Professor Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Phượng (left) meets Lưu Tuyết Trân (right), one of the first three IVF babies in Việt Nam in the ceremony. — VNA/VNS Photo Đan Phương

HCM CITY — For years, numerous foreign couples have travelled to Việt Nam not for leisurely purposes but rather for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) procedures, as Vietnamese doctors have surpassed their foreign counterparts in performing several medical techniques, including IVF.

Professor Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Phượng, who oversaw the first three IVF cases in Việt Nam during her tenure as director of the Tu Du Hospital, made this assertion during a ceremony commemorating the 25th anniversary of the first IVF births in Vietnam. The event was held last week in Hồ Chí Minh City.

Nearly 25 years ago, at the Từ Dũ Hospital in HCM City, the first three IVF babies in Việt Nam were born healthy, utilising reproductive technology inherited from around the world. The births occurred on April 30, the day of national reunification.

This IVF breakthrough is an important milestone in Việt Nam's medical history.

Speaking at the ceremony, Professor Phượng said that now many doctors and technicians abroad, not only from Southeast Asia but also in developed countries such as Australia, Germany, France or the US, come to Việt Nam to learn from Vietnamese doctors’ experience.

Tăng Chí Thượng, director of the HCM City Department of Health, sent his deep gratitude to the doctors and medical team who successfully implemented the IVF technique, despite the difficult conditions.

Their success brought great happiness to many families.

Since then, the Từ Dũ Hospital has been the leading hospital in Việt Nam for the technique.

Professor Phượng, who directly created the miraculous lives of the first three IVF children, said: "At that time, I dreamed that each province would have a centre for reproductive health. Currently, the whole country has 40-50 reproductive supportive centres. That helps people living in provinces receive treatment and they do not have to go to Hà Nội or HCM City.”

Trần Ngọc Hải, deputy executive director of the Từ Dũ Hospital, said that 25 years ago, as a young doctor, he was very proud to be one of the medical workers to the first babies born from the IVF technique.

The joy of the families when the children were born, was always imprinted in his heart.

He was so excited and emotional when meeting those children again in the ceremony.

So far, the Từ Dũ Hospital has welcomed more than 16,300 IVF babies.

The number of infertility check-ups each year is from 55,000 to 60,000.

The total number of intrauterine insemination (IUI) cases in the last ten years is more than 22,000.

As one of the first three babies born with IVF, Mai Quốc Bảo was happy and moved to see the doctors and nurses who performed this technique.

"I want to tell parents who are infertile and struggling on the way to find their children that please rest assured, don't give up even when they have only a small hope," said Bảo. "Please believe in the doctors. "

Lưu Tuyết Trân, also one of the first three IVF babies, said that she was so proud to be born in such a special way and to be evidence of the milestone of IVF techniques in Việt Nam. — VNS