The Fertility Show 2019 in London
Have a listen to this showcase episode from the Let’s Talk stage which I hosted at The Fertility Show in early November. Next year’s show will be 6-8th November so keep an eye out for tickets which will be on sale in the Summer.
Plan B – what to do after unsuccessful IVF
First up was The Plan B Session all about when you need to consider the next steps in creating your family. Leyla Hutchings talks about her diagnosis of MRKH. MRKH is a congenital disorder of the female reproductive system. Girls with MRKH have normal ovaries and fallopian tubes, an absent or incomplete vagina, no cervix and either an underdeveloped uterus (uterine remnant) or no uterus at all. Surrogacy was the route Layla decided on and approached Surrogacy UK to get all the advice and information she needed.
Jo Payne talks about how she made the decision to look at adoption and how having a family was more important to her than genetics.
Becky Kearns chose the donor option after 5 unsuccessful cycles of IVF. At first, she felt donor option was an alien concept but says how she doesn’t think of her girls as plan B, as they are always what they wanted.
Eloise Eddington talks about the acceptance of using donor sperm after her husband was diagnosed with a genetic condition. Initially, Eloise’s husband found it hard to enjoy the pregnancy but once their first baby was born, this all changed. Eloise has just recently launched her website, which has an amazing amount of support and information available to help you. Check out The Fertility Help Hub
Solo Motherhood and Fertility MOT’s
We also discussed solo motherhood, with Professor Joyce Harper giving her views on Fertility MOT’s. Joyce isn’t a fan as she has concerns that women may delay motherhood after a good Fertility MOT result and that a poor result causes undue stress. Joyce urges women to have children sooner rather than later. In contrast, Debbie Evans from Herts and Essex Fertility Clinic discusses how little women know about their own fertility and how a Fertility MOT can help provide them with that knowledge.
cc joins in the conversation discussing how she made the decision to have a baby on her own. A Fertility MOT identified for her, that she was very likely to have early miscarriages and had indeed 3 miscarriages previously.
Dr Zeynep Gurtin, Lecturer in Women’s Health, at University College London. She explains what we need to consider when thinking about egg freezing. Currently, the success rates in conceiving, using frozen eggs, is low and therefore women need to think carefully before making this decision.
Where to get support and information – Fertility Network UK and the HFEA
Anya Sizer from Fertility Network UK explains more about the charity and how you can get the support you need. Clare Ettinghausen from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority ( HFEA) which is the regulatory body for fertility treatment in the UK. All information about clinics, success rates, treatments and treatment add-ons and much more is available on their website. The HFEA endeavour to help people make informed decisions during a very stressful and difficult time in their life.
Understanding what’s involved in having treatment abroad
Former patient Caroline Stafford shares her experience of IVF treatment in Greece. Initially it was a little daunting logistically but once the flights were booked and they arrived in Greece, they knew it was the right decision for them. Dr Raul Olivares from Barcelona IVF explains the process to help you feel more at ease when considering travelling abroad for treatment.
Talking fertility in the BAME community
Vanessa Haye and Jaz Rabadia are doing amazing work, encouraging women within the BAME community to talk more about fertility. Vanessa talks about the assumptions placed on black women and Jaz explains what it’s like being a British Indian woman dealing with infertility. Both ladies tell us how sharing stories and getting talking can make a profound difference.
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Clare Ettinghausen – HFEA
