In the end of March to the first part of April 2012, 4 members of our infertility staff/team went to Pristina Kosovo to do Humanitarian Service. The trip was over a 2 week period of time with the main purpose to provide infertility services to many local as well as some international patients. We performed many In vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer cycles while there and consulted many couples on fertility issues. We had a wonderful time, were well received, and enjoyed the people of Kosovo. We experienced some of Kosovo life first hand, and though we did not have the success that we are accustomed to in our Utah Fertility Center here in Provo Utah, we made the best of what was available to us in the short time we were there.
While in Kosovo, we were spontaneously interviewed for an hour on the local TV station on our presence there and on infertility. We were surprised to find that people in Kosovo are not used to having medical procedures explained to them or having much interaction with the physicians and staff; they seemed very pleased to have us tell them what was going on and explain more of their options, listen to how they are feeling, and ask how they are doing after procedures. We felt a great deal of personal satisfaction in watching our patients there show joy in our service. On our route home we stopped in Paris, France for a day and had a wonderful time, wish that it could have been longer but we had things at home to get back to. Seeing infertility in another country was quite the experience for each of us and something we will always remember.
Glen Andrew, D.O.
