Australians who have struggled to become parents are being given new hope of welcoming their own bundles of joy by a new research program supported by Golden Casket’s $500,000 donation to Mater Foundation. 

For the one in six couples that experience fertility problems, the road to parenthood can be long, but patients who have undertaken Mater’s Natural Fertility Services program to restore their reproductive health have experienced a live birth rate of 50 percent since the trial began. 

New research, assisted by Golden Casket’s donation, undertaken at Mater has shown that half the couples following a tailored program through Mater’s Natural Fertility Service, and who have previously struggled to conceive, are getting the help they need to achieve a pregnancy and experience the joy of holding their own baby.

Mater’s Fertility Service is the only clinical research site in Australia addressing such common issues using a natural fertility enhancement program.

Mater researcher and Mater Mothers’ Hospital Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Dr Luke McLindon said the program had proven to be very successful.

“We need to treat infertility as a symptom, often with multiple underlying medical issues—not as a medical issue in itself,” he said.

“Infertility is multi-factorial and tends to be complex so there are many factors to consider and adjust.

"It’s like a code that you need to crack, and every couple has a different code."

One of Dr McLindon’s patients, 38-year-old Katrina Kane, had tried falling pregnant for many years without success. But after meeting with Dr McLindon and carefully working through multiple underlying issues, she was delighted to discover she was pregnant with her first child. 

“I was really beginning to wonder if I would ever become a parent, and if it weren’t for all the help I received along the way, I don’t know that I would be holding Bridie in my arms today.

“She is the most precious gift,” Katrina said.

Dr McLindon said many people would have viewed Katrina’s story as impossible, but he was delighted that she managed to achieve such a positive outcome.

“We are very grateful for Golden Casket’s ongoing commitment to improving the healthcare of mothers and babies through research,” he said. 

Golden Casket Managing Director Sue van der Merwe said she was delighted to be able to make a donation to Mater each year to support the health and wellbeing for Queensland families.

“Through Mater’s world-class research we hope to positively improve the outcomes for Queenslanders wanting to start a family."

During the past 28 years, Golden Casket has committed $14 million to supporting Mater’s research programs aimed at improving the health of Queenslanders.