Explore every episode of the podcast The Fertility Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anniversary Episode! | 02 Sep 2024 | 00:28:10 | |
Welcome back to what is the very beginning of a new series, with new voices that bring new and different fertility information for your ears. This episode is a special one, as Kate is joined by a very familiar voice, Natalie, the founder of the podcast and now Exec-producer. You might not know this but this year is The Fertility Podcast’s 10 year anniversary! In this episode, Natalie and Kate reflect on the last 10 years with laughter and a few tears……. The two catch up with what they have been doing over the summer and Natalie gives an insight into the work that she is now doing with Fertility Matters at Work and The F Word Podcast. As well as this, Natalie talks about receiving the award for Best Fertility Podcast in Amsterdam. She explains that it was a surreal moment for her and the pod, which is now celebrating 10 years. Together they chat about the last decade and how much change the fertility world has seen, with things like the IVF add-ons and new treatments for those struggling with infertility. Natalie and Kate chat about the development of new drugs that are being tested to better fertility treatment. The Fertility Podcast has helped so many people throughout the years, bringing patient stories and advice from experts to your ears. It has been a journey, from Natalie starting a decade ago in her booth, to Kate taking the reins solo 18 months or so ago. This podcast has been a way for voices to be heard and listened to, a way of letting you know that you aren’t alone and there is support out there for you. It has also helped you to advocate for yourself and both Kate and Nat feel honoured to have helped in just a small way. Unfortunately, this episode also has an announcement that comes with a heavy heart. The Fertility Podcast will be taking a long hiatus at the end of this series. Kate is hanging up her headphones and turning off her mic and is on to pastures new. However, this is not the definite end of the podcast, Kate and Nat may well be popping on now and again and……..if you perhaps are thinking about starting podcasting or would like to give it a go, please do get in touch with Nat. Maybe you could be the next guest presenter of the podcast……… We are delighted that the current series is being sponsored by Proceive who are kindly offering all listeners to The Fertility Podcast 15% off any Procieve purchase, when you use the discount code FP15. | |||
| The F Word on The Fertility Podcast | 22 Jul 2024 | 00:14:58 | |
Clean out your ears as you're in for a treat. Over the coming weeks, as we will the British Summer to impress us, we're going to be sharing with you right here on The Fertility Podcast feed, The F Word at Work episodes, which is the podcast created by Fertility Matters at Work and its what has kept Natalie busy for the last 18 months and why Kate has been at the helm of The Fertility Podcast. Hopefully it will be useful for you if you've been trying to find the words to talk about what you are going through at work, as there's lots of examples of how support has been implemented and even if you share it with some colleagues so they get a better understanding of what you are going through, that will in itself make a difference. Be sure to subscribe if you've not already, so you don't miss anything and you can also follow The F Word wherever you get your apps and also follow Fertility Matters at Work on insta to stay up to date on all the amazing work it is doing to raise awareness of fertility issues in the workplace. | |||
| Winning awards with fertility support - Nuveen - The F Word at Work | 22 Apr 2024 | 00:15:01 | |
Welcome to another episode of The F Word at Work, where we delve into the vital conversations surrounding fertility in the workplace. Today, we're honored to host Gemma Young, Senior Managing Director at Nuveen, a driving force in shaping marketing strategies across EMEA and Asia Pacific. Gemma Young, is an esteemed marketing leader, takes center stage, steering Nuveen's marketing endeavors while chairing the business resource group "achieve," dedicated to females and female allies. What we discussed:
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| Launching a pregnancy loss policy with Channel 4's, 4 Women Network | 01 Nov 2021 | 00:33:20 | |
It’s great to be back! We’ve had a bit of a break and we’re back with a new series talking all about Fertility in the workplace. As well as doing the podcast, Natalie’s voiceover work and Kate’s consulting; for the last 18 months or so, both Natalie and Kate have been working with organisations to help put fertility in the workplace firmly on their wellbeing agenda. How does the landscape at work look? Kate and Natalie discuss what we've heard from our work and how in light of, how in the last few months, a number of organisations have published fertility and pregnancy loss policies. Over the coming weeks we will be hearing from different organisations who are speaking out about their work to support employees on their paths to parenthood and this new series of the podcast has been created alongside an exciting launch of a brand new training and policy programme from Fertility Matters at Work which we'll be talking about in the coming weeks too. We’ll be sharing best and worst examples of fertility in the workplace and, as always, sharing your personal experiences, so we want you to get in touch and share yours stories which can you do right here 4 Women In the first episode of our new series on Fertility Matters at Work we’re absolutely delighted to welcome Channel 4 to the podcast. Navene Alim who is a senior lawyer within the corporate legal team at C4 and Landy Slattery, creative director of All 4, Channel 4’s(CH4) on-demand platform. Both are the co-founders and co-chairs of the 4 Women network, and we’re talking all about CH4’s Pregnancy Loss Policy that was launched in April 2021. When the pregnancy loss policy was launched, CH 4 stated that “The policy which was believed to be the world’s first is to support both women and men who have been affected: whether it happens directly to them, their partner or their baby’s surrogate mother, regardless of the nature of their loss, and whatever their length of service. It also recognises pregnancy loss as an experience not isolated to women or heterosexual couples.” Why was the policy developed? Following the huge momentum and notoriety that came from CH4's menopause policy the 4 Women network wanted to build on this. After surveying employees to find out the most important issues, pregnancy loss was identified as a huge issue for the workforce. They found that people were struggling in silence and making excuses for needing time off. CH4 were due to air a new series – Baby Surgeons delivery miracle babies ( quoted incorrectly in the pod ) and they wanted to get a policy in place to hit with the time the series aired. CH4 share how they implement the policy they developed and wanted to ensure that training would be available for managers and colleagues to help them, support employees, appropriately. They are actively trying to find the right solutions to provide the correct support. Their policy is the first step in acknowledging that pregnancy loss is part of a woman’s working life. Having the conversations and the educational piece is the first steps in changing organisational culture. Were people worried about being passed over for promotion? These issues did feature as a concern from their focus group of 80 employees who helped inform the policy. As the policy is so new, they are yet to have the opportunity to assess how it has landed within the organisation, however they’re finding that other conversations such as childlessness has started to be discussed, which would have never occurred had it not been for the policy. What about Men? Landy and Naveen talk about the importance that the policy doesn’t just focus on women, but it is there for men too. Any man at C4, can access the policy and take 2 weeks off without explanation or proof of pregnancy loss. How else do they support their staff, such as the Line Managers who might find these conversations tricky? We ask if C4 have plans to support line managers who themselves may find these conversations triggering? The policy includes resources that anyone can access for support as well as a ‘Pregnancy loss champion’ who is available to offer support on a human-to-human basis. To find out more about CH4's policy click here | |||
| Childless not by choice | 04 Oct 2021 | 00:35:49 | |
In this episode, as we near the end of this current series of the podcast, we chat with Steph Phillips the founder of World Childless Week. World Childless Week is a relatively new initiative raising awareness of being childless not by choice. Steph tells us how the interest in this week, but also across the year, has increased dramatically over the last 2 years. We also talked about the differing terminology used to explain living without children and how Steph as learned to own the term ‘Childless’. The World Childless Week website encourages people to submit blogs and videos to get their voices and stories heard. Steph has noticed in recent weeks that this is gaining more momentum and people are wanting to take ownership of their childlessness. The COVID pandemic has highlighted the difficulties in the workplace faced by childless people – the discussions on Zoom about children, children seen on Zoom etc. However, the pandemic has also encouraged greater awareness surrounding mental health for example and Steph also sees this as a positive for sharing childless awareness. The sharing the commonality of childlessness has had a profound effect on Steph and others, providing validation and an outlet for grief. We also talked about finding the humour and laughter that can come with sharing stories and that it is possible to come through the dark days. We discuss the narrative surrounding childlessness and how frequent the insensitive comments are heard, such as ‘Have you thought about adoption’. This needs to change. Steph recommends listening to this webinar - which will help to highlight what not to say to a childless individual. Did you know that there is more childless men than women? Men rarely speak out, but they need to be heard more. Steph talks about the desire many childless individuals have to leave a legacy and why it is important for us not to be forgotten. Steph now tries to leave a legacy in a different way – she may compliment someone on their leggings or let a car out in front of her. This small action can make their day and never hurts to be kind. Next steps, Steph hopes to make a difference in raising awareness of childlessness in the workplace. Steph welcomes submissions on any topic for the website. See below for more information on how you can do this. SOCIALS: Releasing Our Grief through the Power of Words (good to help people find the confidence to start exploring the cathartic power of writing): Other episodes we mentioned: Jessica Hepburn | |||
| Parenting after IVF | 27 Sep 2021 | 00:42:29 | |
Today we’re talking all about what happens after fertility – parenting after IVF. What is it like to be pregnant and then parenting after you’ve gone through a fertility journey? Is it different if you’ve not experienced this rollercoaster journey and you’ve managed to conceive naturally? To find out, we’re giving a big welcome to a previous guest and friend of the podcast – Cat Strawbridge otherwise known as @tryingyears. Cat, after 7 years of trying to conceive and multiple rounds of IVF, finally became a mum to beautiful Wren, who has recently celebrated her 2nd birthday. Cat works tirelessly to break the silence surrounding infertility, has her own podcast The Finally Pregnant Podcast, consults within the fertility industry, host events and to top it all is now (at time of writing) embarking on fertility treatments to try for a sibling for Wren. We’re delighted to chat to Cat again and wanted to ask her what are the most common fears for women who have conceived following fertility treatments? Cat didn’t hesitate in answering – the anxiety. The anxiety of pregnancy, ‘scanxiety’ and once parenting the fear of being an overbearing and anxious parent. You may not have heard the term ‘scanxiety’ before but we suspect you’ve felt it. It’s that anxiety you get every time before and during a scan. Whether it be a fertility or pregnancy scan, that fear never leaves you. Cat talked about her pregnancy with Wren and her need to have regular reassurance by having a scan. Particularly as sadly, Cat lost Wren’s twin sister in early pregnancy. Cat talks about how ‘scanxiety’ starts from the moment she’s booked the scan until she’s had the reassurance that everything is OK. We talked about Cat’s experiences of how the scanning professionals dealt with her anxiety, which luckily was generally positive, however we all know that sometimes bad news isn’t delivered in the best way and many professionals seem to lack empathy. A recent guest Amber Isso termed this ‘empathy fatigue’. Kate recently had the pleasure of listening to a webinar Cat did for ESHRE week on hope and how professionals can help patients maintain hope by treating them respectfully and honestly and acknowledging that it is the patient’s fertility journey. Whilst health professionals are becoming more informed on how to speak to patients, she feels that there is still a long way to go. Cat then spoke about her decision to try for another baby with her remaining embryo and how this has been a difficult decision to make, especially as this is her last shot. She is feeling overwhelmed, excited and petrified but hopes that this time around she has more knowledge and the resilience to cope better. Kate talked about how the emphasis on a second attempt at IVF after having success is so different. The first time it’s on your having a baby, the second its on having a sibling for your child, so the pressure is totally different. We also discuss Cat’s feelings on the COVID-19 vaccine and how she has had one but plans to delay the second one for now. Since recording Cat has shared that her FET didn’t work and has spoken about it on her socials. We send Cat all our love and thank her for talking to us. Other episodes mentioned: Katie Eaves who is working to support midwives understand how to talk to pregnant women who have been through infertility We also spoke in a previous episode with Julianne Boutelab about the fears we have on becoming parents. SOCIALS:
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| Surrogacy Abroad and in the UK | 12 Sep 2021 | 00:45:27 | |
This week we are discussing Surrogacy, both in the UK and abroad. Our first guest is Anna Buxton, mum of three children through two different surrogates. Anna talks us through her decision of how they reached surrogacy after a long and painful gynecological history and was told Surrogacy was her only hope as she would never carry. Not carrying your child and grieving for that loss Anna voices the fear of so many people considering surrogacy, They were able to create embryos yet still it was v.difficult. Feels like you are giving up on the hope of ever carrying a child, your husband seeing you pregnant, you feel lost. Ripple effect… you think you are going to get pregnant, then you realize it's not going to happen as you thought. She couldn’t find anyone to talk to about surrogacy. Started in the UK - charities, and agencies but all had really long waiting lists and they’d already spent 5 years trying to get pregnant, and couldn’t deal with another wait of 3 years. She found a few couples to talk to but didn’t have access to the Insta community that exists today. Anna talks about how she now realizes that Surrogacy was the light at the end of the tunnel for them and how incredible the women are who do it. She describes how Surrogacy is so complex of the process was something she buried herself in which helped her almost deal with the grief of not being able to carry. Surrogacy in India India had the longest reputation of surrogacy but had been shrouded in bad press and was halted for a while. They visited 10 clinics and found a Dr and clinic they loved who were running a lovely program all centered around the wellness of the surrogate. They started the IVF process in the UK and then had egg collection and embryos fertilized in India and then were found a surrogate. She still had nobody to talk to about this. Complications of Surrogacy Abroad The first step is to find a lawyer who is really experienced. The pregnancy was difficult - people weren’t talking about it, so Anna didn’t tell hardly anyone until about 24 weeks. It felt hard to believe She worried that people thought she was undeserved of being pregnant because she wasn’t carrying the bump. Anna describes skulking around John lewis looking at prams, terrified someone would ask her why she was there and she was asked who she was buying the pram for and she said she mumbled ‘it’s complicated’ and walked off as she wasn’t ready to tell a stranger. Anna explained how you never know if someone is going to say ‘congrats’ or if they will ask complicated questions. She walked away and ordered everything online. Telling Work Anna explained how they talked to close friends who were really supportive but she was worried about work as she was the first person who had done it, was concerned about her position. She told them at 24 weeks, however, they had no policy for anyone doing surrogacy. How they talk to their children They’ve talked about how children are bought into the world. They have pictures and memorabilia of India all around. They talk about how Mummy’s tummy is broken and another mummy helped to grow her. They celebrated Divali, making sure to normalize her culture and how she was bought into the world. Isla - 5 Always say thank you to Sheparla her surrogate and India. They don’t have a relationship with her as she didn’t want to and also doesn’t speak English. Anna writes a letter every year to her clinic with a picture of Isla both to Sherparla and her children. It’s different with the twins as they are in touch with Holly, her surrogate in San Diago, and has pictures of her in their nursery. They are still in contact with her. Surrogacy is an everyday... Our second guest is Mike Ellis - one half of Two Dads UK, with his partner Wes and founder of My Surrogacy Journey, a membership for Intended Parents to get legal advice, clinical advice, medical support, counseling all the way through to birth and support with doula support, midwife, nutritional plans and that is what they’ve created. Its UK, US, and Canadian surrogacy support. Mike and Wes are also running the Modern Family Show on18th Sept.
What fertility tests are needed? We discuss fertility tests and how there is an arrogance within the gay community that they are fertile and we sadly know that Infertility doesn’t discriminate. Mike talks about men going to the clinic for tests and being totally infertile due to abuse of anabolic steroids or a party lifestyle. Intended fathers maybe felt immune to infertility and for this reason, they work with Exseed to make sure the men have access to their membership.
The Legalities
Mike and Wes feel you should be informed by a legal expert before embarking on a Surrogacy journey, all members get 2-3 legal consultations included so they understand the current situation in the UK. They have 7 law firms in their directory, which they have handpicked the best experience to support people.
What they wish they’d learned They didn’t fertilize all their eggs in one go as the clinic said their donor would resonate her eggs for a sibling, but she sadly didn’t. They wished they’d created the embryos from both their genetic material from the start. So this meant that they lost the genetic connection in their family - it was out of their control and they can understand people grieving a genetic loss.
They have learned that surrogacy is something you really take your time with as they only had implications for counseling but Mike talked about how his mental health spiraled very quickly when Duke was born and there not being a genetic link. He felt all sorts of confusion but found he was overcompensating to the detriment of his mental health.
He wasn’t talking with Wes and they had serious chats about whether they would stay together and he wishes someone had talked with them about being a solid unit and how much of an impact it would have and Mike talked about in hindsight how important self-care is.
Hear more of Mike and Wes’s story about their own story and their Modern Family Show 18th Sept https://www.thefertilitypodcast.com/twodaddies/
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| Donor Sperm and Treatment abroad | 05 Sep 2021 | 00:49:43 | |
In this episode, we’re talking about donor sperm and treatment abroad. We have discussed donor conception on the podcast before and refer throughout the episode to previous chats we’re had as we’ve spoken to egg donors, as well as organizations that help match you with donors both in the UK and abroad and we’ve heard your stories about having treatment abroad with a donor egg or sperm, for a multitude of reasons. The idea of using a donor to make your baby can take a lot of time to get your head around and it's so important to get support and there are brilliant organizations to guide you. We’ve chatted with the Donor Conception Network who have been around for a long time, working on the narrative about how we talk about this with our loved ones. More recently, the brilliant Becky Kearns who is @defiingmum on Instagram has launched her Paths to Parents hub which is to support people looking at donor conception and Becky is working tirelessly to provide webinars and an amazing support network to help answer the many questions that come with donor conception. Our first guest is JR Silver who has created a wonderful children's book called Sharing Seeds. JR was diagnosed with the BRCA1 and sadly lost his sister to breast cancer 9 months later. The family had realized there was a line of females that had passed away young Sister died 9 months later. It was when he went to find out about PGD testing to see whether they could take sperm and have it analyzed to see if they would only put forward healthy sperm What is Non‐obstructive azoospermia (NOA) Ended up having fertility tests - he found out that he had zero sperm which is defined as Non‐obstructive azoospermia (NOA) Definition - no sperm in the ejaculate due to failure of spermatogenesis and is the most severe form of male infertility. The etiology of NOA is either intrinsic testicular impairment or inadequate gonadotropin production. JR went on to have more tests to confirm the condition and then went on to see a Urologist and had two operations to try and retrieve sperm over the coming year. He and his wife had a strong support network and also gained more support and also funding from the Jewish infertility charity Chana Chana is close to my heart as they also supported me in the early stages of our decision to donate our frozen embryo You can learn more about them What’s it like choosing a sperm donor for a guy and what advice do you have for other men? JR explained how he was on a light dose of anti-depressants felt that might have taken the edge off the choosing a sperm donor. Once the pair had got their head around it, they found it quite good fun. JR talked about how his wife didn’t want to see pictures, but it was one of his requirements. The pair are fair in the background and they wanted someone close to his aesthetic and he said that enabled them to pick the donors based on the pictures available. The donor was from Canada and the US from Xytex JR says to be wary of all the advice offered and encourages Men to work with their partner and look at if they can deal with the setbacks of how it feels, see it as a joint project. How do you talk about using a sperm donor - with your friends and family? This is such an important conversation and once we’ve also discussed on the podcast with Jana Rupnow... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. | |||
| **BONUS EPISODE** – IVF FUNDING EXPLAINED WITH ACCESS FERTILITY ** | 31 Aug 2021 | 00:45:16 | |
In this episode, Natalie and Kate are working with Access Fertility to explain what is involved when it comes to self-funding your fertility treatment. Speaking with Professor Scott Nelson who is Professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the University of Glasgow, consultant for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as well as the visiting Professor at the University of Bristol, Scott is the Scientific Director of The Fertility Partnership and Medical Director of Access Fertility How do Multi-Cycle and Refund packages work for IVF? There are several different ways to pay for private fertility, designed to make it more affordable and accessible for those who need it. The two most popular ways to self-fund are multi-cycle and refund programmes, which help families avoid escalating costs if more than one cycle is needed or get some money back if the treatment is unsuccessful. A multi-cycle programme is where a patient pays a fixed price for multiple cycles, and the cost is the same whichever cycle is successful, or if none of them is. Once the patient has had the cycles, there are no refunds. And if the first cycle is successful, the patient can’t access any further treatment under the programme. Up until now, these programmes have been provided independent from the medical clinics that carry out treatment, so there is a natural separation of medical and financial decisions. This means women and baby’s health is the only priority. A refund programme allows patients to recoup up to 100% of their money if their treatment is unsuccessful. Refunds aren’t offered if the patient is successful before the end of a full programme. How has the Pandemic impacted fertility treatment? It has been a huge impact in the UK and after the initial chaos, what is now left is the residual waiting for appointments and treatment. Many people have found their treatment has been delayed, or are worried that their fertility has declined, while others may have been "aged out" of being eligible for NHS or other treatments. This means that some may feel they need to rush their treatment or must access more aggressive treatment. Have a listen to our previous episode about the Postcode Lottery There has been a lot of concern about people making quick and ill-informed decisions and both Kate and Natalie were ambassadors for the Safe Campaign, highlighting the importance of ensuring patients were making informed decisions when it comes to treatment options, despite being tempted to push their physical or mental health to the limit to get pregnant. What we discussed:
Scott mentioned the OPIS IVF model Socials: See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. | |||
| The Frozen Embryo Transfer | 29 Aug 2021 | 00:46:26 | |
Kate and Natalie discuss the Frozen Embryo Transfer, explaining what it means when it happens and how it feels when cycles don’t work. The pair discuss how there is research to show that the success of the frozen cycle is as high as a fresh, so do not worry if you do have to freeze your embryos. With a frozen transfer, your body isn’t full of all the medication, so you’re embarking on a more natural cycle so there is also the thinking that you’re putting those previous embryos back in a more natural environment. Amber Woodward is a brilliant blogger and former book reviewer on The Fertility Podcast. How to prepare? Amber talks about how she learnt about nutrition to help her get pregnant as it wasn’t happening and she had read a lot about the impact of your nutrition. Her medical records state unexplained infertility, underpinned by PCOS, Amber has had issues with her insulin and she discusses how it can make a real difference to your nutrition. After 12 months of changing her diet, she got regular cycles and talks about how much of a difference it can make for conceiving naturally and preparing IVF. Try to improve egg quality, keep your hormones balanced which she found very difficult and food has a big impact on her emotions. What about Eastern medicine - Chinese herbs? Amber talked about trying eastern medicine. Chinese medicine in particular despite her partner Joe’s concerns and the disgusting taste. She said it also made her cycles go crazy. She didn’t leave herself enough space between starting it and then doing IVF as it’s not recommended when you start treatment. Amber talked about how the pair of them had forgotten how all-consuming ‘trying again’ was and also how the treatment felt, as well as other people announcing 2nd siblings. Working and going through FET She was at work when she had another FET, her nutrition wasn’t great and she wasn’t really exercising, so she didn’t feel very prepared. She went into it feeling like she should have put more effort in and they had 2 embryos left and the pair had decided they weren’t doing any more fresh cycles. What about when it doesn’t work? When it didn’t work - the clinic said ‘it's just one of those things about 70% don’t take. You can do everything and it doesn't work and you can do the opposite and not prepare. On the final FET, she wanted to give it her best shot and have no regrets. They didn’t need to wait very long after the failed cycle as you don’t need to treat it like an IVF cycle as you aren't’ stimulated. They were due to have the treatment in April as Covid took hold of the world. She describes how it was the best thing for them to have some time to adjust. Her clinic reopened the day before her birthday. How long does it take? Covid changed how the clinic did the down-regulation. In January when she cycled failed, they had 1 month of downregulation and then the oestrogen for 3-4 weeks. Then you’d have a couple of scans and then the progesterone. During Covid, the clinics wanted to limit the number of times you went there. Instead, she was posted the oestrogen (which increased womb lining) Amber was on this for approx 3 weeks and then 4 days later she had the transfer and two weeks later she had the pregnancy result. So a 5-week process. What if it doesn’t work and how having that conversation about ‘what if’ helped Amber had shared on her socials about how the pair of them had talked about alternative life plans if it didn’t work. They had prepared themselves for the FET to be their last treatment. They talked about just being able to put it all... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. | |||
| The Two Week Wait | 22 Aug 2021 | 00:27:03 | |
This week we’re talking about the TWW which is that period of time from embryo transfer to when you can do a pregnancy test. Natalie has been through it once, having had success on her first attempt at IVF however we know, for many of you it can be something of a Groundhog Day experience and we wanted your thoughts on how to cope with it. Kate talked about how she tells her clients to set an intention for the 14 days in terms of what they want with their family and friends, so you’re in control of how the tww goes, which is sound advice. We also spoke with author and former fertility patient and Midwife, Sheila Lamb about her experience of the TWW and her book ‘This is the Two Week Wait Sheila curated over 30 accounts from people willing to share their experiences, Natalie was one of them, talking about how she made a point of going away to the coast, which did her the world of good. Sheila talks about one thing that stuck out was people talking about how ‘on your own ‘ you are, after all the put from the clinic, it just stops.. it’s like tumbleweed. We talk about how best to keep busy and how you need to think wisely about who you spend time with. People talked about symptom spotting and how for example their boobs were ‘buzzing’ Sheila talked about how her experience and how she didn’t want to test during the wait. after four cycles she was very aware of what worked and what didn’t work for her. Her fourth cycle was 6 years later and was with donor egg, and additional medication after a miscarriage and she was abroad, which made it nicer as they were away and able to keep busy. She talked about doing visualization which she hadn’t done previously as she hadn’t learnt about it in the earlier days. We’re all so different which is why we wanted to get your thoughts and had you record them for us using our exciting new software, so if you want to get in touch for future episodes we’ll be reminding you of how to do it. We had some amazing and varied comments from you. Elyse talked about how it is so important to expect and accept that your emotions will be all over the place, if you need to shout, cry, call your friend for a bitch do what you feel, and don’t feel guilty. She advised you to keep things to yourself if you want to, you don’t have to share with family and friends. Also to Keep reminding yourself you’ve done your best and the next stage is out of your hands and your brain goes a bit wild - uf it gets too loud try and takes control back. When it comes to testing the consensus was to not drive yourself mad with early testing!! Bilitis shared how she picked up a new hobby, during her TWW, which was during the lockdown. So she learned to sew using a sewing machine which kept my mind occupied, which she said stopped her dwelling. Sophie talked about how she and her partner, blocked out the two weeks for themselves to go away and see something new. Or if that’s not possible just get away from every day, or go for a walk along with the coast, anything to get away from the norm. She also talked about how they treated themselves to something nice, a massage, a nice meal and focused on themselves rather than being with family, or friends. Her go-to activities were yoga, meditation, baking, and eating. Nice! Susanne shared her wisdom, after having five cycles. She highlighted how you come to realize there are no hard and fast rules. There’s no ‘if you do this it will work’. She said to follow your gut and do what feels right which we’re big fans of. You know you ultimately. Susanne said how in the past taken 2 weeks off work, which helped her have nothing to blame, but wasn’t right, as she also worked which then gave her something to blame. Ultimately, she says to stay... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. | |||
| Egg Collection and Embryo Transfer | 15 Aug 2021 | 00:28:54 | |
This week we’re talking about egg collection and embryo transfer with former podcast guest Alpesh Doshi. We discuss how it all works and how the hormones are used to stimulate the ovary to produce follicles. Do numbers matter? We discuss the importance of managing your expectation in terms of what it all means, what size means, what % of follicles will result in an egg, and what stage an egg can be at. Alpesh explains how patients need to be informed at every stage of scans with how many follicles are in each ovary, what size are they, how many are they expected to grow, at the last scan, when they are ready for trigger - the patient should have more details chat about what to expect. Did you know 80% of follicles result in eggs? Typically follicles that are over 14mm in diameter What if I don’t get enough eggs? There is often a lot of disappointment that can come because patients aren’t sure how to interpret numbers. But it’s important to remember that 15 follicles don’t mean 15 eggs. Alpesh explains how important it is that patients shouldn’t fixate on a number = it could be a number of eggs and the number of embryos. The journey from the egg to the embryo is a funnel as the numbers come down. More important to focus on the embryo number. How long does egg collection take and does it hurt? It can take 15 minutes to 45 minutes depending on the number of follicles. The procedure takes place under a general anesthetic, meaning you will have been nil by mouth since the night before. Alpesh explains the procedure of draining the follicles and how once it is done, and you have one round from the anesthetic you will be monitored to make sure everything is OK before you can go home. All in all about 2 hours. When will you hear from the clinic after egg collection? The embryologist has a conversation straight after once you are awake to explain what will happen next eg. IVF or ICSI There will then be a call the next day to update Day 3 call - assessment Day 5 - to let you know how many have developed into Blastocyst Have a listen to a previous episode with Embryologist Rachel Cutting about ‘What an embryologist does’ What to do on the day of embryo transfer? If you have no complicated history of ET - no sedation will be needed, it’s like a smear test. You will need a full bladder, and a catheter will be passed into the cervix, using ultrasound and the embryologist will pass another catheter to release the embryo in the middle of the uterus. It takes about 20 minutes. You will be at the clinic for about 30 mins and then can go home. Hormones continued and then dealing with the two-week wait and talking to the clinic as much as you like. How to deal with the Two Week Wait #TWW Natalie talked about how important it is to give yourself things to look forward to, and how she and her husband went away for a few days, so they’d done something nice even if the outcome wasn’t what they’d wanted. Alpesh talks about the importance of the emotions between couples being supported and managed. We will be making an episode about how you cope with the TWW, so if you’ve read this far and would like to tell us please email The outcome - what if it’s not successful? What to expect from your clinic. Alpesh talks about how they manage a... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. | |||
| The Drugs Teach with Kate Pleace – Fertility Nurse | 08 Aug 2021 | 00:31:27 | |
This week we’re talking about the drugs teach, which in normal terms means - how the hell do you do your injections when going through IVF, especially if you’re scared of needles. We’re joined by Kate Pleace who is a lovely lady and part of Kate’s team of nurses at Your Fertility Journey. Kate talks us through how it all works when it comes to taking your drugs for IVF. Unfortunately, the majority are injections and you following a plan and dosages. Kate explained how important it was to talk through the different injections how they work when you need to do them, how to draw them up and prepare them, and they have mock ones to practice with How it all works? You get to practice with a fake skin pin cushion which is good to know if you have a fear of needles, you get to feel more and get to see the needle, which is tiny. If you’re scared, it’s important to spend time with your fertility nurse, have a look ad practice and find out what works, you can get your partner and have them shown. Kate mentioned breathing techniques and meditations. It may sound terrifying for people but you soon get the hang of it, Natalie certainly did after being so worried on day 1, by day 3 she was in the loo doing it, as she was hosting an event! Where should you inject? In your tummy, where your trousers sit - either side of your belly button. It’s really important to rotate around your tummy, to give the areas a break, you will get brushing as it’s a side effect of the treatment, which is why it’s good to rotate the area you inject. What about if you miss your injection? If it’s a few hours, Kate advises you do it, if it’s the next day, Kate advises you to call your clinic. What about air bubbles? There is a little air bubble on the pen ( there’s minimal evidence it will make any damage ) always give a little tap before injection, make sure fluid is at the top, pre-loaded pens are ready to go. Ways to help partners feel more involved? Natalie talked about how she and hubby named the two injections after film/cartoon characters What about nose sprays? There is a nose spray for the down-regulation, but they are mainly injectables, depending on your protocol. Your clinic can reduce the time you have to take them. Side effects of drugs? Depends - long protocol and down-regulation, can put you into temp menopause, people may report headaches, night sweats, difficulty sleeping, but these pass when on stimulation drugs. Stimulation drugs - These can make you feel bloated and fatigued Cetrotide - can make you feel like there is a bee sting when you do the injection but it disappears in about 30 min.. Natalie mentioned her own experience. You will need to listen to the bizarre side effect Natalie experienced… if you had the same experience, do let Natalie know. Kate says if you do have any weird sound effects, do let your clinic know. Kate talks about ways to tick off the injections on the calendar, Natalie talked about treating it like a science experiment. Think about how it’s not forever… Kate talks about how she helps patients celebrate their last injection with patients. The Trigger Injection - what if you can’t do it in time? If you’re having any problems or struggling to take it, use the videos - talk to the nurse at your scan before it. If it comes to trigger time and there is a problem, contact your clinic as soon as you can, and they can advise you on what to do... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. | |||
| How do embryologists grade your embryos? | 15 Apr 2024 | 00:32:36 | |
To kick start this new series of The Fertility Podcast, Kate is joined by a returning guest and friend of the podcast, Lucy Lines. Lucy is an embryologist in Australia, she is also a fertility educator and advocate. On today’s episode, Lucy is chatting all about embryo grading and what it is and how it’s done. Lucy explains how to grade an embryo and how a decision is made on which embryo to transfer. Lucy then delves into what it is like to be an embryologist, talking about the training period and the subjective nature of grading embryo’s and how this will differ from one embryologist to the next. Kate and Lucy move on to talk about which day post collection an embryo should be transferred. Lucy tells Kate that there is a lot of debate around whether day 3 is the best day or day 5 is. More often than not, clinics will prefer to transfer on day 5, as it usually has a higher success rate than day 3 and there are interesting reasons as to why this decision is actually made…….. Lastly, Kate and Lucy talked about batching and what to do if you are thinking about batching embryos. Lucy’s answer is that there is a lot to take into consideration when thinking about batching. Considerations with regards to your age, your AMH, the stability of your relationship with your partner and what to do with the frozen embryos when you have completed your family. A little bit of advice to take with you from Lucy is when choosing a fertility clinic, take a look at the live birth rate per cycle, how many women who started a cycle ended up with a baby? And, a question to ask at you appointment is how far below the threshold would they grade the embryo? We are delighted that this episode is sponsored by two friends of the podcast - One Day Tests and Bud Nutrtion. One Day Tests is your one stop shop for ‘at home’ fertility blood tests and more. The lovely people at One Day Tests are offering The Fertility Podcast listeners 10% discount with TFP10. Bud nutrition make a super Omega 3 which we absolutely LOVE. You can use the code FP20 for a 20% discount off your order. Socials: Follow @YourFertilityNurse on Instagram Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on Instagram Follow Lucy Lines - Embryologist | Fertility Educator | IVF Advocate (@twolinesfertility) • Instagram photos and videos on Instagram | |||
| What to expect in IVF. | 01 Aug 2021 | 00:42:04 | |
In this episode, we’re talking about what to expect in IVF which we hope you take as an overview as everyone’s experience is different. Of course, there will be some commonalities in terms of treatment plans, which is what our expert Dr. James Nicopollus will be explaining. First up we discuss a conversation from social media that has been front of mind and that is about the latest data on the safety of the Covid Vaccine. Here’s Kate’s post that we discuss. Your initial visit to the fertility clinic James talks about what to expect after you have an initial referral for a series of 2 or 3 diagnostic tests and how there should be a plan for you put in place. We discuss:
What about delays due to COVID: In terms of key investigations markers of egg reserve, transvaginal scan, AMH blood tests - if done within last 6 months Semen analysis within last 6 months - unless significant abnormality, it might need to be repeated. Other tests for IVF include HIV, Hep B, Hep C - within the first 3 months of treatment James gives his opinion on home blood tests and whether he accepts them and he explains how it depends on where they’ve been done and who they’ve been done through. As long as he can see where they’ve come from and ascertain how accurate they are, there should be no need to repeat them. How often should you expect to see the same Dr? James explains how you will have a point person - you will have direct access to people via email. However due to the nature of the treatment with your embryos being ready when they are ready, so it might mean that your collection or transfer might not be at a time the Dr is available. He explains how you will have continuity with your Dr, but it won’t always be just with him. Kate shared a great post on Insta about what questions to ask about IVF Workup is key Once you have had the tests, then you get ready for the treatment itself - so what should you expect. James talks about the treatment and explains what it is going to be doing - FSH hormone in higher doses, with a daily injection ( on average this is about 12-14 days ) in the same time it takes for one egg to grow, we’re trying to get more. In almost every cycle, it starts just after your period, then for 2 weeks you take an injection to make your eggs grow with 3/5 scans, to see when you are ready for egg collection. You may have blood tests. All help to decide when you are ready for egg collection. The second medication is to stop your body from releasing the eggs. The main difference between long and short protocol is when the medication is changed. A long and a short protocol from period to egg collection is the same, it’s just different by the medication. Approx 2 weeks of intensive monitoring/estrogen goes up, it tends to make you feel good. It’s more likely that post embryo transfer the homes can make you feel a bit gritty. The hardest thing is the logistics. James talks about stress and the importance... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. | |||
| So What is the Postcode Lottery? | 25 Jul 2021 | 00:39:53 | |
So what is the Postcode lottery? Well we’ve been talking about it here on the podcast for years ( since we started to be honest ) and if you’d like to hear previous episodes on it here is Susan Seenan the former CEO of Fertility Network in 2015 Then we spoke about it in 2017 when Fertility Network launched its Right to Try campaign. So you can see, this issue has been impacting our access to treatment for a long time. What is going on is that your postcode impacts how many rounds of NHS funded treatment you are eligible, despite the NICE guidelines being that you SHOULD have 3 rounds of IVF treatment Natalie was fortunate to be living in an area where she did have this and had her son Phoenix, with the help of NHS funding. Sadly this isn’t the case for a lot of you. Our first guest is Amber Izzo, a fertility patient advocate, blogger, and campaigner, founder of Fight for IVF and Innovation Fertility. We spoke to Amber on 6th July, ahead of her hearing from the CCG in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough who had been reviewing their IVF policy about whether they were going to reinstate funding Amber started it due to not having any access to NHS-funded treatment.. when she started there were 6 that didn’t offer any, now there are 3.
Have a listen here to a previous episode we shared in 2020, where another listener Laura had success lobbying her CCG The issue is that over 80% of CCGs don’t adhere to the NICE Guidelines which is why the Fight for Ivf campaign picked up a lot of momentum. Amber’s local MP’s in Cambridge was on board as he had personal experience )had a cross-party letter to the CCG, which secured a meeting in 2021 to secure the review. She had gained great exposure with media coverage on Sky and BBC and the petition is currently on 30k signatures. You can sign it here People are being refused to fund because the CCG has put in their own criteria, such as if your partner has a child already. You can appeal this. Amber has asked her GP to put on her notes if he refuses any of the tests she asks for, so there is proof of what she has requested and she can find out more about why they said no. Watch Amber and her husband Marco hearing about the CCG’s decision here. So what other options are there for treatment? We spoke with Marta Jansa Perez, Director of Embryology at BPAS Fertility, who are launching their BPAS FERTILITY later in 2021 Please note we do talk about Implantation failure in this episode. Marta joined BPAS as she always felt strongly there was a need to help people and she joined BPAS to help create their not for profit service as they felt there was a gap in the market for people who can’t access NHS... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. | |||
| The Feedback Episode | 18 Jul 2021 | 00:21:34 | |
Hope.. and what it means to you This week’s podcast episode is a little different as it’s Kate and I sharing our thoughts on what we’re doing for the rest of the year. We relaunched this podcast in February as we were really keen to try and map out what we thought you would want to know if you were just starting to try for a baby. I felt quite strongly that the podcast lacked a bit of structure and wanted to revisit topics. We also knew the by going over this information and signposting you to other episodes we’d already shared, it would be really useful if you were already trying and at different stages as we’ve shared updated info as well as recapping things that might help. So now we’ve reached the point in our content where we are about to head through the clinic door and it felt right to stop and reflect. Our aim with The Fertility Podcast is to educate, empower and support you at every stage and if we can help you to conceive naturally by sharing the insights of our experts, which may then to you asking more questions to your medical professionals, then we’ve done what we set out to do.. to help. Alongside the education, Kate and I are both dedicated to supporting your mental health. I feel like my own personal journey with infertility has affected my life much more than I realised or admitted and have done a lot of self-development ( and continue to ) to discover ways to work through certain feeling and understand myself better. We want to create something really special and powerful for you over the coming months and talk about Hope. What we hope to do, is to share with you some fascinating ways in which we feel you can find hope alongside you. We'd love to hear your ways to find it and how to hold on to it as we know how much it helps for everyone who listens to this pod, to hear relatable stories. So if you would like to share what hope looks like in your life and pay it forward to anyone coming into this TTC space, who needs to find a way to find hope, please do get in touch. Just email and use the subject matter: Hope SOCIALS:
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| Is IUI Worth it? | 11 Jul 2021 | 00:31:57 | |
In this week’s episode, we talk to fertility consultant Rami Wakim. Rami, among other areas of expertise, specializes in Intrauterine Insemination (IUI). We wanted to chat with Rami to find out if these days IUI is really worth it or should you go straight to IVF. Kate mentioned that, in her opinion, she has seen fewer and fewer IUI procedures performed over recent years. Is IUI on the decline? Rami starts off by giving us a really interesting insight into the history of IUI. Did you know that the first successful IUI took place in 1953? It then became more popular as a fertility treatment in the ’70s and ’80s. However, only 35 countries consider IUI as a method of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) and only 30 consider it an appropriate treatment for single women.
So, is it worth it or is it just sex in a clinical room? Rami spoke about how there isn’t any data about the success of IUI in the Middle East, Canada, and Australia and how Europe only started offering data in 2002. There is currently not enough studies of IUI Did you know that only 35 countries consider IUI as an ART technique? When it comes to the NICE Guidelines, the suggestion for people who have not conceived after 6 cycles of donor sperm, should be offered a further 6 cycles ( 2013). You can read more here In 2016 patients with unexplained or mild endometriosis or mild male factor should NOT be offered routine IUI, but should be advised to try naturally for 2 years before IVF considered Rami highlighted the parameters for success with IUI are:
As some people are very scared of IVF, IUI is more accessible especially in communities where there is a lot of stigma around ART. People have the conviction to go for IVF after they have tried IUI, if they have been scared about the idea of it, at least they tried it. You may be offered IUI if: 1. you're unable to have vaginal sex – for example, because of a physical disability or psychosexual problem 2. you have a condition that means you need specific help to conceive. For example, if 1 of you has HIV and it's not safe to have unprotected sex 3. you're in a same-sex relationship and have not become pregnant after up to 6 cycles of IUI using donor sperm from a licensed fertility unit (the Stonewall website has more information about IUI for same-sex couples) Bear in mind that the waiting list for IUI treatment on the NHS can be very long in some areas. Costs range from about £700 to £1,600 for each cycle of IUI treatment. Source NHS
Socials:
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| How to choose a fertility clinic | 04 Jul 2021 | 00:59:04 | |
Earlier in June, a hugely important review by the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) was published. This review produced guidance to help fertility clinics comply with their consumer law obligations but also provides guidance for you when considering purchasing IVF treatment. The word ‘purchasing’ there is massively significant because as well as being a patient, you are also a consumer and it’s very likely that you haven’t thought about fertility treatments in that way. It’s important that fertility clinics are fair and that you know your rights when it comes to consumer law.
In this episode, we’re delighted to talk to two guests who have been actively involved in assisting the CMA in producing this guidance – Clare Ettinhauser Director of Strategy and Corporate Affairs at the HFEA, and Patient Advocate and founder of @uberbarrensclub - Katy Linderman. Later we’re also joined by the chair of the British Fertility Society, consultant gynecologist Raj Mathur, to share his views on the CMA review.
Whilst we had Clare with us, we also asked her how best for women and couples to go about choosing a fertility clinic. Clare recommends checking out the Choose A Clinic function on the HFEA website. Kate uses this with her patients and finds it super useful in narrowing down your choices and finding the best clinic for you. She also mentioned paying attention to the individual clinics Live Birth rates on the HFEA website, these are collated and ratified by the HFEA every 2 years but are unlikely to differ very much in that time. Clare also talked about the benefits of attending, either in person or virtually, clinic open days.
Now on to the CMA review: Katy worked as a patient advisor to the CMA and it’s really obvious from reading the review that the patients’ best interests are at the center of every aspect. Katy talked about the need for patients to have accurate and timely information to help them make the right treatment choices and that there is a lot of work clinics need to do to adhere to this new guidance.
Here is what you should now expect to fully understand when choosing a clinic and treatments:
Claire talked about the HFEA’s involvement with the CMA review. Sadly, currently, the HFEA does not have any legal powers to ensure that clinics follow and adhere to the CMA guidance. We asked her if the HFEA had received any feedback from clinics since the review was published. As yet they have not but this is probably because clinics have been aware for some time that this review was happening, and that the guidance would be published.
As well as publishing information for clinics, the CMA has provided guidance for patients too. This also includes an informative video voiced by Lorraine Kelly and we urge you to watch this to understand your rights. Katy talks about the need to clinics to take considered action and make the legally required changes to their website, brochures, and any patient information so that there is treatment price transparency (among many of the other requirements) and a good understanding of what is and isn’t included, from the outset.
Katy also states that it is your legal right to have access to this information and if it’s not there, be your own advocate and persist in asking for it. By having this information you’ll feel more empowered on your fertility journey.
Next up we get Raj’s clinical opinion on the CMA guidance. He starts by stating that the British Fertility Society welcomes... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. | |||
| The Impact of Covid on Your Treatment | 27 Jun 2021 | 00:36:07 | |
Dr. Zeynep Gurtin, a Lecturer in Women’s Health at the Institute for Women’s Health at UCL, and holds an Affiliate Lectureship at the University of Cambridge Sociology Department.
In 2020 - spoke to a sample of 457 women to find out their experience of fertility treatment whose treatment has been delayed due to clinic closures. The questionnaire was live for 6 weeks during May-June 2020
The focus was to talk about the issues from lockdown stopping treatment. It was monitored by a multidisciplinary team of 6 - clinicians, counselor, psychologist
The survey was an anonymous online long questionnaire - some quantitative, other questions asked for people to tell in their own words about the impact.
For many people, it was underlined with a sense of how important the treatment was. Dominant responses were that they were much less concerned about covid than their declining fertility.
People scared about how long this is going to last. How at the start there was such little clarity
People were saying ‘I don’t want to look back and say that this virus is what robbed me of my last chance to become a parent.
People who were essential workers, such as nurses, had a priority of wanting to undertake treatment, yet they were very aware they had to expose themselves to the virus.. and at the time we had no idea of the impact it might have on pregnancy.. and of course, it became impossible for them to take time off - issues of there not being enough clarity on what people should do when it came to having the vaccine initially.
On the other side, people who became furloughed or jobs were precarious, which made it even more difficult. People feeling anxious about how secure their employment was and what impact that would have on them having a family.
Words used to describe feelings :
Powerless, helpless, frustrated, anxious, intense feelings
‘when i heard the clinic was going to close I was completely devastated, my partner isn’t getting any younger and further delays to our treatment was beyond belief. It was a particularly bitter pill to swallow with all the jokes about lockdown baby boom’
‘i was so heartbroken to be so close to making it happen and then it was wiped away from us’
‘i find the uncertainty of the wait unbearable ‘
People talked about it as ‘yet another disruption’ people having to halt treatment in the past due to losses, for financial reasons, to stop caring for a family member - and now there was this
Patients having to undergo surgery for fibroids and just at the point when they could start treatment, it was put on halt… ‘a feeling like the world is against us.’
When will we get over the Covid crisis and when will we understand the impact it is having on the TTC community
People found it really difficult to receive support - many stories of people with young children/friends or work colleagues being insensitive ‘ at least your lucky you don’t have to home school’
How the clinics let people down - lack of communication such as timelines, lack of access to staff, and also a perceived lack of care and empathy. People getting letters with black lines
When clinics did offer updates - zoom meetings, webinars were really appreciated. Having a counselor or patients supporter is an enormous help and reassurance, helps them feel connected, they have a place to check-in. Hopefully, the message will be to the sector that better communication should be implemented. Some clinics have said they’ve been using the findings. It’s so important we put these mechanisms in place if some other form of disruption is to... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. | |||
| Infertility Knows No Colour | 20 Jun 2021 | 00:57:07 | |
This week we have a bumper episode and have not one guest, but three! Our episode is all about the fact that infertility knows no colour, meaning that infertility doesn’t care about the colour of your skin – it impacts us all regardless but there are very unique challenges, and some similarities faced by differing communities.
First up we chat to Vanessa Hay
Talking about the issue of infertility within Black communities. Vanessa described how multi-layered up fertility issues were with other social-cultural things like faith “When you are trying to build a family, you feel like everyone else is affected. Your whole family are invested and I felt it was too much pressure to go through, so it took me a while to talk about it. Then you have to deal with comments such as ‘Why you going through IVF it’s not something that we do’ Vanessa chose to only share her experience after she was pregnant, she was 27 when they were trying..
She spoke about how Infertility has no boundaries in terms of what you go through and how it feels and how she felt she couldn’t get anything from her community as she wasn’t sharing so she needs to go elsewhere. She went on chat rooms… and realising there was the Instagram community… However the nuances in her journey -such as how to approach nosey aunties and uncles / the faith-based / they weren’t being covered in this predominantly white community.
Vanessa spoke to Metro about her experience of going through IVF as a black woman had so much traction. People thanking her for sharing it. People saying they were also going through it. Women were saying this is something I’m going through but don’t feel comfortable talking to my friends as it’s not something that happens with Black women - started the conversation to help us feel less alone.
Vanessa said how people talking back to her and she then seeing other black women bloggers starting the conversation helped her feel less alone. It was reciprocal and reassuring. She explained how ‘If there is already a perception in a community and you aren’t seeing people that look like you talking about it further breeds the idea that this isn’t the type of thing you might go through. ‘
There is still shame within Black communities assumption of virility Vanessa spoke about Noni Martens who has been talking about how black women are raised to be Mother - which s something we spoke more with Christine about later in the episode. There is an assumption that black women are apparently ‘hyper fertile’ Vanessa also explained her concerns about celebrity - saying how ‘There is also the perception of IVF is also that people are choosing what babies they have due to the celebrity association. As people don’t understand it. If someone is choosing it they are guaranteed to get pregnant, that she has decided to now get pregnant… like you are trying to take matters into your own hands
She is now focusing more on Reproductive and Gynacolgical - having lost babies she has realised she still has work to do in the education she is sharing.
Next, we welcome back a friend of the podcast Dr Christine Ekechi. Christine is a consultant gynaecologist at Imperial College NHS Trust and a spokesperson for Racial Equality at the RCOG. Christine is passionate about tackling the healthcare inequalities of women. We last saw, and interviewed, Christine in a very busy and noisy British Library in London, just before lockdown.
We wanted to chat with Christine about the recent paper, shared by the HFEA, on the ethnic diversity infertility treatment and how using the term BAME is no longer acceptable. Christine is against defining women by... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. | |||
| Sperm Banter | 13 Jun 2021 | 00:38:22 | |
This week to mark Men's Mental Health Week, we are putting the spotlight once again on Male Fertility issues with two conversations to share with you. We welcome back to the podcast Professor Sheena Lewis to talk about DNA Fragmentation. Sheena is the CEO of Examen and a professor in Reproductive Medicine and has been working on male fertility tests for the last 25 years. You'll also hear from Shaun, who has created an account on Instagram called Knackered Knackers, where he has shared his story of having male factor infertility, having had mumps and ultimately had to use donor sperm.
Male infertility is on the rise but luckily, we’re beginning to make progress in the research surrounding this. Sheena talks about as well as sperm counts declining, sperm quality is also reducing and the DNA of sperm, in particular, is becoming worse, in part due to 20th century living such as environmental factors, having children later in life – the things we can’t do anything about. However, there are factors that we can influence, and we need to do all we can to start focusing more on men, rather than just the woman.
If you go back to basics, the first thing a man needs to do is to get a sperm test. This looks at the count (how many there are), motility (are they swimming), and morphology (the shape of the sperm). What you don’t find out from a sperm test, is what’s inside the sperm – the DNA. Sheena feels that we should be doing more DNA fragmentation tests. However, as fertility clinics are ‘female focused’, this is rarely offered. We need to bring urologists into the picture to also focus on men and have better joined-up working.
Sheena talks about the misnomer of unexplained infertility. 25% of couples are given the frustrating diagnosis of unexplained infertility, but the reality is we’ve not actually searched hard enough for the answer because men are left out of the picture.
Sheena’s research at Queens University in Belfast has shown that 40% of men given a diagnosis of unexplained infertility have DNA fragmentation. A startling figure indeed! It may not be the only answer, but it certainly is one reason for their inability to conceive.
40% of men with fertility problems have varicoceles but as men are not generally examined this is not diagnosed or treated. As a result of male infertility women have to go through ICSI treatment but, as Sheena says, why can we not have equality in reproductive health where men are examined, tested, diagnosed and treated in the same way women are? This would put the man right back in control and be empowered to make the right lifestyle changes to improve sperm.
Sheena also talks about the importance of nutrition. Many men have a calorie-rich and nutrient-poor diet. Sheena recommends getting the right expert advice on nutrition and the right supplements to help improve sperm health. Sheena recommends vitamins A, C and E, with vitamin E being especially beneficial.
Natalie asks Sheena about DNA fragmentation and miscarriage. Research in 2012 and 2020 showed the association between DNA quality and miscarriage. The need for DNA fragmentation testing following miscarriage is now in international guidelines but is sadly rarely done. Sheena recommends that men should be empowered to be proactive and ask for this test to be done. It was just Natalie chatting with Shaun and the pair didn’t discuss his story in detail as Shaun has set it out brilliantly on his instagram account, talking about how he had mumps which always made him think there might be a problem. He then had to have a number of operations including a varicocele and a microtese and in the end, Shaun and his wife Jenna had successful treatment using donor sperm and Jenna gave birth to their twins Ray and Evelyn in February... | |||
| Unexplained Infertility | 06 Jun 2021 | 00:31:30 | |
Unexplained Infertility
In this episode, we’re together, in person and in the same room!! What a novelty. We’re talking unexplained infertility and whilst together we had a quick chat with the lovely Jen who is @jens_endlesshappydays on Instagram
Jen has been diagnosed with unexplained infertility and is struggling with PCOS, however, her doctors don’t feel that PCOS is impacting her cycle and therefore her diagnosis remains unexplained.
Jen tells us how she feels frustrated at the diagnosis of ‘unexplained’ and the rollercoaster of emotions that comes with her thoughts of why she’s not getting pregnant, symptom spotting, the two-week wait, and the crushing disappointment of getting her period every month.
Jen has been really open with her friends and family and feels so lucky that she has a good support network, which includes friends who have experienced a similar journey themselves. Jen decided to be open on social media and as a result as made some amazing Instagram friends. We talk about friendships and how you cope when a friend you make through a shared experience, such as infertility, then becomes pregnant.
We touch on male fertility tests and how men are often the ignored factor when it comes to fertility investigations. Jen and Alex have only been offered a sperm test, but no further testing, and Jen says she is completely unaware that there are any other options for male investigations. Tune in to next week to hear more about this with our guest expert.
Jen is soon to start IVF treatment and has been working hard to reduce her BMI. Due to her PCOS, she has found it hard to lose weight, and has found losing weight to be eligible for IVF has further added to the burden and stress she feels.
Good luck Jen – we’ll be crossing everything for you! SOCIAL MEDIA:
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| Ovulation Induction with Alice Rose | 30 May 2021 | 00:37:03 | |
This week we’re joined by Alice Rose who you may know on Instagram as @thisisalicerose. Alice is a former fertility patient, mum of two, campaigner and a mindset mentor. Alice’s ‘Think not What to Say’ campaign has been a trailblazer within the community, helping to bridge the disconnect between patients and their doctors and help friends and family to communicate better with their loved ones navigating a fertility journey.
On her own fertility journey Alice, who has PCOS, had numerous rounds of treatment, including ovulation induction. Kate explains what happens during ovulation induction. Often it is the first treatment you may be offered, particularly if you’re not ovulating. You may be offered Clomid or letrozole. These medications increase FSH to encourage the ovaries to produce follicles, one of which will mature and be released at ovulation.
In her treatment, Alice responded well to the first round of clomid but was really confused when in the second round she didn’t ovulate at all. Alice talks about not feeling very informed on what to expect during her treatment, including not being aware of the risks associated such as Ovarian Hyperstimulation (OHSS). Following a private consultation, Alice felt more informed and decided to continue with her rounds of clomid but still having varying degrees of response. Alice talks about how she felt as though she had to self-advocate which was hard to do.
We discuss egg quality when it comes to PCOS and long cycles, and how many rounds of ovulation induction you can have – which is generally 6 cycles. Kate discusses taking back control and maintaining a healthy lifestyle to optimise both your fertility and PCOS. Although Alice had been recommended lifestyle changes such as dietary changes, she wasn’t given any guidance on what to do by her doctor until she contact a nutritionist. Alice was also taking back control by working on her mindset and acupuncture which she found so helpful. Sometimes we focus on physical health and our emotional health is the last thing we consider, yet it is vitally important to find good support.
As time went on Alice felt really frustrated about not moving forward in her treatments and after 6 months of clomid, was offered gonadotropins - another type of ovulation induction treatment given by injection. Sadly, this too didn’t result in a pregnancy but happily in the end, Alice conceived her daughter by IVF.
Alice says that going through each round did bring her closer to success in the end. Each part of the experience is not wasted and was very much part of her story. Kate recommends not continuing doing the same thing if you’re not getting results, be your self-advocate and if you’re not responding to treatment go back to your doctor and discuss this.
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| Why The Manager Mindset Matters - The F Word at Work | 08 Apr 2024 | 00:32:28 | |
In this episode, we are joined by Wayne Clark - the visionary force behind the Global Growth Institute (GGI), headquartered in the UK and Netherlands. Natalie reached out to Wayne, after hearing him speak about his book 'How to become a World Class manager' on another podcast and knew he would be the perfect person to discuss how organisations can really tap into the manager mindset when it comes to getting them to appreciate the importance of the fertility conversation at work. Wayne has an amazing track record and has been recognised for 4 years by HR Magazine as one of the top 25 “Most Influential Thinkersworking and to date he has worked with more than 700 CEOs/boards and thousands of managers in over 30 countries. What we discussed:
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| Solo Motherhood | 23 May 2021 | 00:37:24 | |
This week we are talking about Solo Motherhood with Mel Johnson and Genevieve Roberts, both former guests of the podcast so check out the links to those conversations at the end. Travelling as a solo mum. We last spoke to Gen - in Barbados as she’d gone to review a single mum package. Mel travels with Daisy and has been to Bali, Budapest, done lots around the UK to see friends but she needs it to feel like a holiday, so goes away with people or to see people. We talked about their decision to become a single Mum. Mel talked about how it took her 3 years to get there, and she spoke about the decision to let go of the fairy tale and how she had to think about the time. She wanted to be in a romcom! Now she has rewritten her story - she wants loads of people around her and has now bought a house near her family and has people coming and going g and how it doesn’t matter one isn’t a partner Gen talked about how funny it is looking back on it, now it is your life - she explained how she had her fertility checked, having had a miscarriage about 18 months previously, and assumed it would all be OK. However, her results weren’t good so she quickly made the decision to have treatment and was pregnant within 6 months. Choosing a sperm donor Mel had two options from her clinic, so she found the process relatively easy. Mel coaches lots of women who have excel spreadsheets to choose their donors. Mel did speak to her family about it but she had already chosen. Mel says she tells people all the time how you have to view choosing a sperm donor very differently to how you went about dating online Gen has more choices and actually enlisted her Italian flatmate to get involved. She said it did feel a bit like a dating website, which made it feel weird. You aren’t looking for a Dad you are looking for someone to pass on their genetics. The decision to have 1 or two children Gen talks about how she was incredibly fortunate to have both and how having a strong sibling relationship with her brother, she felt very open to the idea of siblings from the start. Mel talks about how her fairytale was two children, yet the practicalities are a challenge as she would love more children. She does has an embryo still left and she can’t come to terms with the fact that she isn’t going to have another child. She talks about how she doesn’t think she could manage with two and that realistically it would make her life really difficult and she is wary of getting caught in the loop of ‘if she was in a relationship she would have tried for a second’. Gen explains how having the two kids has meant she hasn’t been able to sort out toys for two years whereas Mel is a very tidy person and how it impacts her mental health if she doesn’t have a tidy house. But you can’t do everything - like she doesn’t bath Daisy every night Tips From the minute you start to consider solo mothers hood - start saving, even if it’s an inkling of an idea as it’s really expensive. The treatment and then you are the only provider so get your finances in order. A lot of solo mums are strong women and you need to explore being a bit more vulnerable women and you need to feel OK to ask for help. Mel instinctively said no to an offer of help whilst struggling with a heavy piece of furniture in the Ikea carpark! Previously Gen was a people pleaser and now she says she is more focused. She talks about being more confident and also the importance of working out your priorities Have support as back up and have a plan b. Fears Mel has coached more than 200 women and the themes she hears are that you will never meet anyone and you are signing up to be single The impact on the child. The loneliness and whether you will emotionally be able to manage. The biggest thing is letting go of the... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. | |||
| LGBT Mummies with Laura Rose Thorogood | 16 May 2021 | 00:43:12 | |
This week we welcome Laura Rose Thorogood to the show. Laura is the founder of the LBGT Mummies Tribe, an LBGT+ activist, a lesbian mother of two by IUI, and is currently pregnant again after 5 rounds of fertility treatment.
Laura’s organization supports, celebrates, and reunites the LGBT community on their path to parenthood providing information and guidance on whichever route you choose to create your family.
Laura has had a crazy few weeks of awareness days and months and is balancing this with being 35 weeks pregnant. Laura and her wife started creating their family 10 years ago. They have two children and another on the way, all from the same sperm donor from a US clinic. They’ve both carried children and have navigated failed rounds, PCOS, low ovarian reserve, and, most recently the pandemic, to get to where they are now.
Laura talks about the common pitfalls that the LGBT+ community might face, particularly that they often come to trying to conceive later in life and often don’t consider this and the benefits, for example of preserving their fertility if they’re not ready to start a family until later. Also, the importance of researching the legalities so that all parties in the triangle are covered. Some couples find private fertility treatments inaccessible and may choose to seek a known donor. Laura explains the importance of seeking legal guidance and whilst there are financial implications involved, it is likely to be less costly than should there be any legal challenges in the future.
Laura explains the difference in access to information from sperm back nationally and internationally. In the US and Europe, you have access to more information about the donor whereas in the UK the information is limited to height, hair color, nationality, etc. Sometimes the difficulties in accessing sperm donors in the UK will force couples to use unregulated donors and in some circumstances, this can be dangerous. However, there are organizations such as CoParents and Pride Angle that are regulated and offer a professional service.
The LGBT Mummies Tribe is a central point for information and guidance on starting a family but is also a supportive community to bring other LBGT+ families together. They have a private support group but also get together in person (when the Pandemic allows) for meet-ups.
Laura talks about her interaction with medical services and the microaggression she’s experienced. How, as a lesbian woman, you have to ‘come out’ time and time again. Comments like ‘Who had the baby?’ ‘How did that work then?’ ‘So, you’re the other Mother’.
Natalie asks Laura about the guidance she offers on talking to children to help them understand the make-up of their family. It’s about sitting down as a couple and deciding on how best you address this. It’s very individual and personal, but best done at various age-appropriate sections of their lives.
Laura tells us how the healthcare arena is very heteronormative and the main area where she sees disparity and lack of inclusivity. She hopes that they can one day get to a place where campaigning is not required but is currently working with the NHS and Government to support them in understanding the community better, dispel the stigma and discrimination against them, and ‘usualise’ – making LGBT families visible and the everyday. Laura talks about how she can understand how confusing it is for the heteronormative community and that the LGBT community needs help in the education so that they are better supported. Laura says the NHS and the fertility clinics she’s working with have been proactive in changing for the better.
Laura’s final advice is to take your time, explore all paths to parenthood, join support groups, research, listen to other people's lived-in experiences, and investigated how LGBT inclusive your narrowed down choice of clinics are.
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| I Had a Miscarriage with Dr. Jessica Zucker | 09 May 2021 | 00:46:17 | |
In this week’s episode we are discussing miscarriage and loss,so before we go any further we are putting a trigger warning firmly in place here. If you’re not feeling strong today, then maybe wait and listen another day, or make sure you have lots of support around you as our guest does go into detail of her own loss. Please know, you can always reach out to us on our socials if you need a bit of extra support and please do also have a look at our previous miscarriage series on The Fertility Podcast website where we detail more information about the support available. We start off by chatting about the developments around the world when it comes to miscarriage policy. New Zealand is the second country in the world to provide women and their partners with 3 days of paid leave following a miscarriage or stillbirth, which is amazing! Interestingly, India was the first country to support couples in this way. Let’s hope this is the start of more countries following suit! You may well have seen that Tommy’s have published the results of their survey with fascinating and shocking stats including the link between depression and miscarriage. Our episode starts with a snippet from a previous conversation we had previously with Dr. Ingrid Granne – researcher and associate professor in reproductive medicine at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. We asked Ingrid why miscarriage happens. She tells us that the most common cause of miscarriage is due to chromosomal problems in the early days and weeks following conception. Chromosome issues are heavily correlated with maternal age. If you’re in your 20’s you have a 1:10 chance of miscarriage but by 45yrs it's 1:2 risk of a miscarriage. Other causes are medical conditions such as uncontrolled diabetes and thyroid issues. Being overweight increases your risk but we don’t really understand why. There also seem to be some genetic factors that may predispose some women to miscarriage. There are also implantation factors, possibly related to hormones and immune factors. Natalie asks Ingrid about malefactors. She says that paternal age can impact miscarriage risk but not to the same extent as maternal age. She goes on to explain that the DNA of the sperm can also impact. There is more and more information and research coming out with regards to male factors and DNA fragmentation. Next up we chat to Jessica Zucker – a psychologist who specializes in reproductive and maternal mental health. She is the founder of ‘I had a miscarriage campaign’ and has just released a book too. Welcome to Jessica! Jessica focuses on the mental health impact of suffering from a miscarriage. Jessica shares her experience of miscarrying at 16 weeks. A traumatic experience that occurred whilst alone at home and transformed both her professional and personal life. She talks about her ‘failure to allow herself to fall apart. She miscarried on a Thursday and assumed that she would be right back at work on Monday. Jessica says that the failure to allow yourself to fall apart is, in part, survival instinct. Just to keep going. She says she at that time, she couldn’t allow herself to slow down as this would mean being closer to her pain. Professionally, having her miscarriage, showed Jessica just how much she didn’t understand about the emotions her patients would be going through and that this was incredibly enlightening. Next, we talk about sex and miscarriage. Sex can be the last thing you want to think about following a miscarriage. How do you regain that intimacy with your partner? Jessica has interviewed people about returning to... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. | |||
| Looking After Your Mental Health | 02 May 2021 | 00:31:10 | |
This episode focuses on the impact fertility has on your emotional health and we’re delighted to have Abbie and Karen from Fertility Circle join us on the podcast.
Abbie tells us how she searched for fertility support when she was trying to conceive 7 years ago and how she felt completely lost. Tragically Abbie made some poor decisions on where she looked for support that has impacted her health for the long term. The same was for Karen, in that she didn’t know where to access support and for these reasons, this is why Abbie and Karen felt motivated to start Fertility Circle.
It’s also important to Abbie and Karen to provide women with the right expert advice and information across the whole spectrum which includes both the physical and emotional aspects. As Abbie and Karen are both now trying for their second babies, they both feel so much more empowered and informed to make the right decisions.
Karen talks about the forced break women have had during the pandemic and how it’s been an opportunity to reset and
At the time of recording, the Fertility Circle app has had over 5,000 downloads! Abbie explains that they want women to feel that Fertility Circle is their best friend when trying to conceive but with all the fertility smarts. The app provides a community to connect with peers, a platform to connect with experts, content to inform, inspire and empower and finally offering the very best in emotional wellbeing and support.
The app also includes a section on learning, the ability to watch events and tutorials, live events, ask the expert, offers, and planning to support fertility wellness and IVF.
As many of our guests start a fertility business when trying to conceive, it can be a challenge. Karen talks about the potential triggers she comes across on social media for example but with that comes the immense support from the community. Abbie says that stepping back and taking a break when you need to, is vital in enabling her to carry on supporting their community.
We talk about the amazing friendships that are made within the fertility community, especially when all around you, your friends and family are getting pregnant easily! Abbie and Karen met this way, and even Natalie and Kate met through both working in this space! Natalie is now taking on more clients teaching the Freedom Fertility Formula and if you want to learn more about how Natalie can support you with your mental health click here
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| After the GP, Before the Fertility Clinic | 25 Apr 2021 | 00:31:44 | |
So what is Secondary care and what should you expect to happen?
Well, we want to make sure you understand this, as we don't want you to get to the end of the year and find there is actually a problem because you have been dismissed along the way. There are better tests that can’t be done in Secondary Care that can’t be done in Primary Care, which means at the GP and we've discussed them with our resident expert Dr James Nicopollus.
Seeing a gynecologist: One with a special interest in fertility is key. Women often go to a fertility specialist later, because there is often a delay in referral from GP to Secondary care and then there can be a delay from Secondary Care to IVF. This has been heightened by the Pandemic.
Ideally referrals should happen through the NHS - should come from the GP to a fertility center.
What happens at the referral?
Clinics are trying to do a one-stop-shop. People will have done a semen analysis but will be asked for a report to make sure it is accurate. GP’s will have tested FSH to check egg reserve and whilst this is OK, it varies between months as well as other variables. The AMH test is more reliable, as it shows the more follicles you have which is better fertility indicator. Tubal Patency checks tubes Important to rule out pelvic issues such as thyroid, polyps, or endometrioma which might impact the outcome. If sperm and egg reserve is OK, are you ovulating regularly, with a progesterone check if you haven’t had one? Laparoscopy looks inside the tummy with a camera, however, this is done by general anesthetic and this is more likely if there are symptoms of endometriosis Most people have a HyCoSy or HSG - inserting dye to screen the fallopian tubes
STI’s such as chlamydia can be silent so these tests are important to exclude them A complicated appendix procedure could have caused adhesions or any other significant pelvic surgery can cause issues.If there is any suggestion of painful intercourse or painful periods this should be done.
Next, if these tests are clear, in the absence of sub-fertility then an assessment of Sperm DNA fragmentation is needed which looks at the sperm genetic material which can impact natural fertility, IUI, IVF, and ICSI.
Urologists are still not working as much with clinics as they should be
If all these tests are inconclusive and all investigations have been done and you don’t have a diagnosis and you keep trying and it isn’t happening, then the next stage is to go to the fertility clinic for fertility treatment. You should then have your options explained: Continuing naturally, IUI, IVF with the success rates explained
A lot of people are often well informed, other times incorrectly by Dr. Google, which is why we want to always guide you. The reason people's experiences vary so much in terms of the tests they get access too, is because different clinics and trusts offer different services, and the Doctors in clinics might not map things out correctly. There might also be limitations in funding. These are all ways in which you might feel you aren’t being guided properly and this is why it is important to become a fertility advocate. You should always go into a consultation with a list of questions and never feel you shouldn’t ask them. SOCIAL MEDIA:
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| Male Infertility with Kevin Button | 18 Apr 2021 | 00:36:56 | |
In this episode, we’re focusing on Male Infertility which is still not understood well enough and it’s something Natalie has been passionate about giving a voice too. As it was her and her husband’s experience and the pair felt very unsupported when going through treatment. Since its launched The Fertility Podcast has shared numerous episodes about Male Fertility explaining the issues that affect sperm health and also explaining how Men can seek more support and investigation.
Men are often overlooked in conversations with medical professionals and we have had numerous conversations about men feeling ignored at the fertility clinic, the very fact that when it comes to IVF treatment in a heterosexual relationship is it is the woman who has to go through the procedure means men are often left to feel redundant. In the many conversations we’ve had with Men, they have talked about the shame and guilt they have felt if the issue has been a male factor and how many men struggle in silence.
Kate and Natalie discuss the factors that can affect male fertility, such as diet and lifestyle issues. Smoking and drugs are a real no-no for sperm health. It’s really important that alcohol is taken into needs to be taken into consideration and ideally should be limited but not stopped. Factors such as heat and stress can impact. So consider saunas, heated seats, mobile phones in pockets, laptops on laps as important things to think about. Plus wearing tight pants and trousers can also be restrictive for the wrong reasons. When it comes to health and wellbeing, environmental toxins can impact sperm health and there is a real argument against Protein shakes and steroids impact which can you find out more here in this great conversation with Professor Allan Pacey thanks to our friends at Dr. Fertility
Our guest is Kevin Button who talked about his decision to set up The Man Cave to talk about mental health and male Infertility about 3 years ago after losing his cousin to suicide unrelated to fertility. Personally, Kev has had two failed attempts with NHS funding - IVF and ICSI and he couldn’t find anything online and has learned more from being on Instagram than just googling.
Kev’s diagnosis is Non-Obstructive Azoospermia which is defined as no sperm in the ejaculate due to failure of spermatogenesis and is the most severe form of male infertility. He had to undergo a micro-tease ( sperm extraction( which didn’t work and Kev was told his options were sperm donor or adoption.
You can imagine how heartbreaking this was for him and he was told the news without any support which was part of his motivation for setting up what he has done. Kev explained how when he was younger and out dating, he’d end relationships as soon as the conversation moved on to having a family until he met his partner Nicky, who at first he tried to end things, but luckily the pair are still together.
Kev is part of Fertility Network’s Male Fertility as an Ambassador and we spoke about the new HIM campaign and the brilliant Rhod Gilbert documentary’ Stand up to Infertility’ All too often Men won’t talk about this but they are finding their voice within support groups. We also discussed the brilliant Easy Bit documentary which you can find links to more information below;
Kev and Nicky won a competition to have treatment in California with California IVF and are waiting for current
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| Polycystic Ovary Syndrome with Professor Adam Balen | 11 Apr 2021 | 00:37:10 | |
We have spoken about Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) on the podcast numerous times in the past so make sure you scroll down to find links to previous episodes. Kate is an expert on the topic, working with women on a daily basis to support them with their diagnosis, and in this episode, we've shared a previous conversation we had with Professor Adam Balen discussing the latest PCOS guidelines. Professor Adam Balen is a full-time National Health Service consultant and Lead Clinician at Leeds Fertility, one of the largest assisted conception units in the UK. His special interests include all aspects of PCOS, Assisted Conception, Paediatric & Adolescent Gynaecology, and Disorders of Sexual Development. In this conversation, you hear snippets of a previous episode where Adam explains what the symptoms of PCOS are, including being over or underweight and how to maintain the condition with lifestyle changes. He also talks in-depth about the use of Letrozole over Clomofin, or Clomid is most people know it. At the time of our chat, people were still needing to change their mindset regarding prescribing Letrozole, and Adam had written papers for the RCOG to support this further. Kate said she is still seeing a mix of what people are being prescribed and explained how in the UK, health trust policies can dictate what drugs are prescribed. However, Kate advises if you are on Clomid and not responding after two rounds to go back and ask if you can go back and try Letrozole. We discuss the link between Letrozole and Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) as well as there being a lower risk of multiple pregnancies and also discuss the frequency of scans people should expect when they are on these ovulation stimulation drugs We also highlighted the problem with home ovulation kits. When it comes to the common issues people are still coming up against Adam explains how women are still being told they won’t get pregnant with ovulation issues or that they are overweight because they have PCOS and they can’t do anything about it. Which isn't the case. Also, the fact that a lot of women with PCOS end up having IVF when they don’t need it which is why we want to ensure you know where to get more support. We also discuss how Ovarian diathermy or Ovarian drilling which in very rare cases is an operation used to stimulate ovulation. When it comes to top tips you can take away to manage your PCOS, Kate's top 3 tips are: Changing your diet to low refined carbs/sugar. Tracking your cycle tracking Become your own PCOS advocate Kate has written numerous blog posts about PCOS. This one discusses how whilst it can't be cured it can be controlled. You can also read about fighting back against PCOS here and Kate also has a brilliant journal you can use Have a listen to previous PCOS podcasts we have shared - this one with PCOS Diva Amy Medling and this one with Kym Campbell both amazing women who have overcome their PCOS and had successful pregnancies and now work to support women further with lifestyle changes. SOCIALS:
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| Understanding the Vaginal Microbiome with Deborah Brock | 04 Apr 2021 | 00:37:43 | |
It’s episode number 7 and Natalie’s flying solo. She interviews Deborah Brock – Founder and CEO of Nua Fertility.
Have you heard of the microbiome? No, well you’re not alone…..
We have microbiome’s everywhere – skin, gut, vagina – you name it. The gut microbiome may not be the first thing you think about when you consider fertility but it’s HUGE. The size of two tennis courts of microbes in your body! This good bacterium supports the correct absorption of nutrients and vitamins which are so important for fertility. It also protects our immune system and offers protection against bad bacteria. Effectively it is your first line of defence.
Deborah tells us that the vagina microbiome is equally important, as the more good bacteria you have may help to improve embryo implantation and successful outcomes. There is an increase in the amount of research into the microbiome, and it’s hoped, this might just be the missing piece for many women.
As you’ll know, here at The Fertility Podcast we are always on a quest to hear about the evidence and research. In Deborah’s own fertility journey, she immersed herself in as much research as she possibly could and was blown away when she came across the microbiome. Deborah did conceive and is now preparing to get herself in the best possible place ready for her next treatment.
Deborah is working with ABC Microbiome in Ireland, they’re a research centre and are looking at how the microbiome influences our health and well-being. Nua Fertility is keen to be at the forefront of research and development and make a difference within the fertility field.
Nua Fertility’s first product NuaBiome Women is a blend of vitamins, minerals and good bacteria to help the overall balance of the gut bacteria, support the immune system, reduce inflammation and support the vaginal microbiome. Deborah says, that despite taking supplements, it’s still vital to eat well by eating the rainbow (lots of different colour fruit and veg) and to eat more fibre to support your gut microbiome.
Nua Fertility for men hopes to be launched at the end of June – so keep an eye out for it. Deborah’s husband struggled with male factor infertility and they feel it is vital to also include a male supplement in their range.
Deborah shares with Natalie a case study from a fertility clinic doctor in Ireland who recommends Nua Fertility and has found that it reduced bloating in one of her patients.
Deborah discusses the research in the vaginal microbiome is starting to show that women who don’t have an abundance of good bacteria are more likely to have problems conceiving. Research is also looking into implantation failure. A note from us: It’s important to note that more research is required to fully understand the role of the microbiome when it comes to fertility and the benefits of supplementation.
Finally, Deborah explains that as well as Nua Fertility being the first of its kind, its ethos is driven by their own experience and also by research and development. They’re driven by wanting to ensure their product is the best for women. Lots of exciting things to come including a clinical trial! Watch this space……
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| The Endometriosis Expert and the Patient | 28 Mar 2021 | 00:53:20 | |
To mark the end of Endometriosis month and we wanted to share with you a bumper episode - a guest interview with an expert and a true-life patient story. First up we chat with Andrew Horne - Professor of Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences at Edinburgh University and an all-around expert when it comes to endometriosis. Andrew is currently involved in ground-breaking research into a drug treatment trial for endometriosis. He and his team identified that women with endometriosis produce excess lactate in the pelvis, compared to women without the condition, and are trialing a cancer drug to see if this will reduce the lactate levels in these women and reduce the endometrial lesions. Lactate causes pain and therefore reducing lactate may help to reduce the pain experienced by women with endometriosis. Andrew is also currently recruiting women to be involved in a study looking at the benefits of surgery with regard to improvements in pain and quality of life. This trial will be rolled out among many Endometriosis centers in the UK. We talk about the main misconceptions surrounding endometriosis and in particular how women are often told that painful periods are normal. Pain is not normal if it impacts your relationship, work, or quality of living. If you feel your pain is not being taken seriously by your doctor – keep going back. If you’re suffering from chronic pain you may find it useful to see a pain psychologist for support. The symptoms of endometriosis are not just pain. Women can also experience fatigue, pain when passing urine or opening the bowels, painful sex, and infertility. We talked about the frustrations surrounding the lengthy time to diagnosis and the management using pain medications and surgery and where appropriate, complementary therapies can offer some benefit. Many women are interested in how diet and supplements can impact endometriosis and Andrew is starting to investigate this area, and it will be really interesting to see what comes out of these studies. Keep tuned and you can be sure we’ll be the first to let you know when we hear more! You can hear previous conversations we have had with Endometriosis UK here Following Andrew, is our chat with Gemma Watts about her lengthy diagnosis from painful periods aged 14 to years of missed opportunities for a diagnosis until she was 31. Gemma had been dismissed at so many points, it was her husband who forced her to go back to the Doctor as her periods were putting her in bed for 2/3 hours. Gemm had been told it was down to her being underweight, that she didn't really have enough symptoms as the pain went after 6 hours and she was told there was still no point in doing a laparoscopy and trying IUI. In Feb 2020, Gemma worked with Kate and learned more about what was going on with her body and went on to have treatment for 3 IUI’s and on the first scan, at the fertility clinic, she was told she had Endometriosis, despite having always been told this wasn't the case. In fact, Gemma had a large Endometrioma often the only thing you see on a scan. When Gemma saw someone privately within 5 minutes she was diagnosed with Stage Endometriosis - the most excessive as it's not just in the uterus it can be all over the body Endometriosis UK says even if you just have 1 symptom - still ask. Gemma has started talking about it more as she was desperate to find more people to talk to about it and now has found 4 people in her church. She has found Facebook groups can be helpful - but stresses that as with all social media, you need to be in the right mindset ad remember everyone’s stories are different. She is working hard to control the condition with diet, as there is some evidence that gluten/dairy-free, and Gemma has found the... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. | |||
| What should you ask your GP? | 21 Mar 2021 | 00:30:49 | |
This week, on the pod, we’re talking about that conversation with your GP. It can be difficult to make this first step when trying to conceive and you often don’t know when you should go and what to ask. Plus we often hear from you that you don't feel heard or taken seriously when having these initial conversations.
When you’re struggling to conceive there is no reason why you can’t access your GP as soon as you wish. If you’re lucky, your GP may suggest some blood tests and, if you’re in a heterosexual relationship, a semen analysis for your partner. When it comes to a referral to fertility doctors. This is done at the 12-month point if you’re under the age of 35 or at 6 months if you’re over the age of 35.
So, what do you need to ask? Kate recommends writing down all your questions, so you make sure you remember everything you want to ask. You may like to ask for some blood tests and a sperm test. Results are generally back pretty quickly. A semen analysis may take a little longer. You can also look at home testing for both blood tests and semen analysis.
Hopefully, your results will be absolutely normal but common abnormalities could be with your hormones, your thyroid, and progesterone. It’s worth noting that sometimes the incorrect timing of progesterone can result in an abnormal result – so make sure it’s done 7 days before your next period (difficult without a crystal ball we know!).
Be prepared if you are either overweight or underweight, this might form part of the conversation with your GP. We know that it’s not always easy to hear that your weight is not in the ideal range but hopefully your GP will offer you some guidance on how you can either gain weight or lose weight to optimize your fertility.
If you’ve had a previous pregnancy, then don’t be scared to still approach your GP for these initial tests. You are still entitled to these and as secondary infertility is really common, it’s important not to delay.
Sadly, when it comes to fertility, we often need to advocate for ourselves. Sometimes it can take a long time for women to receive a diagnosis of conditions such as endometriosis and PCOS. So be empowered and persistent and feel confident to ask for what you need. Come and join our closed Facebook group and let us know more about your experience SOCIALS:
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| Why cross industry conversations about fertility matter - The F Word at Work | 25 Mar 2024 | 00:25:37 | |
In this episode, we are joined by Sabine Hutchison, the dynamic CEO and Co-Founder of Seuss+ and Vice President of the HBA EMEA region. Sabine renowned for her trailblazing spirit in entrepreneurship. With a knack for innovation, Sabine has spearheaded multiple ventures across diverse sectors, showcasing her prowess as a serial entrepreneur and Natalie met her in Basel, after Becky and her had presented our Fertility Matters at Work and here's why, flagship session as part of the inagural HBA Gender Summit. The chat begins with Claire and Natalie from FMAW discussing the importance of cross-industry awareness raising activity, which we facilitate. What we discussed:
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| Testing at Home with Dr. Helen O’Neill | 14 Mar 2021 | 00:44:07 | |
In this week’s episode, we’re talking all about testing your fertility at home. You’ll hear a snippet of a previous chat we had with Exseed Health founder Morten Ulsted. Exseed is a male fertility test to be done at home and you can hear the full conversation here
We welcome, to the podcast, Dr. Helen O’Neill – a lecturer in Molecular genetics and co-founder of Hertility. Hertility is an at-home hormone testing service for your fertility journey, which includes support from trusted fertility experts.
Helen’s motivation for starting Hertility was to provide women with a holistic expert service that takes into consideration all aspects of their reproductive health. Hertility considers 9 of the most common reproductive conditions such as thyroid, PCOS, and endometriosis, to mention just three. Hertility combines answers from a pre-testing questionnaire, that takes into account any symptom in isolation or collection of symptoms among other aspects to decide on which hormones to check you for and then using this test information, along with your questionnaire, provides you with either a concrete diagnosis or a suspicion of a diagnosis for anyone of the 9 reproductive conditions.
Hertility doesn’t just give you your result and leave you high and dry. They then provide support in understanding what your results mean for you and your pathway to care through interaction with fertility counselors or their team of clinical experts. You can clearly choose to take your results and share these with your GP to help move you forward on your fertility journey.
Helen also chats about the concerns surrounding young women over-exercising and how this can impact significantly their reproductive health. Over-exercising can, in some circumstances, lead to a condition called Hypothalamic Amenorrhoea (HA). With HA, women can experience the complete loss of a menstrual cycle and Helen discusses how often the lack of periods can be dismissed by a doctor when they’re not trying to conceive yet, but this delay can have a devastating impact on their future fertility. Knowledge is power when it comes to fertility and making the decision to do home testing can be a liberating, empowering, and immensely reassuring experience.
You can find out more about Hertility and home testing here: SOCIALS:
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| What Else Can Get Me Pregnant? | 07 Mar 2021 | 00:38:29 | |
We can’t believe it’s episode 3 already! Where has the time gone? We’re loving all your messages since we’ve been back – so keep them coming.
So, in this episode, we’re still chatting about preconceptual care. All you need to know is to help you conceive naturally. We start off by talking in more detail about the methods that can help you….
Have you heard of Mosie Baby? Mosie Baby is basically artificial insemination at home and can be useful when traditional methods may not be working or are simply not an option – for example for same-sex couples, women trying to conceive alone, and couples who are finding it difficult to perform on demand. Find out more about Mosie Baby below and listen to our previous conversation with founders Marc and Maureen here
Next up conception caps. Kate shares her view of FERTILILY – a hormone-free conception end that is clinically proven to increase the chance of pregnancy by 48%. It’s made of soft medical-grade silicone and is easy to insert after intercourse and is designed to push the sperm toward the cervix, increasing the chances of more sperm cells making their way into the uterus. You can read more about FERTILITY below.
On to this week’s guest - Laura Robson from The Body Literacy Collective and co-founder of the Read Your Body App. Kate and Laura met through training in Fertility Awareness with Fertilityuk and as a result of her training and previous personal experience of using fertility awareness to avoid pregnancy. The idea for creating the App was born out of a desire to offer her clients a reliable and effective app without hesitation and to have no concerns over data privacy or ineffective app features.
Over the last year and a half, Laura has been on a mammoth journey to get the app released through crowdfunding, app development, and testing to 100 beta users. The app has now been live for 8 months and is available in different languages with lots of new features. Laura recommends that women use the app alongside an educator to help them understand how to chart their fertility effectively, and if trying to conceive, help reduce the time it takes you. Read Your Body has many different features that set it apart from other apps, to name just two - It is totally customizable, and importantly users have total data privacy. Check out the app and how it could help you along your fertility journey below. Here are some details of other fertility educators Laura wanted us to share with you.
In Ask The Expert this week we’re talking about the contentious issue of IVF Add Ons and the HFEA traffic light system with Dr. James Nicopoullos. James tells us that there is no evidence to support the use of assisted hatching for IVF making it a red traffic light. The HFEA highlights endometrial scratch and embryo glue as amber meaning that there is limited evidence and is down to individual clinics as to whether they offer this.
And finally…..we have a little offer for you. Kate is offering one lucky listener the opportunity for a complimentary 20-minute cycle interpretation chat. To be in with a chance to win email Kate at kate@yourfertilityjourney.com with the email header ‘Fertility Pod’. The first person that emails will win…..GO!
Don’t forget to join us every Thursday at 2 pm on Instagram and The Fertility Podcast Facebook group for #brewattwo
We spoke about a previous episode with Toni Weschler which you can See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information. | |||
| What should you eat when trying to get pregnant? | 28 Feb 2021 | 00:30:16 | |
It’s episode 2 of the relaunched pod! This week we’re talking about what to eat when you’re trying to conceive. This can be so overwhelming, and we want to make it easy for you to understand all you need to know. So, we’re chatting with the lovely Ro Huntriss who is a registered fertility dietician. On the pod, we’ve spoken to a fair few people who know what they’re talking about when it comes to fertility and nutrition, but dieticians work slightly differently. Their focus is very much on evidence-based practice and their training to become a dietician involves clinical placements and training to support people with co-existing medical conditions. So, basically, they follow the medical model such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, etc. So, where do you start with nutrition when trying to conceive? Ro recommends that you consider your own diet and look at the changes that you feel will make your diet healthier. Keeping a food diary is a great thing to do and can give you a really good picture of what kind of foods you’re eating and where you might need to make some changes. Let’s talk about egg health. It takes around 3 months to influence the health of the egg and some of the nutrients to include are folate (folic acid) - to help reduce the risk of neural tube defect and also help to improve egg development and quality. Omega 3 - in oily fish or as a supplement can play a huge part in improving egg quality. Antioxidants – from fruits, veg, wholegrains, nuts, seeds, and even in meat. Ro also shares with us her recommendations for sperm health and how a Mediterranean diet and antioxidants are particularly useful such as vitamin C, E, Zinc, Selenium, and folate. We get the low down on whether you should go gluten and dairy free – Ro makes it really clear that unless you’re a diagnosed coeliac, it is not recommended to be gluten-free to support fertility as there is not evidence to suggest that this is necessary. Wholegrain is an important part of our diet and needs to be included. If you’re worried you might be intolerant to gluten, ask your GP for a test before removing out from your diet to be sure. With regards to dairy Ro doesn’t recommend cutting it out unless necessary and if you do, make sure you get your plant-based dairy alternatives in. We frequently talk about the importance of weight when trying to conceive and probably focus more on being overweight, however being underweight is also a consideration when it comes to fertility. Having a low BMI can cause irregular cycles and therefore ovulatory disorders. Ro recommends that if you’re underweight include olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocado in your diet. Is it sensible to follow a vegan diet when trying to conceive? Ro says yes but encourages you to have a review with a dietician or nutritionist if you’re struggling to conceive. What about restrictive diets? Ro discourages this as these low-calorie diets are so restrictive and research shows that people that follow these diets don’t get the best outcomes. We’ll be catching up with Ro in the very near future to chat about preparing for IVF but in the meantime, you can find more about Ro here: Ro Huntriss: https://dietitianro.co.uk The Fertility Food Formula: https://fertilitydietitianuk.teachable.com/p/food-and-fuel-for-fertility-an-online-fertility-nutrition-course Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fertility.dietitian.uk/ Registered nutritionists
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| What do I need to know about my cycle when trying to get pregnant? | 21 Feb 2021 | 00:33:10 | |
THE FERTILITY PODCAST IS BACK WITH A NEW SOUND, A NEW RESIDENT EXPERT BUT THE SAME MISSION. We’re so pleased to be back with you, having taken some time to really work out what the best future plan for The Fertility Podcast is, and it’s to clearly guide you along the way to pregnancy. We’re going through all that we think could help and sharing previous episodes to make sure you can really get stuck in. We can’t guarantee you a baby, nobody can. But we can promise you information you can trust and a lovely community to come and be a part of. Our first episode back is talking about what we wished we’d know before starting to conceive. To be honest it’s what we should have been taught in school. Those teenage years and when you’re in your early 20’s can be pretty worrying if you have unprotected sex. It’s drummed into us NOT to get pregnant and what you should do to avoid getting pregnant. Sadly for so many of us, we never realised as we were never told, that our fertility is so finite. That is what we’re here to do. Kate is SO passionate about empowering women to understand their cycle and the pair of us are talking through what you need to be thinking about. Research shows that time to conception is reduced with fertility awareness knowledge so for the next few weeks we’re talking cycles and diets. In this episode, we discuss how best to monitor your cycle with the different methods available and in particular what works and what doesn’t! We’ll be talking soon with a brilliant new app available to help you that has worked with women all around the globe. We also want to be very clear on the language we use as one of Kate’s pet hates is the fact that a normal cycle is often referred to as a 28 days cycle and that you ovulate on day 14. FACT - Women’s cycles vary hugely and can still be normal when shorter or longer than 28 days. We want to dispel this myth once and for all. It’s also so important that if you are trying to get pregnant in a heterosexual couple both of you understand about fertility health. Since this podcast launched in 2015 we have talked a lot about men’s fertile health and we’ll be revisiting it again, don’t you worry. The good thing is there is much more awareness today about the issue, then there was 7 years ago, but it needs to be taken seriously. We discuss the issue of protein shake use and how they can affect sperm health, as can smoking, recreational drugs and too much alcohol. It's so important that if you are in a couple you both take responsibility for this and get yourselves in the best place possible to improve your chances of conceiving. Men need to realise that infertility issues are 50/50 male to female. We’ll be talking over the coming weeks about optimising your fertility and be sure to join us to carry on this conversation in our closed facebook group where you can also submit questions to Dr James our expert for next time. Be sure to check the Insta grid for details of our fab giveaway happening for launch week only. Closes Friday 26th Feb 11.59pm. SOCIAL MEDIA
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| Kayleigh - Fertility Mapper | 25 Mar 2024 | 00:38:48 | |
*Just a little note: There is a little bit of background noise as Kayleigh joins me from a busy office. We’ve done our best to minimise it, but apologies if you hear a bit of background noise. * In what is the last episode of this current series, I am delighted to be joined by Kayleigh the founder of Fertility Mapper. Fertility Mapper aims to personalise and humanise the access to high quality fertility care. The site allows you to choose a fertility clinic based on geography, cost and patient reviews. There is also a calculator to help you identify whether you are eligible for NHS funded fertility treatments, and handily includes information on your local ICB, to help you really understand what is available for you and your specific circumstances. Kayleigh’s advice to anyone looking to access fertility treatments, is to take your time to gather all the information that you need, compare clinics and costs. She also advises to look around and read the stories of others, to help you in deciding which clinic is the right one for you. Socials: Follow @YourFertilityNurse on Instagram Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on Instagram Find Fertility Mapper | Our stories change everything. For more information and support Follow Fertility Mapper (@fertilitymapper) • Instagram photos and videos on Instagram | |||
| Why understanding Surrogacy matters at work - The F Word at Work | 11 Mar 2024 | 00:54:21 | |
In this episode, we are joined by Madeleine Macy, formerly the Marketing Director at Liberty and currently the Chief Executive Officer at SkyDiamond, and Brendan Boucher, Group Treasurer at The Compass Group. Please note the sensitive content within this episode as there is talk of pregnancy loss and failed IVF and you will hear about Madeline and Brendan's alternative routes to parenthood through Surrogacy. What we discussed: Madeleine describes her fertility journey, spanning almost a decade and involving various treatments, including alternative medicine, medication, artificial insemination, and in vitro fertilization (IVF). The difficulties of managing fertility treatments while working, especially in a demanding career. Madeline discusses experiencing multiple miscarriages, including one during her early days at a new job. She shares that she initially chose not to disclose her pregnancy losses at work, fearing it might affect how she was perceived professionally. The toll fertility struggles took on her mental health, leading to periods of depression and personal challenges and how Madeleine eventually opened up about her experiences at work, receiving support from her boss and HR director. The importance of creating a supportive work environment for those facing fertility challenges and the impact of colleagues' pregnancies on people's emotional well-being, highlighting the difficulty of seeing others go through pregnancy while dealing with loss IVF during the pandemic and the advantages of remote work for those undergoing fertility treatments. Exploring surrogacy as the next step in their journey after facing challenges with IVF. The grief associated with another miscarriage during the surrogacy process and the emotional toll it takes and the importance of taking time off when needed and the need for workplaces to recognize miscarriage as a form of bereavement. The male experience of fertility journey, including experiences of loss, challenges, and different stages of treatment. The impact of changing jobs whilst still going through different stages of treatment including egg donation and IVF cycles, and challenges faced during the process. How a a chance encounter with a couple on a boat in Thailand led to finding a surrogate. Emotional impact, resilience, and the importance of support during the fertility journey. The challenges of balancing fertility treatments with work responsibilities and the need for awareness, education, and support networks within organizations. Conscious quitting and the changing expectations of employees regarding ethical and supportive workplaces and why organisations need to be inclusive. Consideration of individual circumstances in workplace policies and the possibility of offering paid leave per fertility cycle. Follow FMAW and access our free resources:
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| Jessica Hepburn | 11 Mar 2024 | 00:33:12 | |
In this episode of The Fertility Podcast, we are joined by a friend of the podcast, and as this episode comes out just a few days after International Women’s Day - one hell of a woman - Jessica Hepburn. Jessica is an author, arts producer and, using her own words, ‘the most unlikely adventure activist’! Jessica returns to talk about her latest book, Save me from the Waves. However, for those of you who have not yet come across Jessica (and there really can’t be many as she is a living icon!) she also shares her fertility journey so you can get up to speed.. Jessica’s fertility story lasted a decade, and through her journey of 10 cycles of unsuccessful IVF, she has experienced profound loss, but has found new treasures and a new career. Her books, The Pursuit of Motherhood, 21 miles and now Save me from the Waves, take you on an alternative adventure through the ups and downs of her life and provide advice and comfort for those who are on a similar journey. Through Jesssia’s many achievements, she is the only woman in the world to have completed The Sea, Street, Summit Challenge. From running the London marathon, swimming the English Channel and then to only going and climbing to the tippy top of Mount Everest! I am in awe. A common feature of the podcast is for me to ask our guests for a piece of advice or what they wished they knew sooner. Jessica answered both. Her advice to you is to be braver sooner, Jessica uses the hashtag #livebigandbrave wherever she can. When it comes to Fertility, her advice is that she wants people to know that there are many roots to parenthood. There are many ways to create a family, many ways to be a mother in the world. Wise words indeed! Socials Follow @YourFertilityNurse on Instagram Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on Instagram Find Jessica’s books here Books - Jessica Hepburn Go and have a look at Jessica’s website Jessica Hepburn - Jessica Hepburn You can find Jessica on Instagram at Jessica Hepburn (@jessica_hepburn_) • Instagram photos and videos | |||
| Why Fertility Benefits Matter? - The F Word at Work | 26 Feb 2024 | 00:20:52 | |
Welcome to Series 3 of The F Word at Work where we'd love your support and feedback so please do hit follow and if possible leave a review in the app you are listening to. In this episode, we are joined by Caroline Noublanche, the CEO and co-founder of the world’s first virtual fertility set-up called Apricity discussing the evolving landscape of fertility benefits, their importance, implementation challenges, and innovative solutions to support employees through their fertility journey. What we discussed:
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| Kate & Andreia: MRKH and being empowered to keep searching for the answer | 26 Feb 2024 | 00:31:21 | |
In this week’s episode, I’m joined by Andreia Trigo @andreiatrigorn, a fellow nurse and the CEO and founder of Enhanced Fertility. We’re talking all about Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser also known as MRKH. Yep, you can be forgiven for not knowing much, if anything about this rare condition that severely impacts your fertility potential. Essentially if you have MRKH you’re born without a womb. Can you imagine how devastating that diagnosis would be and how it would impact you? Imagine finding this all out as a teenager and then in later years realising how this would impact your ability to create a family! Andreia talks about her diagnosis, what she experienced to even get diagnosed in the first place, the accessibility for those who are diagnosed with MRKH, and the first UK uterine transplant. Andreia’s fertility journey began when she was 17. She was concerned that she hadn't yet had her first period. After being told to come back after a year, she eventually had tests and scans done and one of the scans reported that a uterus was seen on the scan. It wasn’t until later that it turned out to not be the case and Andreia had been incorrectly diagnosed. A year later, when Andreia was 18, she was diagnosed with MRKH. The process that she went through to get that diagnosis took just over 3 years. This involved invasive and painful investigations and procedures to reach a diagnosis. Something that still haunts Andreia to this day. We talked about whether there has been a change in the way that MRKH is diagnosed in the UK. Andreia tells us how it has and now there is a lot more support and tests that are available to be able to effectively diagnose MRKH promptly. Incredibly, 1 in 5000 women are diagnosed with MRKH. Later on, we talked about the first UK uterine transplant and what this means for women like Andreia. Andreia is passionate about improving access and decreasing the time to diagnosis and helps women find their way through diagnosis and the next steps. Andreia’s advice to anyone on a fertility journey is, if you feel there is something wrong be persistent and feel empowered to investigate why. Find out more about Andreia at - https://efp.clinic/ Follow @andreiatrigorn on Instagram Follow @YourFertilityNurse on Instagram Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on Instagram | |||
| Why Becoming Fertility Friendly In 2024 Matters? | 12 Feb 2024 | 00:15:11 | |
Welcome to Series 3 of The F Word at Work where we'd love your support and feedback so so please do hit follow and if possible leave a review in the app you are listening to. As we get ready for another exciting year at Fertility Matters at Work, we wanted to kick off this podcast episode in conversation with our co-founders Natalie, Becky and Claire to talk about why becoming fertility friendly in 2024 really does matter. We also wanted to share some of the amazing achievements that happened in 2023 that we'll be continuing to build on this year. What we discussed:
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| Kate & Ella - Quick Fire FAQs | 22 Jul 2024 | 00:36:28 | |
In what is the last episode of this series, Kate is joined by the podcast’s editor, Ella to ask some quick-fire fertility questions. This episode packs a variety of information, from male factor infertility, ovulation induction medication, irregular periods and what this might mean for you to what to consider when choosing your fertility clinic. Ella asks a range of different questions about topics that may peak your interest. Kate and Ella also talk about advocating for yourself and having the confidence to do so. They also discuss the education of fertility in schools, and Kate explains how she believes that students should be taught about other fertility issues and not just how to avoid getting pregnant, which can often be the subject of most sex-ed lessons. Things like the menstrual cycle and what may affect your fertility for both females and males. So settle down, grab a notepad, and get ready for an adventure through fertility topics as Ella racks Kate’s brain for answers! Thank you for listening to this series of the podcast, see you in September! SPONSORS We are delighted that this episode is sponsored by two friends of the podcast - One Day Tests and @budfertility. One Day Tests is your one stop shop for ‘at home’ fertility blood tests and more. The lovely people at One Day Tests are offering The Fertility Podcast listeners 10% discount with TFP10. Bud make super male and female fertility supplements which we absolutely LOVE. You can use the code FP20 for a 20% discount off your order. Socials: Follow @YourFertilityNurse on Instagram Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on Instagram Follow Natalie Silverman she / her (@fertilitypoddy) • Instagram photos and videos on Instagram | |||
| Gemma: The IVF & Donor Conception Diaries | 12 Feb 2024 | 00:34:31 | |
This episode of The Fertility Podcast I am joined by Gemma. Gemma is going to be sharing her IVF journey with us as she goes through the process and on to the next step of donor conception. From this episode onwards, we are going to be keeping up to date with Gemma, so tune in each episode to hear a little update from Gemma. In this episode, however, Gemma starts from the beginning. After going through many tests and everything coming back as normal, they decided to take matters into their own hands and started using the cycle and ovulation monitor - OvuSense. As time went by Gemma started NHS funded IVF and sadly had two unsuccessful cycles. At this point Gemma started to look at accessing IVF abroad. Overall, Gemma went through 6 rounds of IVF in a year, unfortunately, all of them unsuccessful and this led Gemma to the prospect of using donor conception to create her family. Gemma shares how, initially, this prospect took a toll on her mental health. However, Gemma has now come to terms with her decision, has had all the tests required and is now waiting for a donor match. Keep tuned as we’ll be hearing from Gemma again in the next episode. If you are thinking about the next steps in your fertility journey and are perhaps considering donor conception, Gemma has found 2 places that she has found to be really helpful - The Donor Conception Network and Becky Kearn’s Paths to Parenthub. This episode is sponsored by our friends at OneDayTests. One Day Tests is your one stop shop for ‘at home’ fertility blood tests and more. The lovely people at One Day Tests are offering The Fertility Podcast listeners 10% discount with TFP10. Socials: Follow @YourFertilityNurse on Instagram Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on Instagram Follow @onedaytests on instagram Find Paths to Parenthub - Support and Connection for Donor Conception for more information on Donor Conception Find Donor Conception Network | Supporting families through donor conception (dcnetwork.org) for more information on Donor Conception | |||
| The F Word at Work - Series 3 Trailer | 07 Feb 2024 | 00:00:46 | |
The F Word at Work podcast welcomes you to series 3, where we continue to highlight the impact of people’s family building struggles at work and why as a business - whatever size you are - becoming fertility-friendly in 2024 should be on your priority list. You’ll hear from specific sectors on how they are addressing the issue with awareness-raising activity and training hear our updates on the work we’re doing to lobby parliament in the UK and learn more from our community about their experiences with alternative routes to parenthood such as surrogacy. You’ll also hear more insights as always from thought leaders in the workplace wellbeing space. We hope you find these conversations useful and they help you put the business case forward as to why fertility really does matter at work. | |||
| Kate - Navigating Private IVF & The Darker Side of Fertility 'Treatments' | 29 Jan 2024 | 00:41:09 | |
In this episode of The Fertility Podcast, I’m discussing how to navigate through the private IVF system. It’s a topic I’ve wanted to record for an age, mainly because many of you book in to see me for advice and support on this very topic. It seems to be a big pain point. In the UK we’re not familiar with accessing private healthcare, so how do you do it? And importantly how can you change your mindset from a patient to a consumer and why is this important? I also share some great tips on how to choose the right clinic for you and what questions to ask at your first IVF appointment. Later in the pod, I’m joined by freelance journalist Antonia Hoyle @greenerlanes who recently investigated the darker side of fertility ‘treatments’. We talk tarot card readings (yes really!), alternative therapies, and immunology. We talk about how these alternative ‘treatments’ and IVF Add-ons do not have the evidence to support their use. And that vulnerable women being taken advantage, both emotionally and financially of by unregulated and self-styled fertility ‘experts’ who are offering false hope. We are delighted that this episode is sponsored by two friends of the Podcast. Firstly, The Lowdown is the place to get the lowdown on your reproductive health. Learn about your fertility, share your experiences and read those of others. And One Day Tests your one stop shop for ‘at home’ fertility blood tests and more. The lovely people at One Day Tests are offering The Fertility Podcast listeners 10% discount with TFP10. Socials Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on Instagram Follow @your_fertility_nurse on Instagram Follow @greenerlanes on instagram Follow @get.the.lowdown on instagram Follow @onedaytests on instagram | |||