Interview with two generations of famous doctors treating the infertility

• Excerpt from Interview with Dr. Lee Mao Sheng

Elite of performing IVF technology, having tough first half of life
The authority of IVF in Taiwan,nicknamed “Lord Lee” by his patients, Professor Lee Mao Shengwas born in the barren town of Kouhu in Yunlin County. This is also the hometown of the composer Zheng Fengxi who wrote the famous song “A Boat in the Ocean”. Lee's encountered the same childhood as Zheng Fengxi did, poor and humiliated. Professor Lee ranks seventh among 11 siblings in his big family. He was once sent to other families for adoption because his family was too poor to raise him, and he was almost dropped out of school because he couldn't even afford 4 dollars of tuition fee. Professor Lee recalled that when he was a child, the most frightening is the Chinese New Year because of the adults who could not be asked for money were always humiliating him with words. As a child, he could only work quietly in the field with his head down. He recalled one time his teacher asked everyone to write an autobiography and Lee wrote down:“I want to be a doctor because I can improve my family's life and provide a good living environment for my parents.” At that time, this dream was even teased by his classmates. However, it turns out that this child from a poor and remote country is very strong and having superhuman willpower, he worked so hard all the way to medical school and finally became a famous doctor.

Man should not be a famous doctor but a good doctor
Professor Lee was confident but sincere when you speak to him, laughed with his two adorable dimple and told us that he never thought of becoming a famous doctor, but encouraged himself to be a “good doctor” all the time. The early years of his allowed him to taste the warmth and coldness of the life, so he was able to stand in the patient's perspective and constantly strive to develop the latest technology to help patients solving problems. After graduated from CSMU, he went to Canada studyied tubal plastic surgery. The birth of the first IVF in 1978 gave him new inspiration, made he go to the University of Pennsylvania to learn the latest IVF technology. After returning to Taiwan in 1986, he created the second test-tube baby in Taiwan at CSMUH and became famous instantly. Since then, patients who have sought Lee's help have continued to flow. Professor Lee is gentle with his patients, and he is the toughest mentor to his students and team on the contrary, because he believes that only with high self-standards can he win more opportunities for patients and give them the opportunity to earn happiness.

There is a difference, there is an excellence
Lee Women’s Hospital is located in Beitun District, Taichung City. At first glance, it looks like an art museum, without the smell of a general hospital would have, rather, it's a totally relaxed, soothed space. The hospital had specially-designed high-class hotel-like implantation room, which is to make the patients enjoy the comfortable massage and music in the private space before the implantation, it is because only with relaxed mood can promote the success rate. There has coffee, magazines in the VIP room to make the waiting families rest comfortably because the emotions of family members also indirectly affect the patient's feelings. These unexplained small details can reveal the intention of Lee Women’s Hospital, and also show Professor Lee's consider to patients. In addition to comprehensive technical support, psychological feeling is also an important part to care the patients.

Advancement of technology, inheritance of two generations
Anyone who has worked with Professor Le Maw Sheng can feel his passion for reproductive medicine. facing hundreds of patients every day is really not an easy task for the team at Lee Women’s Hospital. Still, you can always find energetic staff in the hospital, it is because the inheritance from professor Lee Mao Sheng's sense of mission to patients. Professor Lee's son, Dr. Lee Junyi, is now returning to Lee Women’s Hospital after completed the training sessions at NTUH. He believes that he can continue to uphold professor Lee Mao Sheng's faith and allow Taiwan's reproductive medicine to move forward.
 

• Excerpt from Interview with Dr. Lee Junyi

Is it a support or pressure to have a dad as a famous doctor?
My father, Professor Lee Mao Sheng, is a well-known domestic and foreign expert in reproductive medicine. As destined, it seem that I have to follow the same path as my father created. I was very resistant in my youth, I used to skip lessons and linger in Internet cafes as the expression of my confusion and anxiety, because I don’t know if I can become a same good doctor like him, or even if I try hard, others will think that I am only “Lee Mao Sheng's son. “ To be simple, I can't find myself in my early days.

From adolescents who evade responsibility, to little prince that patients can rely on
Until one day, my father did not go to the clinic; instead, hewaited for me at my classroom’sfront dooronly to care for my condition. At that moment, I realised that my father was not only concerned about the patients and his proud reproductive technology, and the reason he cared about me was not because he wanted to find a successor, but I am his child. So I started to work hard, as if I wanted to fill up the blank years, I worked hard to study day and night, and chose the medical department according to my own thought. I want to be as great as my father, helping more patients in need, alleviating their suffering, and making my life more meaningful.

Inherited IVF technology and doubled the efforts to make it prestigious
Later, I successfully completed the training sessions at NTUH and returned to Taichung to work as an infertility specialist at CSH and Lee Women’s Hospital. I spent more time in clinical work than others, and I also conducted academic research, and it did suffer me a lot because of the lack of time, but I know that these doubled efforts will help me become a better doctor. I also led our hospital's unique reproductive medicine center and gene laboratory to continuously make breakthroughs in technology.

For example, Spindle Positioning Technology and AI IVF have been widely reported by the media recently. Spindle identification technology helps patients at advanced age or with premature ovarian failure, so that their eggs can be used for the sperm microinjection without harming the chromosomes tied to the spindle, so that their precious eggs are not wasted due to technical limitations.The fertilization rates, embryo yields and pregnancy rates could be improved as a result. AI IVF is a combination of the 3rd-generation IVF and embryo time-lapse monitoring system. The best embryo implantation could be selected, so the success rate is increased to 70%!

Prospects for the future, leading Taiwan's medical industry being discovered by the world
Taiwan's reproductive medicine has made rapid progress, with the pregnancy rate being the second in the world and the first in Asia. The advanced technology coupled with the relatively low price has attracted patients from neighboring countries to cross the sea to get pregnant. Lee Women’s Hospital has many patients from China, Hong Kong, Macao and Southeast Asia. At present, we received the patients who had the highest record of underwent 25 failed IVF in other countries to be a successful example in our hospital. In the future, I will also lead the reproductive medicine team at Lee Women’s Hospital continue to make breakthroughs in technology, and step out of Taiwan, so that more patients can understand the soft power of Taiwan so that we can serve more infertile couples in need. I shall inherit the spirit of my father, Professor Lee Mao Sheng, to make up for the lack of humanity by the hand of God, so that Lee Women’s Hospital and Taiwan's reproductive medicine can continue to glow.