Dr Myvanwy McIlveen, Medical Director of Genea Newcastle, has been named Fertility Specialist of the Year at the 2024 Australian Surrogacy and Donor Awards, recognising her two decades of dedication to reproductive medicine and advocacy for equitable access to fertility care.
Myvanwy describes helping families as "a privilege" and reflects on the honour of supporting people through their fertility journeys over the past 20 years. "I love working with women and their families," she says, acknowledging that while the work is often joyful, it also requires honesty when delivering difficult news to hopeful couples.
Throughout her career, Myvanwy has witnessed enormous changes in the fertility sector, particularly regarding access to surrogacy and donor services. She notes that single women and same-sex couples are now much more likely to come forward and access these services, which has become "a normal part of starting a family." The evolution of the science and significantly improved success rates are among the reasons she remains passionate about reproductive medicine.
A vocal advocate for equitable access to fertility treatment, Myvanwy has championed Medicare rebates for single women and same-sex couples for over a decade. She questioned why heterosexual couples where the man had a vasectomy could access rebates for "medical infertility" while single women or same-sex couples could not. "Over 10 years ago at Genea we offered everyone the rebate, they didn't need to meet that old-fashioned definition of medical infertility," she explains, emphasising how rebates significantly reduce financial barriers.
Myvanwy dedicated her award to patient Amelia Crispin, whose surrogacy journey was recently featured in ABC News. Having treated Amelia since she was 17, Myvanwy has supported her through to adulthood, marriage, and now having a baby via surrogate. "She's the person that really inspired this award," Myvanwy says, acknowledging Amelia's efforts to raise awareness about the challenges of navigating surrogacy legislation and requirements.
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.
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