The Walking Egg Project: how to start a TWE centre?

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Global Health Equity
• Non-profit Healthcare Initiatives

Background:

• Infertility affects millions globally, particularly in resource-poor settings.
• Limited access to affordable and quality fertility treatments exacerbates health disparities.
• The Walking Egg non-profit organization addresses this gap through strategic implementation of specialized clinics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline the phased implementation of infertility services by The Walking Egg project.
• To define service levels for basic infertility care and simplified in-vitro fertilization (IVF).
• To emphasize the delivery of high-quality, affordable reproductive healthcare while preventing complications.

Main Methods:

• Development of a tiered service model for infertility clinics (Level 1, Level 2, Level 3).
• Focus on essential services: semen analysis, hormonal assays, follicular scanning, ovulation induction, intrauterine insemination.
• Inclusion of simplified IVF at Level 2, with advanced techniques deferred.

Main Results:

• Level 1 clinics offer foundational infertility diagnostics and treatments.
• Level 2 clinics expand capabilities to include simplified IVF.
• The project prioritizes affordability, quality, and complication prevention in service delivery.

Conclusions:

• The Walking Egg project provides a scalable model for improving infertility care in resource-poor countries.
• Phased implementation ensures accessibility and sustainability of services.
• Emphasis on quality and affordability makes advanced reproductive technologies more attainable globally.