Dr Chun-Kai Chen

During my early years as an intern in obstetrics and gynaecology, I was often affected by the emotional change of my patients. The hope and joy I felt at the moment of childbirth made me realise that “helping life come to life” was my lifelong passion. During my residency, I repeatedly witnessed patients who had painstakingly completed IVF but suffered miscarriages due to embryo abnormalities. I decided to address the root causes: studying embryos and genetics to reduce miscarriages, increase live births, and minimise suffering. At a time when related technology was still in its infancy in Taiwan, I resolutely stopped my clinical work to study in the UK, systematically learning about embryo biopsy, chromosomes, and genetic diagnosis. Upon returning to Taiwan, I realised my skills at a medical centre and later founded a reproductive medicine centre, translating cutting-edge international methods into clinical capabilities accessible to more families. For me, reproductive medicine is more than just a technical skill; it’s a commitment to working alongside patients to overcome time and uncertainty—to transform hope into a child they can embrace.

The core concept is to “place the best embryo into the most suitable uterus at the most appropriate time.” To achieve this, I insist on three things:

First, the strict embryo laboratory environment and processes (clean room-like standards, 24-hour time-lapse imaging monitoring and AI interpretation) minimise human error and environmental interference;

Second, a personalised plan—dynamically adjust the timing of ovulation induction, blastocyst culture, and transfer based on age, AMH, follicle count, miscarriage history, immunity, and uterine environment, and make good use of PGT for priority selection of embryos;

Third, integrated care: Collaborating with immunology and traditional Chinese medicine teams, we utilise hysteroscopy for repair, endometrial regeneration, and implantation window assessment when necessary to improve implantation rates while reducing multiple pregnancies and unnecessary embryo transfers. The overall goal is not simply to achieve pregnancy, but to achieve a healthy live birth, bringing each attempt closer to success.

We once assisted a patient who had undergone bilateral salpingectomy and was at risk for chromosomal abnormalities. We first obtained a sufficient number of blastocysts through personalised ovarian stimulation, and then screened out chromosomally normal embryos through PGT-A for transfer. Ultimately, a healthy baby boy was born. The remaining blastocysts were frozen to preserve the chance of future pregnancy through implantation.

Another 39-year-old patient, who had experienced multiple miscarriages and two failed IVF attempts, had uterine adhesions as the key issue. We used hysteroscopy to separate the adhesions and perform anti-adhesion treatment. After the procedure, her endometrium recovered well, and she conceived naturally, proving the principle that “repairing the home is the important way for the embryo to live.” Another 47-year-old patient with low AMH, who had undergone years of unsuccessful treatment, underwent customised-dose stimulation and nutritional/hormonal support. A blastocyst formed and was transferred, and her β-hCG levels steadily increased, leading to the birth of a healthy baby.

Another remarkable case comes from the Philippines: a couple of physicians gave birth to a son with a severe case of thalassemia type A. This condition typically results in death during pregnancy or shortly after birth, but this child miraculously survived. Hoping to avoid a similar tragedy with their next child, the couple, after extensive inquiries, ultimately chose Hope Fertility & PGT Centre because we were willing to personally respond to and answer their questions in detail. We combined IVF with preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), helping to select healthy embryos free of the disease, ultimately leading to a successful pregnancy. This was more than just a medical success; it restored hope to a family from despair and demonstrated the value of genetic diagnosis in clinical practice.

Common misconception: “A beautiful embryo should have normal chromosomes.” In fact, morphological scores and chromosomal normality are not equivalent. Advanced age and those with recurrent miscarriages require particular attention at the genetic level.

Second, “IVF technique means success.” The IVF success rate is closely related to age, ovarian function, uterine environment, and embryo genetic quality. Our goal is to increase the single-embryo live birth rate and reduce the risks of miscarriage and multiple births, not to “stack the number of cycles.”

Third: “Freezing eggs is like buying an insurance policy.” While freezing eggs can preserve the quality of eggs from youth, subsequent egg production is still affected by factors such as uterine conditions, survival after thawing, and fertilisation/development. This is a “preservation of chance ” rather than a “guarantee of outcome.”

Fourth: “Grants or equipment = a panacea.” While the environment and hardware are important, precise diagnosis, personalised solutions, and interdisciplinary collaboration are the three essential elements that guarantee a consistently high success rate.

I think of “balance” as “self-discipline” rather than an equal distribution. Clinically, I minimise unpredictable outcomes through teamwork and standardised processes: senior embryologists rotate shifts, key milestones have dual sign-offs, and multidisciplinary weekly consultations. This allows me to focus on the 10% of decisions that require the most attention. Personally, I maintain regular periods for learning and relaxation—reading the latest consensus/guidelines, attending international conferences to gain new knowledge, and reserving “me-time” for family time and exercise, unburdened by impromptu tasks. Emotionally, I allow myself a brief moment of relaxation after a challenging case. Only by maintaining both professional sharpness and inner resilience can I sustain my patients on this uncertain yet rewarding journey.

First, think clearly about your original intention of becoming a doctor – medicine is not a problem-solving competition. Treating and assisting patients is more important than treating diseases. What you face in clinical practice is people, not diseases. When the results are temporarily unsatisfactory, your original intention will help you overcome frustration.

Second, practice basic skills before pursuing the forefront – statistics, embryology, genetics and clinical epidemiology are the roots of your judgment; new technologies are emerging in an endless stream, but seeing is believing, and the data in any research report must be carefully verified before being used in clinical treatment.

Third, respect the team and the patient – interdisciplinary collaboration will make you stronger, respect the expertise in each field, and patient communication will make the plan more feasible.

Fourth, make friends with time—in reproductive medicine, age, ovarian function, and the implantation window are all in a race against time; what you need is the determination to be steady and persistent, not the impulsive pursuit of a single victory. May you possess both scientific acumen and humanistic warmth.