Pacific Fertility Institutes Launches First Southeast Asian Branch in Singapore to Capture Growing Demand for Assisted Reproductive Services

• Upward trend of couples embracing different methods of assisted reproduction as more couples start families later in life
• PFI to launch new technologies that significantly improve conception rates

SINGAPORE - Media OutReach - 25 October 2018 - In response to the growing Asian demand for assisted reproductive medical services, Pacific Fertility Institutes (PFI) officially launched its 11^th medical centre Pacific Fertility Institutes Medical Clinic (PFIMC), and the first in Singapore, at Royal Square @ Novena, Level 8.

In conjunction with the launch, Mr. Dee Zhang, Chief Operation Officer of PFIMC, introduced the cutting-edge EmbryoScope+ technology, a time-lapse incubator that enables doctors to visualise embryo development within the stable environment of the embryo incubator. Currently the only IVF center equipped with this technology in Singapore, the time-lapse (TL) technology monitors embryo development and allows embryologists to make a more accurate assessment when selecting embryo(s) with the highest potential for implantation. TL imaging will be especially useful for women with a large number of eggs but have failed to achieve pregnancy in previous IVF attempts and those of an older reproductive age.

PFIMC also prides itself as the first IVF clinic in Singapore to be equipped with XILTRIX in its laboratory, a real-time continuous monitoring and alarm system that minimises any adverse events that may affect culture and storage conditions within the embryology laboratory and cryo- room. With this technology, patients can be assured about the safety of their eggs and embryos stored with the facility.

"With a long-standing reputation for having a safe, advanced and holistic healthcare industry, and recognised as the top country in 2017 for regional medical tourism, the decision to bring PFI to Singapore was an easy, and logical one. We believe that our state-of-the-art technologies and extraordinary medical professionals will make PFI an attractive choice for couples around the region seeking assisted reproductive services." said Mr. Zhang.

According to the World Health Organization, infertility and subfertility issues affect a significant proportion of humanity, and this number stands at one in every four couples of child-bearing age.[1] This problem of ultra-low fertility is strikingly evident in many Asian countries like Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, and Hong Kong.[2]

"Many women in modern age Asia choose only to embrace motherhood at a later age, as they place more emphasis on career development and further education before settling down with the right partner. Furthermore, childbirth before marriage is considered a social anomaly in Asian culture.

"Unfortunately, age is the major cause of fertility problems in women, but with improving pregnancy success rates, better awareness and increased affordability of assisted reproductive services, a growing number of women are turning to medical help to conceive and fulfil their dreams of starting a family," continued Mr. Zhang.

Raising Birth Rates through Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART)

Birth rates have seen a decline in every age group of women except for one: women in their 40s.[3]While most babies are born to women in their 20s and 30s, the growing trend of older mothers reflects a long-term shift to delayed childbearing. To address this trend, PFI has committed itself to providing professional and comprehensive medical services to couples who experience infertility issues, especially amongst women who are past prime childbearing age.

Ultimately, through the continued expansion of its professional network worldwide, as well as close collaboration with other IVF experts, PFIMC aims to carve a strong footing in the industry and to serve the local population as well as international patients whose issues could not be successfully addressed locally.

About Pacific Fertility Institutes (PFI)

Pacific Fertility Institutes (PFI) is a global chain of assisted reproductive medicine centres with private assisted reproductive clinics and international referral centers in U.S.A (Los Angeles and Saipan), Singapore and China (Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Cangzhou).

Pacific Fertility Institutes Medical Clinic's (PFIMC) brand-new 10,000 square feet medical clinic is located at Royal Square @ Novena. With the most number of accredited IVF specialists in private sector in Singapore, PFIMC has been through a strict evaluation and assessment process of audit and certification by both the Australian "Reproductive Technology Accreditation Committee (RTAC) Code of Practice for Assisted Reproductive Technology Units (International Edition)" and the "Licensing, Inspection and Audit Branch of the Ministry of Health (Singapore)" to provide Assisted Reproductive Technology services.