Our Team
Merrion Fertility Clinic Team
Our goal is to ensure that you have access to the expert technologies and expert personnel that will assist you towards your goal of parenthood.
Our multi-disciplinary team of clinicians, embryologists & scientists, nurses, counsellors and administrative staff, will work with you to ensure that your treatment will give you the best possible chance of success.
Prof Mary Wingfield
Clinical Director+Professor Mary Wingfield is the Clinical Director of Merrion Fertility Clinic and an ex Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the National Maternity Hospital and St. Michael’s Hospital Dublin. She qualified in medicine at Trinity College Dublin and trained in Ireland, the UK and Melbourne. She is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at University College Dublin, and Adjunct Professor in the School of Medicine at Trinity College Dublin. Professor Wingfield is a founding member and past President of the Irish Fertility Society and served on the government-appointed Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction. She has written several fertility-related position papers for the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and has acted as an expert witness in High Court cases regarding assisted reproduction. In 2017, Professor Wingfield authored ‘The Fertility Handbook’ (Gill Press), a guide to fertility and infertility. Her current clinical and research interests are subfertility in all its facets, including the development of national frameworks and legislation, equitable access to fertility treatment, endometriosis and fertility preservation.
Dr Fiona Martyn
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist+Dr Fiona Martyn graduated with honours from the National University of Ireland, Cork in 2002. She joined Merrion Fertility Clinic in July 2012 and completed a doctorate of Medicine (MD) in 2014 with Dr Mary Wingfield in association with Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin. The focus of this MD was on the function of the cervix and how it is related to fertility. She is a member of the Irish, British and European Fertility Societies. She is currently working as a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Merrion Fertility Clinic and the National Maternity Hospital. Dr Martyn’s interests include all forms of reproductive endoscopic surgery: outpatient hysteroscopy, operative hysteroscopy, treatment of endometriosis, tubal surgery and benign gynaecology.
Dr Cathy Allen
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist+Dr Cathy Allen is a Consultant Obstetrician Gynaecologist at Merrion Fertility Clinic, the National Maternity and St Michael’s Hospital Dun Laoghaire, and is UCD Assistant Clinical Professor in Women & Children’ Health. She is an honours medical graduate of RCSI 1995 and underwent Specialist Training in Ireland with further advanced training in IVF at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital. She is a Fellow of the Royal College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists and Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. She is a member of British and European Fertility Societies, and the executive council of the Institute of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists. Dr Allen has a special interest in pregnancies and outcomes after Assisted Reproductive Technology. She has authored several fertility-related papers and presented at national and international conferences. She provides specialist care in male factor infertility, recurring pregnancy loss and post-reproductive health, and provides a reproductive surgery service in these areas as needed.
Dr Nita Adnan
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist+Dr Nita Adnan graduated from University College Dublin in 2002. She completed her Higher Specialist Training and received the Certificate for Satisfactory Completion of Specialist Training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology in Ireland. She has been working as a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in the National Maternity Hospital since 2017 and at Merrion Fertility Clinic since 2019. She has a great interest in teaching and research. Dr Adnan has worked as an Assistant Professor with the Academic Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Trinity College Dublin where she was actively involved in the undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. She is a member of the Irish and British Fertility Societies and the European Society for Gynaecological Endoscopy.
Dr Lucia Hartigan
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist+Dr Lucia Hartigan is a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Merrion Fertility Clinic and the National Maternity Hospital. She graduated with honours from University College Dublin in 2010 and completed Specialist Training in Ireland. She joined MFC in 2017 and completed a two year clinical research fellowship. Her research focused on fertility preservation and she is one of the lead clinicians currently involved in establishing a national fertility preservation programme for children and adolescents with cancer. Dr Hartigan’s special interests are fertility preservation, polycystic ovarian syndrome, reproductive surgery and outpatient hysteroscopy.
Eileen Barrett
Director of Nursing Services+Eileen Barrett’s nursing qualifications and experience have taken her through the areas of General Nursing, Midwifery, Spinal Injury, Rehabilitation and Neonatal Intensive Care. She joined Merrion Fertility Clinic in January 1999 shortly after its inception, and has gained a vast amount of knowledge in the broad area of Reproductive Medicine. Eileen has instigated setting up Ireland’s only Ultrasound Training Course for fertility nurses in UCD. She has worked with the UCD School of Medicine to develop the syllabus for this course, which is a much needed new addition to the training regime of the fertility nurse. Eileen gives lectures on Fertility Management to the RCSI students at the National Maternity Hospital, to the Radiographers and Midwives taking the MSc Ultrasound programme, UCD and to the final year midwifery students in UCD. She is a member of the Steering Committee of Sharing Best Practice, an annual meeting for fertility nurses in Ireland. She has frequently presented at this meeting. Eileen has also served on the Steering Committee for Insights, (UK) and has also presented at one of their annual meetings. Eileen is an active member of SING (UK) Senior Infertility Nurse Group.
Dr Rachel Elebert
Clinical Fellow+Dr. Rachel Elebert is an honours medical graduate of the University of Limerick Medical School 2012. Having previously earned a BSc. in Physiology from University College Dublin, she is currently completing a Clinical Fellowship and Doctorate of Medicine (MD) with Professor Wingfield and UCD. Dr. Elebert’s subspecialist clinical interest is fertility and her research interests include ovarian follicle biology and fertility preservation.
Dr Laurentina Schaler
Clinical Fellow+Dr. Laurentina Schäler graduated with Honours from the Charité Medical School, Humboldt University, Berlin 2013. Since moving back to Ireland, she has embarked on a career in Obstetrics and Gynaecology under the guidance of The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and has also been awarded an Honours MSc in Obstetrics and Gynaecology (UCC) and Healthcare Management (RCSI). Dr. Schäler’s research interests include fertility preservation in cancer and impacts of FP counselling on young patients and their families.
Dr Sorca O’Brien
Aspire Fellow+Dr. Sorca O’Brien received her medical degree from Queens University Belfast in 2010 following completion of an Honours Bachelor Science Degree (2004) and Masters in Physiology (2006) in University College Dublin. She completed Foundation Training in the NHS before returning to the Irish training system and specialising in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She achieved membership of the Royal College of Physicians Ireland (2014) and the Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology UK (2019). She has recently completed a Masters in Leadership with the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland Leadership Institute, funded by a scholarship awarded by the 30% Club. Dr. O’Brien received her Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training from the Royal College of Physicians Ireland and the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. She joined MFC as an ASPIRE Fellow in Fertility and is a member of the British Fertility Society. She has a special interest in endometriosis related subfertility and is particularly passionate about equitable access to fertility care. Her MD research focuses on the integration of assisted reproduction technology into the public hospital system.
Prof Mary Wingfield
Clinical Director+Professor Mary Wingfield is the Clinical Director of Merrion Fertility Clinic and an ex Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the National Maternity Hospital and St. Michael’s Hospital Dublin. She qualified in medicine at Trinity College Dublin and trained in Ireland, the UK and Melbourne. She is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at University College Dublin, and Adjunct Professor in the School of Medicine at Trinity College Dublin. Professor Wingfield is a founding member and past President of the Irish Fertility Society and served on the government-appointed Commission on Assisted Human Reproduction. She has written several fertility-related position papers for the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists and has acted as an expert witness in High Court cases regarding assisted reproduction. In 2017, Professor Wingfield authored ‘The Fertility Handbook’ (Gill Press), a guide to fertility and infertility. Her current clinical and research interests are subfertility in all its facets, including the development of national frameworks and legislation, equitable access to fertility treatment, endometriosis and fertility preservation.
Dr Fiona Martyn
Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist+Dr Fiona Martyn graduated with honours from the National University of Ireland, Cork in 2002. She joined Merrion Fertility Clinic in July 2012 and completed a doctorate of Medicine (MD) in 2014 with Dr Mary Wingfield in association with Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin. The focus of this MD was on the function of the cervix and how it is related to fertility. She is a member of the Irish, British and European Fertility Societies. She is currently working as a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist in Merrion Fertility Clinic and the National Maternity Hospital. Dr Martyn’s interests include all forms of reproductive endoscopic surgery: outpatient hysteroscopy, operative hysteroscopy, treatment of endometriosis, tubal surgery and benign gynaecology.
Georgina Kearney
General Manager+Georgina is a qualified accountant with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA). She holds an MBA from Smurfit Business School, where she is currently undertaking a Diploma in Corporate Governance. She has extensive finance and senior management experience, having worked in multinationals and the public sector. She also worked for a time as a business consultant on projects including GDPR implementation and new business feasibility studies, and spent a number of years as co-founder of a startup. Her role is to develop the vision and strategy, in conjunction with the Clinical Director and the Board of Directors, and to implement these through annual objectives. She is responsible for all non-clinical activities, including finance, IT, patient services, human resources and the quality management system.
Orla O’Leary
Patient Services Manager+Orla joined Merrion Fertility Clinic in June 2005 as a medical secretary. She had previous experience in Bank of Ireland Credit Cards and Bank of Ireland Life. Over the years she has worked in various different areas of the clinic including managing the reception, supplier accounts, software development, implementing the ‘paperless’ project, website development and social media. Orla is responsible for the continual improvement of Patient Services. She is passionate about Instagram and our ability to share and connect with patients on this platform.
Jennifer Cullinane
Laboratory Manager+Jennifer received a Bachelor in Science from NUI Galway and a Masters Degree in Anatomy from UCD. She joined Merrion Fertility Clinic in 2007 as an Trainee Embryologist and qualified as an ESHRE Clinical Embryologist in 2012. Jennifer has been the Laboratory Manager in Merrion Fertility Clinic since 2015 and is the Deputy Responsible Person since 2019. In addition to managing the laboratory activities, Jennifer has spearheaded many exciting developments in the clinic in recent years, like the introduction of egg freezing and donor sperm service. She is also actively involved with the Department of Health and adapting clinic procedures to recent legislation, the Children and Family Relationships Act 2015.
Eileen Barrett
Director of Nursing Services+Eileen Barrett’s nursing qualifications and experience have taken her through the areas of General Nursing, Midwifery, Spinal Injury, Rehabilitation and Neonatal Intensive Care. She joined Merrion Fertility Clinic in January 1999 shortly after its inception, and has gained a vast amount of knowledge in the broad area of Reproductive Medicine. Eileen has instigated setting up Ireland’s only Ultrasound Training Course for fertility nurses in UCD. She has worked with the UCD School of Medicine to develop the syllabus for this course, which is a much needed new addition to the training regime of the fertility nurse. Eileen gives lectures on Fertility Management to the RCSI students at the National Maternity Hospital, to the Radiographers and Midwives taking the MSc Ultrasound programme, UCD and to the final year midwifery students in UCD. She is a member of the Steering Committee of Sharing Best Practice, an annual meeting for fertility nurses in Ireland. She has frequently presented at this meeting. Eileen has also served on the Steering Committee for Insights, (UK) and has also presented at one of their annual meetings. Eileen is an active member of SING (UK) Senior Infertility Nurse Group.
Jennifer Donnelly
Human Resources Manager+Jennifer Donnelly holds a Bachelors Degree in International Business & Languages from DCU (final year specialisation-Human Resource Management). She has worked with the clinic since 2013 in various roles including Patient Accounts and Payroll. She was awarded an IPASS Certificate in Payroll Techniques with distinction. She is passionate about the acquisition and retention of a highly talented team of staff.
Our Nursing Team
Our nursing team is dedicated to providing a team approach for your care. Throughout your treatment at Merrion Fertility Clinic, our doctors, embryologists and nurses will manage your fertility care to bring about the best possible outcome.
Our nurses are skilled professionals who will provide support, encouragement and education. The nurses at Merrion Fertility Clinic will liaise with your doctor, make appointments for you, provide test results, ultrasound scans, and answer your questions. They ensure you have a familiar contact at all stages of your treatment so that your assisted reproduction treatment is less stressful and promotes every opportunity for a successful outcome. Our nurses perform the majority of our IUI procedures and some of our nurses also perform procedures such as saline ultrasound and embryo transfer.
Our Embryologists & Scientists
Merrion Fertility Clinic’s Embryologists and Scientists are a group of highly qualified healthcare professionals for whom attention to minute detail is second nature.
They ensure that your eggs and sperm are given every opportunity to fertilize into viable embryos and will care for these embryos until embryo transfer or cryopreservation is required. You will meet our embryologists at egg collection, at intrauterine insemination and at embryo transfer as well as being able to speak with them via telephone for the fertilisation check.
Our Administration Team
The goal of our administration team is to support the doctors, embryologists and nurses in providing you with the best possible care and guiding you through the process of completing your investigative procedures.
You will meet our receptionists at each visit and they will provide you with a friendly familiar smile and answers to many of your queries. Our secretaries and administrators are another support resource for you throughout your treatment and are always on the end of the phone to assist and support.
