Surrogacy - so easy to condemn...

I've just been reading a piece by Julie Bindel about how selfish it is for couples to opt for surrogacy when there are so many children languishing in care who need adoptive and foster parents. I normally like her writing, but on this occasion she has managed to link people who choose to go to developing countries to find a surrogate mother with anyone else who needs help to get pregnant in one damning line referring to "expensive complicated medical interventions such as IVF and surrogacy".

I recently interviewed two women who'd had a surrogacy arrangement who agreed to speak to me because they wanted to give their response to the endlessly negative press that surrogacy receives. They were friends, and one had decided to help the other to have the child she longed for but couldn't carry (she'd had to have a hysterectomy for medical reasons). There was no exploitation and no money changed hands. They did it twice and it resulted in two children - now teenagers. They are still incredibly close friends and their families spend a lot of time together. Speaking to them was really moving - they were both strong, positive women who were very proud of the children and of what they'd done. The interview was published in the last edition of the Infertility Network UK magazine.

I'm also never entirely convinced by the argument that people are choosing to go to such lengths without considering adoption. Many couples who can't conceive would love to adopt a baby, but their chances of ever being able to do this are extremely slim as the numbers of babies adopted each year in this country are tiny. That's not due to a lack of couples who would jump for joy if they were able to adopt a baby - it's just that decisions about adoption are not often made so early in a child's life and can take years. It's not fair to blame couples who have fertility problems for what may be seen as shortcomings in the adoption process. Many of the children who need adoptive families are much older and have lived through extremely difficult times which can mean that they need experienced carers - and the adoption process is about finding the right adoptive parents for the child, not about making sure that people who might consider surrogacy or fertility treatment are able to adopt instead.

Of course, Julie Bindel is right that the exploitation of poor women in developing countries is utterly wrong and should be condemned - but it's a shame that she has muddied the waters by appearing to conclude that any surrogacy arrangement or even fertility treatment is somehow just as exploitative and wrong.

You can read her piece here

Happy New Year

Just to wish you all a very happy new year. I hope you have a lovely evening whatever you are doing and wherever you are, and that you go into 2012 looking forward to the year ahead. I know how difficult it is when you are trying unsuccessfully to conceive and it feels as if your entire life has been put on hold as you wait and wait and wait... It can seem as if there will never be an end to the hurt and sadness that you feel - but whatever the outcome, there will be a time when things are much, much happier.

If you're thinking of making any New Year's Resolutions, I think it's a really good idea to ensure that one of them is to make some time for yourself in 2012 to do some of the things you enjoy in life or find relaxing and calming - and that it might help you feel refreshed and optimistic about what lies ahead.

Take care, and best wishes for a very happy 2012!

Buying Clomid online

I've just been looking at a website which sells the fertility drug clomifene citrate (often known by the brand name Clomid) direct online, and was shocked at how inappropriate the advice given about it was. I know that sometimes it can be tempting to decide that you'll boost your own fertility if your doctor doesn't seem keen to help and perhaps advises waiting a little longer before starting any treatment. Of course, it's frustrating to feel that you're being left in limbo, which can happen when you're stuck in the fertility maze - but that really doesn't ever make it a good idea to take matters into your own hands when it comes to taking fertility drugs.

The advice on this particular website only suggested seeking medical advice before taking Clomid if you had certain medical conditions - such as polycystic ovary syndrome. It should have insisted that anyone should seek medical advice before using a drug such as Clomid. It isn't appropriate for everyone and won't boost your fertility if you aren't in the category of women for whom it is suitable - mainly those with ovulatory problems. Women should be monitored when they are using it, and you should not use Clomid for longer than six months.

I can't stress enough how important it is not to go down the line of diagnosing and prescribing for yourself in this way. If you think you aren't getting the help you need from your doctor or specialist, get a second opinion, talk to a counsellor or a fertility support group but don't ever take fertility drugs that haven't been specifically prescribed for you without medical advice.

The high cost of IVF

I was so pleased to see Lord Winston challenging IVF costs in the Independent today. When I started having fertility treatment fifteen years ago, we spent less than five thousand pounds on three full cycles of treatment, which included a number of frozen embryo transfers. Today, many couples would be lucky to see change from that for one fresh cycle. Inflation and advanced techniques may have made IVF more expensive, but I've often wondered how it has become quite so much more expensive.

Lord Winston has calculated that a treatment cycle ought to cost about £1,200 and believes that exploitation is going on in both the private sector and in the NHS. He says the cost of freezing and storage of embryos, eggs and sperm can be hundreds of pounds a year, when the real cost to the clinic is no more than £10 per year.

It's high time there was a debate on this issue. I've done any number of media interviews in the last year or two where the high cost of IVF treatment, often quoted as five thousand pounds a cycle, is used as a reason why the NHS shouldn't be funding treatment. A more realistic price for fertility treatment might go some way towards increasing acceptance of IVF as a treatment for a medical condition.

You can read more here

Getting through Christmas

It ought to be one of the most enjoyable times of the year, but Christmas can sometimes turn into little more than a painful reminder of what you don't have if you're trying unsuccessfully to get pregnant. Not only does the occasion itself celebrate the birth of a baby, it is also a family event with the focus firmly on children.

If you're feeling low, there are some strategies you may want to consider to help yourself through this time. It is really important to understand that you don't have to do things just because you feel you should at Christmas. If your parents or close family tend to have a big celebration with lots of children present, you don't need to be there if it is going to be very painful. You can opt to see your family before Christmas or for the New Year, and choose to spend Christmas quietly with your partner. You can stay at home, or you may even decide to go away for a few days - or to enjoy some activities you never normally have time for such as long walks in the country or even DIY at home! If you find going to the shops difficult at Christmas, do your shopping online. If you're invited to family-orientated Christmas parties, you don't need to go - choose to attend adult events instead and perhaps go to the cinema or theatre where you can enjoy an evening of your own choosing.

Don't ever feel guilty about doing this - it's not about snubbing other people, it's about self-preservation and ensuring that you can enjoy Christmas too. Close friends and family should be sympathetic to your feelings. If you do what you can to ensure you can get through Christmas without too much upset, it will help you to approach the New Year feeling invigorated with a new sense of optimism about the future.

RCOG Consumers' Forum

I'm going to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists tomorrow for a meeting of their Consumers' Forum. The Forum is a great idea, providing lay input into the expert papers and guidelines the College produces and the meetings are always fascinating - I come away having learnt a huge amount in a very short space of time! Women aren't always aware how much information the College produces - or how helpful and interesting it can be. It's really worth taking a look at the website if you have a spare moment - see www.rcog.org.uk

IVF blunders

It's every IVF patient's worst nightmare - to discover that something has happened to the precious eggs,sperm or embryos that you have left at the fertility clinic. The news that a couple from Wales had lost all their donated eggs after an accident at the clinic is heartbreaking - the highs and lows of infertility are hard enough to cope with and it is hard to imagine how utterly devastating this news must have been.

The despair of the couple must also have been felt by the member of staff responsible - can you imagine how awful it would be to know that you might have ruined a couple's only chance to have a baby? It was clearly a mistake, and human error is something we can't ever eliminate entirely, What's really worrying about this story though is that it happened at the same clinic where we recently learnt that stored sperm was mistakenly destroyed. It may be an unfortunate coincidence, but fertility patients will be rightly anxious about entrusting their precious gametes to a clinic which seems to have a less than perfect record on this front. One can only hope that all procedures at the clinic have been reviewed to minimise the chances of anything like these two incidents happening again.

Find out more about fertility problems - free event in Birmingham

If you live in or near Birmingham, you will be interested in a free event being organised by the charity Wellbeing of Women on December 7. It's an opportunity to hear some experts talk about women's reproductive health and to ask questions. The event is in the evening from 6-7.30pm so you can go along after work.

Professor Siobhan Quenby of University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire will be talking about recurrent miscarriage and Caesarean sections, and Mr Justin Clark from Birmingham Women's Hospital will be discussing menstrual disorders, pelvic pain, endometriosis and fibroids. The event will be held at BVSC, 138 Digbeth, Birmingham B5 6DR.

You can find out more by calling 0207 772 6375 and you can RSVP to apatel.wellbeingofwomen@rcog.org.uk - and for more events organised by Wellbeing of Women see www.wellbeingofwomen.com

Is 57 too old for fertility treatment

I spent an hour reading the papers at the hairdressers today - a rare treat - but was sad to read the story in almost every paper of the pensioner IVF mother who says she now thinks that there should be an age cut-off for fertility treatment. She'd had a first child in her late fifties after fertility treatment at an overseas clinic, but a London clinic had offered to treat her again to try for a second. One of the reasons her case was said to be different was that her partner was considerably younger, but now they've split up and being a single mum in her sixties is clearly a pretty tough job.

Apparently she now says she thinks that 50 would be an appropriate upper age limit for fertility treatment, and as someone rapidly approaching a half century myself, I think she's right. There are so many women in their twenties, thirties and forties who desperately need donor eggs and it seems only fair that they should be treated rather than women in their fifties, who can hardly have been unaware that they were leaving it rather late to try to get pregnant.

Great first day at The Fertility Show

The first day of this year's Fertility Show was another huge success. I really enjoyed the day, catching up with so many old friends and making many new ones. Seeing all my old colleagues on the Infertility Network UK stand was a treat as always, and I spent some time with my new ones on the British Infertility Counselling Association stand. It was lovely to see the friendly teams from the Homerton, Guy's and Birmingham Women's Clinic, the fabulous women who run Verity, Zita West and her staff and Brigid Moss from Red magazine who has written a great new book about experiences of IVF.

I hope my talk was OK - this year I didn't speak too fast at least, which is one good thing! But I didn't leave enough time for questions - which was one bad thing!

I'm looking forward to tomorrow - come and see my question time with clinics from the US and Spain and find out all you need to know about treatment overseas!

Are men putting their fertility at risk?

There was an interesting piece in the Evening Standard this week about the way in which men's lifestyles can put their fertility at risk. We hear so much about women risking their fertility by delaying starting their families or by dieting or by not doing this or doing too much of that. It's good to hear some home truths about male fertility for a change.

The piece was based on a talk Dr Allan Pacey is due to give at The Fertility Show this weekend, explaining how drinking, smoking, recreational drugs and processed foods have led to an increase in male infertility - and unlike women, many men are apparently reluctant to change their lifestyles.

In nearly half of all couples with fertility problems, there is a male cause and it seems that age can make a difference to male fertility too. It's alcohol, poor diet, smoking and drugs such as cannabis and cocaine that can have a really serious impact for men - so if you want a baby, it'sn not just the female partner who should be starting on a health kick...

NHS fertility funds eaten up by single women - if you believe what you read in the papers...

According to the Daily Mail headlines last week, it seems that couples are 'losing out' in the IVF lottery because single women are being given treatment above them. Just the sort of headlines to confirm the prejudices of those who think the NHS is funding far too much fertility treatment. Apparently, one in five primary care trusts will fund IVF for single women. In theory, at least... And that's where the argument starts to lose ground.

As anyone who has tried to access fertility treatment on the NHS knows, the funding situation is a bit of a mess. Although PCTs may say they would fund treatment for single women, the numbers of single women who've actually received NHS treatment is likely to be incredibly low. IVF is a treatment for those with fertility problems - single women trying to conceive wouldn't start out by opting for IVF as very few women know they have a problem before they start trying to get pregnant. And if a single woman has a fertility problem, should we really say we won't give the necessary treatment to get over a medical condition because she doesn't have a partner? Whatever you think about the rights and wrongs of this, it doesn't alter the fact that the headlines were fundamentally inaccurate.

Reading the stories more closely, they'd carefully avoided any mention of how many single women had received NHS-funded IVF or how much this might have cost. Of course, the reality is that this is one of those occasions when the truth would have got in the way of a good story. Equally, there was no evidence to support the claim that these single women were being given preferential treatment over couples. A handful of single women having NHS-funded IVF hardly merits the headlines, and yet it's probably far closer to the real picture.

It's not too late to book tickets...

Yes, it's just over a week now until this year's Fertility Show - and my in-box seems to be full of Fertility Show related questions and queries. It promises to be another fantastic event and there are some really interesting speakers and exhibitors. I know I would have felt a bit uneasy about going along to an event like this in the early days of trying to conceive, as if it was some kind of public admission of a problem I kept hoping was going to disappear. In fact, it's ideal for anyone at the start of their journey as there's so much information to access all in one place - and if you're further along the path of tests and treatment, you'll find some of the country's leading fertility experts all under one roof discussing some of the latest developments in the field. I know it may sound a bit strange, but I've always found that there's something slightly empowering about these very special two days at Olympia - there may be some commercial elements to the show, but fertility treatment has become a commercial business - and they don't matter in comparison to the amazing strength to be gathered from spending time in the company of quite so many others who all understand exactly what it's like.

Why don't you just adopt?

I’ve lost count of the number of times I've been asked why couples who are going through the traumas of fertility treatment don’t adopt. It always annoys me as I think there’s a perception that there are huge numbers of small babies languishing in care because people with fertility problems would rather pay for loads of treatment than consider adopting a baby who needs a home. I hope that today’s news that last year just sixty babies were adopted in the whole of England may help explain why adoption isn’t always an option.

Apparently record numbers of children are being taken into care, but that isn’t being translated into more adoptions. It’s particularly sad that so few babies are adopted, as generally the earlier children find new parents, the more successful adoptions can be.

Apparently it can take more than three years for a child to be adopted. The fact that the average age for adoption is just under four would suggest that many of these children could have been found new families at a much earlier age. Next time I’m asked why we don’t all rush off to adopt children when we find we can’t have our own easily, I shall have some figures to quote back at hand…

A frozen guarantee

I've just been reading about an American TV presenter in her mid-thirties who has decided that she isn't ready to have children for another couple of years, and so is going to freeze her eggs as an insurance policy. If only it were that simple...

The belief that you can put your fertility on hold by freezing eggs seems to have gained an alarming momentum. Anyone with any experience of fertility treatment could tell you how uncertain it is and that there are never any guarantees - but this woman has somehow been sold the idea that freezing eggs will ensure she has no fertility problems in the future. I'm never entirely sure where this myth originates as most fertility doctors are very honest about the lack of guarantees when it comes to egg freezing, but perhaps the real problem is that so many women want to believe it...

Too old to be a mum?

I've just been reading about the case of a Brazilian woman of 61 who is expecting a baby in November and the controversy it has caused. I think it's a shame that these very rare cases of much older women getting pregnant after fertility treatment often muddy the waters of the debate about assisted reproduction.

Although we seem to read about women approaching pension age having miracle babies in the papers fairly often, it's really most unusual for fertility clinics to treat women who are so far past the menopause. The woman in this case has said she is in "great health" but what constitutes great health for a woman of 61 is hardly the same as for a woman twenty years younger. By the time the woman's child is 18, she will be approaching 80 assuming she lives that long and it's the decision as to whether this would be fair on the child that should be paramount.

The saddest thing about these stories is that they perpetuate the myth that fertility treatment can offer a solution to age-related infertility. In fact, like many of the older celebrities we read about who suddenly get pregnant at a somewhat advanced age, the woman in this case used an egg from a donor. No matter how fit and healthy we may feel as we get older, getting pregnant gets harder the longer you leave it - and fertility treatment can't reverse the biological clock.

Warning over dangers of multiple births from Canada...

News from Canada of an expert in multiple births who has accused the IVF industry of "creating a population of sick babies", and has demanded to know why fertilty experts continue to put back more than one embryo.

The multiple birth rate had surged in Canada, and there had been more and more babies born prematurely with low birth weights who were at risk of long-term health problems. Although the number of twins and triplets born after fertility treatment in Canada had dropped a little more recently, it is still around 25%.

In Quebec, treatment is paid for by the state but in the majority of cases only one embryo is transferred at a time, and the multiple rate has dropped to around 5%, but in other parts of the country it's still fairly routine to put back two or more embryos.

Here in the UK, there has been considerable pressure on fertility clinics to reduce the number of multiple pregnancies and many are making great strides to achieve this. Unfortunately others are happy to continue to blame patient pressure for their decision to keep transferring two embryos even where patients are at high risk of a multiple pregnancy.

One consultant told me recently that of the couples they'd advised to have a single embryo transfer who had ignored the advice, every single one had ended up with a multiple pregnancy. The important thing to remember is that if you were going to get pregnant with twins, you will still get pregnant but with one baby who is far less likely to have health problems.

I know it can be difficult to accept single embryo transfer but that's partly because of the way the IVF industry works in this country. For too long, fertility patients have had to take risks with their future children's health and it is important to understand that by having a single embryo transferred you are not being penalised, but are being offered a greater chance of having a healthy baby - it's not always appreciated that multiple birth poses the biggest health risk to children born after fertility treatment.

For more information about single embryo transfer, go to www.oneatatime.org.uk

No more red-headed donors...

One of the world's largest sperm banks has announced that it can't take any more donations from men with red hair! Apparently, the Cryos sperm bank based in Denmark has seen an increase in donations in recent years and now has more sperm from red-haired men than it can sell despite having customers in more than 65 countries around the world.

It seems that demand for donors with red hair is low, and it's only the sperm bank's customers from Ireland who tend to ask for it. With most of their supplies going to people in Spain, Italy and Greece it's donors with dark hair and eyes who prove the most popular.

New booklet for lesbian mums-to-be

I've been doing some work recently with a great new organisation working for lesbians who want to have children or who have families, and they've got a brand new booklet due out this weekend packed with information and advice for lesbians who want to start a family. Including tips on monitoring your own cycle, on finding a sperm donor and on fertility treatments and clinics, it also contains an extensive list of organisations to contact who can help with further advice. You can get the booklet from LGroup Families who also organise regular meetings for prospective mothers-to-be and for lesbian families.

The Fertility Show

This year's Fertility Show is now just a couple of months away, the seminar programme has been drawn up and tickets are on sale. For anyone trying to conceive, I think the Fertility Show offers a unique opportunity to hear some of the leading experts in the country give their views and to make contact with staff from clinics from the UK and abroad, getting an idea of whether they might be suitable for you with more insights than you might be able to glean from their websites.

I know the Fertility Show isn't everyone's cup of tea. Some people do feel that it is too overtly commercial, but the sad reality is that most fertility treatment now is overtly commercial and however much we don't like that, it's not going to change. You have to go to the shown forewarned that perhaps you may find some things there that you wouldn't choose for yourself, but that's not a reason not to go. I feel it really is an unmissable opportunity to inform yourself and there are many excellent organisations exhibiting and lots of really interesting talks. The show is organised by an excellent and very professional team, in conjunction with the charity Infertility Network UK who are running some great workshops for the first time this year. Come along and see for yourself!

New book by Red magazine Health Editor

If you want to know more about other women's experiences of IVF, Brigid Moss, who is Health Editor of Red magazine, has just written a new book 'IVF, An Emotional Companion' The book covers a range of different fertility problems and outcomes, with more than 20 women telling their own stories along with some quotes from experts in the field. Whatever your personal situation, you will find something to interest you among the real-life experiences here.

Brigid has been through the IVF mill herself, and for me one of the most moving stories in the book was her own experience of miscarriage after getting pregnant with a second IVF baby. Told with great honesty, it details the reality of losing a long-awaited baby and left me in tears.

Thoroughly recommended to anyone who wants to find out more about other women's experiences of infertility and treatment.

Unexplained infertility and undiagnosed coeliac disease

Anyone experiencing unexplained infertility knows how difficult it can be not to have any known cause for the problem, and how vulnerable it leaves you to every bizarre fertility therapy going. Couples often question their lifestyles, jobs, living situation, past history and pretty much everything under the sun as they seek an explanation - and nowadays there is no shortage of "expert" opinion telling you that if you could just relax, take a holiday, eat more broccoli or less chocolate, spend an hour a day meditating, wear orange knickers or any number of other peculiar suggestions, you would probably get pregnant right away.

In fact, unexplained fertility usually does have a medical cause - it's just that doctors haven't found it. Now, a team at Columbia University in the States have discovered higher than usual rates of undiagnosed coeliac disease amongst those suffering from unexplained infertility. If you have coeliac disease you are intolerant to gluten, but not everyone has symptoms of coeliac disease and some of the signs that you may have the condition such as abdominal pain, bloating and indigestion are not always immediately associated with gluten intolerance.

If you have unexplained infertility and unexplained digestive issues, it may be worth talking to your GP about celiac disease. If you are found to be intolerant to gluten, a change of diet may also help your fertility.

Eating disorders and your fertility

It has taken a 'celebrity' (I've put it in brackets only because I'd never heard of her..) to raise awareness of the way eating disorders can affect your fertility - but it's certainly time women understood that excessive dieting can damage your chances of having a family in the future. When a woman's body weight drops too low, her periods will stop. Most women know this, but assume that their periods will return to normal once weight is regained. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case and some of those who suffer from anorexia will discover that they don't start ovulating even if they do get back to a normal weight - and medical help will be needed to give any chance of ever having a child.

It's not just anorexia that can affect fertility, but bulimia and yo-yo weight loss too. Bulimia has been linked with polycystic ovary syndrome, which often affects fertility, even in women whose weight isn't abnormally low and yo-yo dieting with rapid weight loss and gain can also play havoc with ovulation.

The obsessive nature of eating disorders means that women often consider any future health issues to be a very low priority, but perhaps education at an earlier stage about the long-term risks for fertility might be a good thing.

Surrogacy law - does it need updating?

Leading fertility lawyer Natalie Gamble has just sent me a press release about a complicated surrogacy case which has just been through the courts here in the UK. Natalie feels it highlights some of the problems with the current legislation surrounding surrogacy - and it certainly does show how hugely complex the issues can be - see below...

The High Court has made an unprecedented order awarding parenthood to a deceased father of a baby boy born through surrogacy in India.

A couple, known only as Mr and Mrs A, entered into a surrogacy arrangement and their son was born in India on 12 April 2010. The biological parents were Mr A and either Mrs A or an unknown donor. However, under UK surrogacy law, the Indian surrogate and her husband were treated as the baby boy’s legal parents, and Mr and Mrs A applied for a parental order to reassign parenthood and gain a UK birth certificate naming them as mother and father. But Mr A tragically contracted liver cancer during the course of the proceedings and died, leaving the High Court to make a landmark decision to award parenthood to the mother and her deceased husband.

The case was complicated by the fact that only couples – and not single people – can apply for parental orders. When the UK’s surrogacy laws were debated in 2008, Parliament decided that only couples should be able to commission surrogacy arrangements. Parents who apply for parental orders following surrogacy must therefore either be married or living as partners in an enduring family relationship.

Leading fertility lawyer Natalie Gamble, who drafted an amendment to the law in 2008 (which was debated in Committee but rejected) which would have allowed applications from single parents, comments: “The case shows how dangerously outdated our surrogacy laws are. Although Mrs Justice Theis was able to find a way around the law in this case because the father had died after issuing the application, what would have happened if either of the parents had died earlier, perhaps during the pregnancy? This has always been an accident waiting to happen, and the restrictiveness of the current law is leaving children vulnerable and unprotected.

Natalie, whose firm has dealt with many of the leading international surrogacy cases heard by the High Court in recent years including the first to ratify a foreign arrangement, goes on to say: “The case demonstrates the continuing difficulties the courts are facing in dealing with surrogacy arrangements. The High Court is repeatedly having to stretch the legislation in order to secure the status of vulnerable children born through surrogacy, and the emotional and financial cost of this for the family involved is significant. We need a better system of law which caters for these kinds of eventualities, and gives clarity and certainty to ensure that children being born through surrogacy (and their parents and surrogates) are properly protected.”

The case is also the first published case to ratify an Indian surrogacy agreement in which more than expenses were paid to a surrogate mother, following a line of previous published cases ratifying commercial payments for surrogacy made to US and Ukrainian surrogate mothers.

IVF risks

If you'd read some of the newspaper headlines about IVF this morning, you could be forgiven for getting into a bit of a panic. It sounded as if going through IVF put you at a hugely increased risk of having a baby with Down's syndrome, and that it was the drugs used during fertility treatment which caused the problem.

This research is undeniably interesting, but it's far from conclusive. The eggs of just 34 couples were examined, far too few to be truly representative, and the reason for the problems they found is not clear either. They saw that when older women took higher doses of fertility drugs during treatment, there were abnormalities in the eggs which were produced. These abnormalities appear to be different from the more common problems which occur in older women's eggs anyway.

There are a number of things that need to be understood about this. The eggs studied were far more likely to lead to an unsuccessful treatment cycle or a miscarriage than to a baby with serious problems. The researchers have suggested that ovarian stimulation could disturb the normal process of egg production, but it is also not clear whether the fertility drugs caused problems for the eggs or whether the treatment allowed eggs to be produced from the ovaries which might otherwise never have got as far as being released.

So, we would like to see more research in this field to discover whether pushing older women's ovaries to produce more eggs actually only results in larger numbers of poor quality eggs - but in the meantime you can find out more about the research at www.eshre.eu

Congratulations to Robert Edwards

It is wonderful news that Professor Robert Edwards, the IVF pioneer, has finally been awarded a knighthood in this year's Queen's birthday honours. It is hardly surprising that the work of the man who changed the lives of so many has been recognised, but it is surprising that it has taken so long. The award comes closely after the Nobel Prize for Medicine awarded to Professor Edwards last year. Maybe, four million babies down the line, the establishment has finally woken up to his amazing legacy - and to the fact that the UK led the way in this field with the birth of the first ever IVF baby in 1978. Congratulations to a truly brilliant and inspirational man.

Varicoceles linked to lower testosterone levels

Varicoceles, which are dilated or enlarged veins in the testicles, are a common problem for men. They've been linked with male fertility problems for many years, but new research has shown that they can interfere with the production of testosterone. Lower levels of testosterone can have an impact on men's energy levels and muscle strength as well as affecting fertility.

As many as fifteen percent of men have varicoceles, but no medical action is usually taken unless they are painful or thought to be causing infertility. However, the new research suggests that it may be a good idea to opt for microsurgery earlier rather than later in order to prevent future problems.

To read more about the research, visit http://weill.cornell.edu

Precious Babies

I've had the cover through this week for my new book, Precious Babies, which is out in October. There's something about seeing the cover for the first time that makes a book seem real and I'm so excited about this one. I've wanted to write something aimed at those who are pregnant, or new parents, after infertility ever since I first discovered I was pregnant after my second cycle of IVF. The joy that I felt was tempered with a terrible sense of fear that it couldn't possibly be real, that I couldn't possibly be so lucky and that something was bound to go wrong. Nothing did - but I spent nine months worrying - and in retrospect that seems such a shame. There's nothing anyone can do to change the natural concern you feel when you conceive after experiencing infertility, but by acknowledging the feelings, I hope that this new book can at least make help make those fears fade a little.

The book also covers parenting from birth right through to teens, as I really do believe that the experience of infertility often changes the way we feel about being parents. The parents I spoke to felt very strongly that they were less likely to take their children for granted, and recognised that they sometimes set themselves impossibly high standards to follow as parents. Of course, the experience of infertility fades fairly rapidly, but many of those I spoke to felt that their infertility had ended up changing them for the better, and that they truly appreciated how very blessed they were to have their children.

I hope that Precious Babies addresses many of the issues that concern parents, and I've included expert views and advice throughout in order to ensure that it can offer a rounded view to anyone who has finally been successful after spending some time trying to conceive. You can find out more about the book here

Ideal number of eggs for IVF success?

If you've had IVF treatment, you'll know how important the number of eggs collected during the cycle can seem - but other than assuming that lots is good, most of us have little idea of what would be the perfect number to maximise the chances of success.

Now, researchers have analysed data from more than 400 000 IVF cycles using information from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to see if they could find a pattern of success related to the number of eggs collected. Looking at the live birth rate, they were attempting to produce a model to predict the chances of success based on the number of eggs and the age of the woman having treatment.

Their research showed the live birth rate rose gradually depending on the number of eggs collected until it reached 15 eggs, at which point it stayed stable until it got to 20 eggs, after which it began to decline. For women under the age of 34 who had 15 eggs, the live birth rate was 40% across the UK, and even for women of 40 and over, it reached 16% if they had reached the desired 15 eggs at collection. So 15 has been deemed as the ideal number of eggs in order to maximise the chances of achieving a live birth after IVF treatment.

You can read more details of the research, which has been published in Human Reproduction, here

New support group for lesbian mothers-to-be

I went to a meeting this morning organised by a great new support group for lesbians who are thinking about having children. LGroup Families - www.lgroupfamilies.org.uk - was set up by a lesbian couple whose own experiences when they decided they'd like to start a family convinced them of the need for more support and advice. The group organises monthly workshops, often with speakers, for lesbians who want to know more about their options. The group can help women access information and help, and make them aware that they may seek help within the NHS as well as at expensive private clinics.

The group is also now starting meetings for pregnant women and for those who have children which will provide not only an opportunity to get together with others, but may also provide practical advice. Do have a look at the website and event listings to find out more.

Infertility Network UK

I finished work as a Regional Organiser for Infertility Network UK last month after almost two years as a member of staff, and many more of being involved with the charity as a trustee beforehand. If you're not familiar with I N UK, do take a look at the website - www.infertilitynetworkuk.com . There's so much information for anyone with an interest in fertility, from downloadable factsheets on different aspects of infertility and treatment to a funding section with a fascinating interactive map to show what the current situation for NHS-funded IVF is across the UK. There are details of events and support groups across the country as well as forums and chatrooms where you can talk to others. The charity also supports those who've been successful after treatment through ACeBabes and those who are living with involuntary childlessness through More to Life.

I have had a wonderful two years working for the charity, and it has been great to meet so many lovely people and to do a job which felt worthwhile every day. Do take a look at the website and see what Infertility Network UK can offer...

Canadian study shows costs of IVF multiples

Anyone who has qualms about the aim to reduce the number of multiple births after assisted conception in the UK should look at a new study from Canada published in The Journal of Pediatrics which analyses the admissions to neonatal intensive care of IVF babies.

The research shows that a hefty 17% of the newborn babies in intensive care were the result of multiple pregnancies after assisted conception, and that a policy of single embryo transfer could save 30-40 deaths across Canada each year, not to mention many serious complications.

The researchers studied a database from one hospital over a period of some years to check for significant complications, and extrapolated those findings to the whole country. They found that twins were more likely to be premature, were more likely to be admitted to intensive care and were also more likely to have other complications. They say that although fertility specialists are aware of the risks of multiple pregnancy, they are still willing to continue with procedures that carry risks for mothers and their babies and that this is partly due to the fact that people are usually paying for their treatment. The couples are therefore willing to attempt anything that might mean paying for fewer cycles, while clinics are pressured for higher "success" rates. The researchers make it clear that they feel the medical system "sometimes has the responsibility to refuse to offer interventions that increase morbidity when there are equally effective alternatives available, which lead to lower morbidity; especially when the large part of the morbidity is suffered by another individual, in this case, the baby." They call for a system where treatment costs are reimbursed and where IVF is regulated in order to save lives and long-term additional expenses.

You can read the report in full at www.jpeds.com

Report on the More to Life day

We were all delighted that our first ever More to Life day for those who are involuntarily childless was a resounding success, attended by more than eighty people. I must admit I’d been quite anxious in the run up to the day about whether people would enjoy it, but the afternoon of talks and workshops provided an ideal opportunity for More to Life members from across the country to get together and for prospective members to find out more about the charity and what it can offer.

The afternoon was opened by More to Life Chief Executive, Clare Lewis-Jones, who explained a little about the background to the charity and about all the work both staff and volunteers do throughout the UK to enable More to Life to offer help and support to those who are involuntarily childless.

The first speaker of the afternoon was counsellor Jayne Williamson from Aberdeen whose talk was peppered with music, poetry and art. Jayne talked about the coping strategies she suggests in her therapy sessions and about the art therapy she practices. She showed us some of the art work she’d produced herself whilst learning about the process, and explained that once people had overcome their anxieties about putting pen or paint to paper they often found it could offer unique insights, forming a very helpful part of the healing process.

Jayne’s talk was followed by a workshop with Vivienne Edgecombe, who began by explaining that she was going to be talking from the heart about her own experience of involuntary childlessness and about her journey to the realisation that you don’t need children in order to have a happy life. Vivienne looked at the way we can get stuck in negative thought patterns about all kinds of things in our lives, and explained that she uses EFT(Emotional Freedom Technique), or tapping, to help get rid of negative thoughts. She showed the audience how to tap, starting with a tap on the side of the hand and moving around the upper body. She admitted that it might look a bit odd, and explained that there were all kinds of theories about why it might work, but that the important thing from her perspective was that it really did seem to make a difference. Vivienne’s natural enthusiasm and honesty shone through in her talk, which left many of those in the audience feeling really inspired.

The break in the middle of the afternoon gave the audience a chance to get together and chat, to make new friends and to meet others from their local area. There was a really lovely, friendly atmosphere where everyone felt welcomed, and it was quite a feat to encourage the delegates back into the conference hall for the second half of the afternoon!

The final speakers, Hazel Hodge and Rachel Ormrod, are both familiar faces to many More to Life members. Hazel, an active member from the Midlands, spoke eloquently about her own experiences of involuntary childlessness and of learning to cope after a hysterectomy. Hazel shared many of her own ideas and suggestions for focusing on the positives and explained that those without children have two valuable resources, time and money, which they can use to live their lives to the full. Hazel showed her own list of positive things that she intends to do in her life, and discussed her voluntary work for More to Life and with children, as well as her fundraising activities. She explained that a ‘moving on plan’, which she refers to as a mop, is an essential part of learning to cope and of finding a purpose in life.

Rachel Ormrod, our final speaker, was best known to many of the audience as the co-author of ‘Beyond Childlessness’, a great resource for anyone dealing with involuntary childlessness. Rachel told her own story, and talked about the stages of acceptance of her own involuntary childlessness, with a very frank and open account of the lows and highs. Rachel’s husband declared he didn’t want children after they married, and she spent the next 20 years dealing with this before he decided he wanted a divorce, leaving her free to do whatever she wanted with her life. She offered her services to an orphanage in Africa and the picture she painted of the children, longing for parental care, and of herself, living in their world but still feeling the pain of her own childlessness so acutely, was incredibly moving.

The afternoon ended with a presentation of flowers to the More to Life chair, Judy Wingrove, who has done so much to ensure More to Life can continue to work to support those experiencing involuntary childlessness. The day was a great success, and one we hope that can be repeated n the future!
  
 
 
 

Brighton fertility support group

The Brighton fertility support group organised by Infertility Network UK will be meeting this Thursday, 24 March, at the Agora Clinic in Hove at 6pm. The meeting is open to everyone - you don't need to be having treatment at the clinic - and you don't need to book to come to the group, just turn up on Thursday evening. Hope to see you there!

Asian support group

The next meeting of the Infertility Network UK Asian support group will be held this Tuesday at the Harley Street Fertility Clinic in Devonshire Street, which is just off Harley Street in Central London. The Asian support group has proved to be a huge success and has featured on the BBC's Woman's Hour and the BBC Asian Network in recent months. The group is open to everyone - you don't have to be having treatment at the clinic or to be a member of Infertility Network UK. Do come along on Tuesday at 6.30pm if you're interested - it's a very informal, supportive and friendly group.

Tomorrow's More to Life day

Just to make sure everyone is aware that you can just turn up on the day tomorrow for our first ever More to Life day for the involuntarily childless and pay on the door. It promises to be a fascinating afternoon, and we've got a fantastic range of speakers - and we've also gone far beyond our expectations when it comes to the numbers of delegates. There are details on the More to Life website - the runs from 1.30pm and will be held at The Resource Centre in Holloway. Do come and join us if you can!

More to Life - March 19

The first ever day for people living with involuntary childlessness has been set for March 19. The More to Life day will be marked with an afternoon of talks and workshops at the Resource Centre in Holloway, and bookings for the day are now open.

The day will include talks from BICA counsellor Jayne Williamson, based at the University of Aberdeen, on coping strategies and a workshop run by Vivienne Edgecombe focusing on childlessness and a happy life. There will be a break with an opportunity to meet up with others from your local area, followed by Hazel Hodge speaking about a fulfilling life without children of your own. The day will end with the co-author of Beyond Childlessness, Rachel Ormrod, speaking about Surviving, then Thriving.

It promises to be a really interesting afternoon, and you can book online at www.moretolife.co.uk

The blog is back...

Apologies for the lack of posts for the last few months. I've been finishing my new book, due out later this year, which is now finally written and in the editing stages, so the blog is back!

It has been a dreadful few months for anyone needing fertility treatment, as one PCT after another has slashed funding despite the Department of Health and the government making it quite clear that PCTs are expected to be working towards implementing the NICE guideline and providing up to three cycles of IVF. It's particularly sad to see that many of the PCTs are now using the fact that others have already cut funding as an excuse - as if following someone else's bad decision makes it acceptable.

Don't worry - the blog won't all be doom and gloom. There will be the latest updates in fertility tests and treatment, and lots of interesting news and comment so I hope you will enjoy following Fertility Matters again!