Genea Newcastle's Dr Myvanwy McIlveen has been named Fertility Specialist of the Year at the Australian Surrogacy and Donor Awards, a recognition that reflects a career defined by compassion, advocacy, and a determination to make fertility care accessible to everyone regardless of where they live or what their family looks like.
Dr McIlveen holds a distinction that speaks volumes about the state of reproductive medicine in regional Australia. She is the only female college-certified infertility specialist outside Sydney's metropolitan area in NSW, a fact that underscores both her significance to the region and the broader need for greater access to specialised fertility care beyond major cities.
As Genea Newcastle's Medical Director, Dr McIlveen has been instrumental in expanding the clinic's egg and sperm donation programs, offering known donors, clinic-provided donors, and international sperm bank options with no wait times. For patients with time-sensitive fertility needs, including women of advanced maternal age or those managing medical conditions, this accessibility can be genuinely life-changing.
Her commitment to inclusive care extends to LGBTQIA+ families and solo parents by choice, actively working to educate and support those in regional NSW who may have had limited access to specialised fertility knowledge. Through her leadership roles at Genea and within the Fertility Society of Australia, she has driven meaningful policy changes that have improved access to surrogacy and donor services for lower-income and underserved communities.
Among her most memorable cases is one that attracted national attention: guiding a woman born without a uterus through a surrogacy journey, with her sister serving as surrogate, to achieve her dream of motherhood. It is a story that captures everything Dr McIlveen stands for, turning what could have been an impossible situation into a profound and joyful outcome.
Dr Myvanwy McIlveen
Dr Myvanwy McIlveen is unique in being the only female college certified infertility specialist outside the Sydney metropolitan area in NSW. As Genea Newcastle’s Medical Director, she loves helping couples work towards achieving their family in a way that they feel comfortable with. She offers honest, realistic advice on the choices available to you and helps you to decide what path you take to parenthood.
