabeth Howard, Osteopaths with vast experience in treating women before, during pregnancy and afterwards. Pelvic girdle pain occurs in one in two women during the course of a pregnancy. We have developed a simple protocol to treat pelvic girdle pain that includes gentle manual therapy, home exercises and pain education. Liz Howard teaches Pain & Pregnancy courses to Allied Health Practitioners.

Sherin Jarvis & Ally van Schalkwyk, Pelvic Floor Physiotherapists have completed many additional hours of training to help improve you bladder, bowel and sexual function related to pregnancy and beyond. Importantly, we can examine your pelvic floor muscles for any excess tightness and teach you how to relax these muscles for labour and delivery, and see you afterwards for any rehabilitation needs.

Tanya Wollstein, Psychologist & Clinical Hypnotherapist can help you prepare for and adapt to all the changes that bringing a new little human into your life can bring.

Helpful resources

If you’d like more information about our psychology and hypnotherapy services please browse our fact sheets on the Health Information page.