This week we have a friend of the podcast returning to chat. Shaun a.k.a @knackered_knackers was previously on the podcast talking about his fertility journey using donor sperm. You can check out his previous episode Sperm Banter on the Fertility Podcast website. Now he is back with updates and more! Tune in to listen to what he is doing now and how his experiences have changed his life.Here is what we discussed:Shaun updates us on his fertility journey using donor spermHis experience with male factor fertility, how he felt when receiving news about his fertilityHis decision to start a new career path to help others and how that is working out for him.How he has started to share his story to help others on a similar journey to him and try to gain more awareness around male fertility.Why Shaun is training to be a coach and why he felt there was a need for a dedicated fertility coach for men.Shaun’s tips on what to do to stay focused when receiving news from the doctor and how to cope with that news.The support he got from those around him, and how that helped him to then better himself and his clientsWhat it is like having donor conceived childrenHis process with his clients, how he gets them to open up, and why it is so important to talk.Socials:Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on InstagramFollow @YourFertilityNurse on InstagramFollow @knackered_knackers on InstagramFind Shaun’s previous episode here Sperm Banter • The Fertility Podcast 

This week we have a friend of the podcast returning to chat. Shaun a.k.a @knackered_knackers was previously on the podcast talking about his fertility journey using donor sperm. You can check out his previous episode Sperm Banter on the Fertility Podcast website. Now he is back with updates and more! Tune in to listen to what he is doing now and how his experiences have changed his life.Here is what we discussed: <ul><li>Shaun updates us on his fertility journey using donor sperm</li><li>His experience with male factor fertility, how he felt when receiving news about his fertility</li><li>His decision to start a new career path to help others and how that is working out for him.</li><li>How he has started to share his story to help others on a similar journey to him and try to gain more awareness around male fertility.</li><li>Why Shaun is training to be a coach and why he felt there was a need for a dedicated fertility coach for men.</li><li>Shaun’s tips on what to do to stay focused when receiving news from the doctor and how to cope with that news.</li><li>The support he got from those around him, and how that helped him to then better himself and his clients</li><li>What it is like having donor conceived children</li><li>His process with his clients, how he gets them to open up, and why it is so important to talk.</li></ul> Socials: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fertilitypoddy/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">@TheFertilityPodcast</a> on InstagramFollow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/your_fertility_nurse/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">@YourFertilityNurse</a> on InstagramFollow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/knackered_knackers/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">@knackered_knackers</a> on InstagramFind Shaun’s previous episode here <a href="https://www.thefertilitypodcast.com/sperm-banter-podcast/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Sperm Banter • The Fertility Podcast</a>

Shaun - Male Factor Fertility & Support

This episode of the Fertility Podcast, Zoe is joining me as we talk about the importance of feeling empowered on your fertility journey and being able to advocate for yourself. Zoe talks about her infertility and how it led her to using donor eggs and the obstacles that she and her partner faced in order to create their family.What we discussed:Her diagnosis of childhood cancer and how this impacted her fertility for the futureHow Zoe dealt with her infertility and how it she had to have a difficult conversation with her husband, early on in their relationshipThe options they had to consider when trying for a babyTalking about Zoe’s journey with donor conception and her decision to choose an anonymous donorBeing told by her clinic in Spain that her first donor cycle would definitely be successful and then the shock of a negative pregnancy testHow Zoe was able to positively advocate for herselfHow it is important to go out and do your own research and be prepared to have an honest conversation with your consultantsLearn to cherry pick what you need and to take control and ownership of your fertility journeySocials:Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on InstagramFollow @YourFertilityNurse on InstagramMitochondrial Donation Treatment - https://www.hfea.gov.uk/treatments/embryo-testing-and-treatments-for-disease/mitochondrial-donation-treatment/

This episode of the Fertility Podcast, Zoe is joining me as we talk about the importance of feeling empowered on your fertility journey and being able to advocate for yourself. Zoe talks about her infertility and how it led her to using donor eggs and the obstacles that she and her partner faced in order to create their family.What we discussed:<ul><li>Her diagnosis of childhood cancer and how this impacted her fertility for the future</li><li>How Zoe dealt with her infertility and how it she had to have a difficult conversation with her husband, early on in their relationship</li><li>The options they had to consider when trying for a baby</li><li>Talking about Zoe’s journey with donor conception and her decision to choose an anonymous donor</li><li>Being told by her clinic in Spain that her first donor cycle would definitely be successful and then the shock of a negative pregnancy test</li><li>How Zoe was able to positively advocate for herself</li><li>How it is important to go out and do your own research and be prepared to have an honest conversation with your consultants</li><li>Learn to cherry pick what you need and to take control and ownership of your fertility journey</li></ul>Socials:Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fertilitypoddy/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">@TheFertilityPodcast</a> on InstagramFollow<a href="https://www.instagram.com/your_fertility_nurse/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> @YourFertilityNurse</a> on Instagram Mitochondrial Donation Treatment - <a href="https://www.hfea.gov.uk/treatments/embryo-testing-and-treatments-for-disease/mitochondrial-donation-treatment/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">https://www.hfea.gov.uk/treatments/embryo-testing-and-treatments-for-disease/mitochondrial-donation-treatment/</a>

Zoe - Donor Conception & not giving up

The Fertility Podcast is honoured to be joined by Martha, founder of Martha Brook Stationary. Tune in to listen to Martha as she talks about the origins of Martha Brook Stationary and her own fertility journey involving 7 rounds of IVF and a battle with endometriosis.What we discuss:The origins of Martha Brook London Martha on her diagnosis of Endometriosis Martha’s reaction to being told she would not be able to have children How Martha juggled the challenges faced with running a business and navigating IVF treatment Martha’s honesty with her work team and how her own experiences have enhanced her ability to support the emotional wellbeing of her employeesThe creation of the Martha Brook IVF journal and how it can support your fertility journeySocials:Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on InstagramFollow @YourFertilityNurse on InstagramFollow Martha Brook (@marthabrookldn) | Instagram on InstagramThe Martha Brook IVF JournalGo to The Martha Brook Story | Martha Brook for more! 

The Fertility Podcast is honoured to be joined by Martha, founder of Martha Brook Stationary. Tune in to listen to Martha as she talks about the origins of Martha Brook Stationary and her own fertility journey involving 7 rounds of IVF and a battle with endometriosis.What we discuss:<ul><li>The origins of Martha Brook London </li><li>Martha on her diagnosis of Endometriosis </li><li>Martha’s reaction to being told she would not be able to have children </li><li>How Martha juggled the challenges faced with running a business and navigating IVF treatment </li><li>Martha’s honesty with her work team and how her own experiences have enhanced her ability to support the emotional wellbeing of her employees</li><li>The creation of the Martha Brook IVF journal and how it can support your fertility journey</li></ul> Socials: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fertilitypoddy/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">@TheFertilityPodcast </a>on InstagramFollow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/your_fertility_nurse/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">@YourFertilityNurse </a>on InstagramFollow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/marthabrookldn/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Martha Brook (@marthabrookldn) | Instagram</a> on Instagram<a href="https://www.marthabrook.com/product/personalised-ivf-journal/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">The Martha Brook IVF Journal</a>Go to <a href="https://www.marthabrook.com/about-martha-brook/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">The Martha Brook Story | Martha Brook</a> for more!

Martha - IVF & the benefits of journaling

Warning: Explicit contentWelcome to the Mindfulness episode! Joining me today is Amy Polly who is a Mindfullness Teacher and we will be talking about how mindfulness can help with fertility. Amy will give some tips on how you can have a go at mindfulness in your daily life. What we discussed:What drew Amy to mindfulness and how it has helped her in everyday lifeHow mindfulness can help through the stress of fertilityThe research and science behind mindfulness Talking about taking notice of what is around you, what you are doing - Mindfulness everydayBreathing meditation Socials:Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on InstagramFollow @YourFertilityNurse on InstagramFollow @ThisisAmyPolly on InstagramFind Amy Polly on LinkedIn 

Warning: Explicit contentWelcome to the Mindfulness episode! Joining me today is Amy Polly who is a Mindfullness Teacher and we will be talking about how mindfulness can help with fertility. Amy will give some tips on how you can have a go at mindfulness in your daily life.  What we discussed: <ul><li>What drew Amy to mindfulness and how it has helped her in everyday life</li><li>How mindfulness can help through the stress of fertility</li><li>The research and science behind mindfulness </li><li>Talking about taking notice of what is around you, what you are doing - Mindfulness everyday</li><li>Breathing meditation </li></ul> Socials: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fertilitypoddy/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">@TheFertilityPodcast</a> on InstagramFollow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/your_fertility_nurse/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">@YourFertilityNurse</a> on InstagramFollow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thisisamypolly/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">@ThisisAmyPolly</a> on InstagramFind <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/amypolly/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Amy Polly</a> on LinkedIn

Amy - Mindfulness and Fertility

Trigger Warning: mentions of domestic abuse and infant lossIn this episode, I am joined by Social worker Rachel who became a young mum and experienced many hurdles through her fertility journey. Rachel talks about her son being diagnosed with Tay-Sachs disease and the journey they went on, the aftermath and starting trying to conceive. What we discussed:Her life and how if changed after her mum remarriedHer son’s diagnosis and the process which her and her husband went throughThe issues raised after her son’s death and the support she receivedHow her experiences led her to her career and what she does to support others who may be in a similar situation as herRachel talks about her remarriage and how another hurdle was thrown at herRachel and her new husband desire to start a family and the problems raised through thisThe process of trying to get pregnant and all the treatments that Rachel had to go through How we should focus more on Women's health from an early ageSocials:Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on InstagramFollow @YourFertilityNurse on InstagramFollow @DancinginBabydust on InstagramFollow @Fatpositivefertility on InstagramFind out more about Hannah Pearn at Acupuncture Fertility London - Hannah Pearn Acupuncture

Trigger Warning: mentions of domestic abuse and infant lossIn this episode, I am joined by Social worker Rachel who became a young mum and experienced many hurdles through her fertility journey. Rachel talks about her son being diagnosed with Tay-Sachs disease and the journey they went on, the aftermath and starting trying to conceive. What we discussed:<ul><li>Her life and how if changed after her mum remarried</li><li>Her son’s diagnosis and the process which her and her husband went through</li><li>The issues raised after her son’s death and the support she received</li><li>How her experiences led her to her career and what she does to support others who may be in a similar situation as her</li><li>Rachel talks about her remarriage and how another hurdle was thrown at her</li><li>Rachel and her new husband desire to start a family and the problems raised through this</li><li>The process of trying to get pregnant and all the treatments that Rachel had to go through </li><li>How we should focus more on Women's health from an early age</li></ul> Socials: Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fertilitypoddy/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">@TheFertilityPodcast</a> on InstagramFollow<a href="https://www.instagram.com/your_fertility_nurse/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> @YourFertilityNurse</a> on InstagramFollow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dancing.in.babydust/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">@DancinginBabydust</a> on InstagramFollow<a href="https://www.instagram.com/fatpositivefertility/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> @Fatpositivefertility</a> on InstagramFind out more about Hannah Pearn at <a href="https://hannahpearn.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Acupuncture Fertility London - Hannah Pearn Acupuncture</a>

Rachel - Trauma & Fertility

Tune in to listen to me talking about stress and how it affects your fertility journey. Take an opportunity to put the kettle on and relax while listening to this episode as I bust some myths about stress.What I discuss:The research and science behind stress The ‘flight or fight’ responseShort and long time effects on the bodyProfessor Jacky Boivin - Cardiff University and her research on the impact of stress on fertility How our bodies can adapt to conditions that may not be suitable, for example war stricken countries have some of the highest birth ratesHow stress impacts all aspects of lifeFinding supportSocials:Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on InstagramFollow @YourFertilityNurse on InstagramFind out more about Jacky Boivin Professor Jacky Boivin - People - Cardiff University

Tune in to listen to me talking about stress and how it affects your fertility journey. Take an opportunity to put the kettle on and relax while listening to this episode as I bust some myths about stress.What I discuss:<ul><li>The research and science behind stress </li><li>The ‘flight or fight’ response</li><li>Short and long time effects on the body</li><li>Professor Jacky Boivin - Cardiff University and her research on the impact of stress on fertility </li><li>How our bodies can adapt to conditions that may not be suitable, for example war stricken countries have some of the highest birth rates</li><li>How stress impacts all aspects of life</li><li>Finding support</li></ul>Socials:Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fertilitypoddy/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">@TheFertilityPodcast </a>on InstagramFollow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/your_fertility_nurse/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">@YourFertilityNurse </a>on InstagramFind out more about Jacky Boivin <a href="https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/people/view/845289-boivin-jacky" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Professor Jacky Boivin - People - Cardiff University</a>

Kate - Stress and Fertility

Welcome back to The Fertility Podcast. We’ve had a bit of a break and now we’re back sounding a little different! It’s just me - Kate. Nat is off working hard with her Fertility Matters at Work co-founders and so, I’ve taken control of the reins!In this first episode, my guest is Paulina, Paulina, who was diagnosed with PCOS 4 years previously, then received the shocked diagnosis of a Borderline Ovarian Tumour in 2020. She talks about what it felt like when she received this diagnosis and what this means for her fertility going forward.Paulina’s journey proves that if you feel something is up with your body that you should find out as soon as you can. Despite all the surgeries and scans, Paulina still wants to conceive and have a child. What we discussed: Where she was and what if felt like to receive her diagnosisThe process that she went through The struggle of Covid 19 and how that affected her journeyThe difficulties that she found with communication with her DoctorsThe after effects of the scans and surgeriesProcess of trying to get pregnant with one ovary that has PCOSTurning to IVF and then choosing to freeze her eggs privately Looking into a Sperm Bank Socials:Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on InstagramFollow @YourFertilityNurse on InstagramFollow @OvaryOff on Instagram

Welcome back to The Fertility Podcast. We’ve had a bit of a break and now we’re back sounding a little different! It’s just me - Kate. Nat is off working hard with her Fertility Matters at Work co-founders and so, I’ve taken control of the reins!In this first episode, my guest is Paulina, Paulina, who was diagnosed with PCOS 4 years previously, then received the shocked diagnosis of a Borderline Ovarian Tumour in 2020. She talks about what it felt like when she received this diagnosis and what this means for her fertility going forward.Paulina’s journey proves that if you feel something is up with your body that you should find out as soon as you can. Despite all the surgeries and scans, Paulina still wants to conceive and have a child. What we discussed: <ul><li>Where she was and what if felt like to receive her diagnosis</li><li>The process that she went through </li><li>The struggle of Covid 19 and how that affected her journey</li><li>The difficulties that she found with communication with her Doctors</li><li>The after effects of the scans and surgeries</li><li>Process of trying to get pregnant with one ovary that has PCOS</li><li>Turning to IVF and then choosing to freeze her eggs privately </li><li>Looking into a Sperm Bank </li></ul>Socials:Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fertilitypoddy/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">@TheFertilityPodcast </a>on InstagramFollow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/your_fertility_nurse/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">@YourFertilityNurse </a>on InstagramFollow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ovaryofff/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">@OvaryOff</a> on Instagram

Paulina - Fertility & Cancer

Have a listen to hear what you can expect from the new look podcast, now hosted by Kate Davies, as of Monday 6th March. 

Have a listen to hear what you can expect from the new look podcast, now hosted by Kate Davies, as of Monday 6th March.

The Fertility Podcast in 2023

So this is a goodbye from me - Natalie, but it's going to be a Hello from Kate... and in this slightly indulgent final episode, you'll hear a little bit from me as to my decision to stop publising this podcast with me at the helm and my plans to hand over the mic to my trusty co-host Kate Davies who is soon going to be sharing more about her plans as I leave this feed in her capable hands for 2023. If you've just found this podcast, please do explore our back catalogue which can be found in all your favourite podcast apps, under the following:  Getting Pregnancy ReadyMale FertilityPregnancy LossInfertility Support Donor Conception and SurrogacyMeanwhile if you'd be so kind to leave a review on the podcast if it's helped you in anyway, please do so here You can also keep in touch with me on my insta 

So this is a goodbye from me - Natalie, but it's going to be a Hello from Kate... and in this slightly indulgent final episode, you'll hear a little bit from me as to my decision to stop publising this podcast with me at the helm and my plans to hand over the mic to my trusty co-host Kate Davies who is soon going to be sharing more about her plans as I leave this feed in her capable hands for 2023. If you've just found this podcast, please do explore our back catalogue which can be found in all your favourite podcast apps, under the following: <a href="https://feeds.captivate.fm/getting-pregnancy-ready/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Getting Pregnancy Ready</a><a href="https://feeds.captivate.fm/male-infertility/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Male Fertility</a><a href="https://feeds.captivate.fm/pregnancy-loss/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Pregnancy Loss</a><a href="https://feeds.captivate.fm/infertility-support/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Infertility Support </a><a href="https://feeds.captivate.fm/donorconceptionandsurrogacy/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Donor Conception and Surrogacy</a>Meanwhile if you'd be so kind to leave a review on the podcast if it's helped you in anyway, <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-fertility-podcast/id918950602" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">please do so here </a>You can also keep in touch with <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fertilitypoddy/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">me on my insta </a>

What 2023 will bring for The Fertility Podcast

Welcome to the latest episode of The Fertility Podcast Bitesize. We are in conversation again with Dr Theodorou, a Consultant Gynaecologist and Specialist in Reproductive Medicine at the Centre for Reproductive and Genetic Health explaining what patients can expect during their first consultation with a fertility consultant What we discussed: Reasons why people come to the clinicPeople want to be confident before they start trying, others might have tried with no success for some time. This varies from a few months or years. People who have had failed cycles elsewhere and want another approachCouples who need a donor - heterosexual, same-sex or solo Fertility Preservation - male or female, for medical reasons eg. treatment that could impact fertility or social reasons eg. when people want to preserve for the future. Another reason is to avoid a known genetic disease. Surrogacy  - due to medical reasons or same-sex males Initial investigative tests - male would be semen analysis and for a female ultrasound to check the uterus, ovary and fallopian tube and blood tests to check AMH, FSH and ovulation Depending on circumstances they may go got specialist tests eg. recurrent miscarriage or a medical issue which could affect fertility The stress of fertility treatment and the importance of counselling and support along the way Explanation of implications of counselling and when it's needed. You can find out more about CRGH hereSubscribe to The Fertility Podcast Follow Fertility Podcast on Instagram

Welcome to the latest episode of The Fertility Podcast Bitesize. We are in conversation again with Dr Theodorou, a Consultant Gynaecologist and Specialist in Reproductive Medicine at the<a href="https://crgh.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> Centre for Reproductive and Genetic Health</a> explaining what patients can expect during their first consultation with a fertility consultant What we discussed: <ul><li>Reasons why people come to the clinic</li><li>People want to be confident before they start trying, others might have tried with no success for some time. This varies from a few months or years. </li><li>People who have had failed cycles elsewhere and want another approach</li><li>Couples who need a donor - heterosexual, same-sex or solo </li><li>Fertility Preservation - male or female, for medical reasons eg. treatment that could impact fertility or social reasons eg. when people want to preserve for the future. Another reason is to avoid a known genetic disease. </li><li>Surrogacy  - due to medical reasons or same-sex males </li><li>Initial investigative tests - male would be semen analysis and for a female ultrasound to check the uterus, ovary and fallopian tube and blood tests to check AMH, FSH and ovulation </li><li>Depending on circumstances they may go got specialist tests eg. recurrent miscarriage or a medical issue which could affect fertility </li><li>The stress of fertility treatment and the importance of counselling and support along the way </li><li>Explanation of implications of counselling and when it's needed. </li></ul>You can find out more about<a href="https://crgh.co.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> CRGH here</a><a href="https://podfollow.com/the-fertility-podcast" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Subscribe to The Fertility Podcast </a>Follow Fertility Podcast on<a href="https://www.instagram.com/fertilitypoddy/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> Instagram</a>

Bitesize: What to expect at your initial consultation at CRGH

If you’ve found your route to parenthood hasn’t been straightforward, The Fertility Podcast is for you. From how to optimise your fertility to getting pregnant naturally, navigating IVF, understanding donor conception or surrogacy to how to prepare for a life without children. Whatever your situation, you are not alone. Created by Natalie Silverman, a former fertility patient in 2014, I then joined forces with Kate Davies, an independent fertility nurse consultant as we spoke to a range of experts and people just like you. Today in 2023, Kate is now hosting the podcast without Natalie ( who you can find hosting The F Word at Work ) here the podcast is going back to its routes to share more patient stories as we’re here to hold your hand, on your route to parenthood including how it impacts you at work. PLEASE NOTE: The Fertility Podcast has an archive of its 300 episodes on new podcast feeds called: Getting Pregnancy Ready, Infertility Support, Male Fertility, Alternative Routes to Parenthood, and Pregnancy Loss. Just have a look in your podcast search and be sure to subscribe.

This is a great podcast for parents looking for support and advice while trying to get TG any. It’s great that this kind of support is out there

Great support for aspiring parents

What a hard struggle to go through. 
My friend and his wife went thru it. 
Worth it since they have a daughter now!

Check it out!

If you’ve found your route to parenthood hasn’t been straightforward, The Fertility Podcast is for you. From how to optimise your fertility to getting pregnant naturally, navigating IVF, understanding donor conception or surrogacy to how to prepare for a life without children. Whatever your situation, you are not alone. Created by Natalie Silverman, a former fertility patient in 2014, I then joined forces with Kate Davies, an independent fertility nurse consultant as we spoke to a range of experts and people just like you. Today in 2023, Kate is now hosting the podcast without Natalie ( who you can find hosting The F Word at Work ) here the podcast is going back to its routes to share more patient stories as we’re here to hold your hand, on your route to parenthood including how it impacts you at work. PLEASE NOTE: The Fertility Podcast has an archive of its 300 episodes on new podcast feeds called: Getting Pregnancy Ready, Infertility Support, Male Fertility, Alternative Routes to Parenthood, and Pregnancy Loss. Just have a look in your podcast search and be sure to subscribe.

The Fertility Podcast

Meet Katy Leeson, Managing Director of Social Chain who also hosts a podcast called 'I Shouldn't Say This But' and at the time of us chatting had just been nominated for an award for 'Leading the Charge and Pushing the Boundaries' with Campaign Magazine ( a big industry title ) I spoke with Katy in real life at Social Chain's very cool office in central Manchester, in the days where you could do that, which is why Kate isn't in this episode. Self ProtectionKaty spoke about her struggle with the responsibility of being a young female Managing Director. She had imposter syndrome and took herself into therapy sessions to get support on how best to deal with it. In the context of this chat, Katy explained how she made sure she was mentally prepared to talk about her miscarriage in the public sphere because she had no idea what the reaction would be and she was nervous that people would tell her it wasn't the right place or platform - something so many people fear when talking about infertility. Baby Loss Awareness WeekKaty shared her story in October 2019, a year on from her miscarriage which happened in December 2018. She spoke about the challenges of that time of year with everybody being together and how it forced her into telling people that I was pregnant, as she wasn't drinking in the Chrimbo celebrations - this was before the '12 week' point. Her family and friends knew and so she also had to share her that she had miscarried on Christmas Eve because she didn't want to get messages wishing her the best Christmas and New Year because I was going to have a baby in the next year. Katy talked about feeling that she was also ruining other people's Christmas because I'd tell them such sad news.Miscarrying Naturally Katy spoke about how she miscarried naturally the day before she was due to be put under for the operation. The first the scan she had, she said felt a good connection to someone who really cared and she said 'You look healthy, everything there on the scan looks healthy, you've just started an unfortunate experience, there was just a problem with that egg or that sperm, and you should be fine and I can't wait to see you again' which Katy said gave her such hope as every other interaction she had, felt like she was just being told to get on with things. Breakdown in Communication.Katy explained how she was still getting letters about having scans for her pregnancy after she had miscarried due to being registered with two different hospitals and how they were ringing her partner but wouldn't speak to him so he couldn't even act as her gatekeeper for. This meant in the end, she had to have numerous conversations reliving her experience over and over/Telling WorkKaty talked about how she had spoken to others about how much of a lift it is, to be told it's not your fault, which is such a straightforward piece of information to give to somebody. We talked about how she had no follow up conversations after going through it and wasn't given any guidance on where to find support. She had stopped her therapy and hadn't told her work as she didn't want to tell them she was going through 'something so horrific' because she was worried they would think she would then be trying again and be off on Maternity. So she didn't tell anyone and struggled with it from Christmas until Easter - which is when she said the broke down. When she did tell them, they were amazing Talking it through in TherapyKaty discussed the grieving process with her therapist and how she had been putting so much pressure on herself with her work and doing the right thing by others. She talked about giving herself permission to grieve once she had accessed support once again. She also talked about how she went to the doctors and was given antidepressants, which she is still onThe Impact of MiscarriageWe talked about how misunderstood... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Meet Katy Leeson, Managing Director of Social Chain who also hosts a podcast called '<a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/katy-leesons-i-shouldnt-say-this-but/id1442547174" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">I Shouldn't Say This But'</a> and at the time of us chatting had just been nominated for an award for 'Leading the Charge and Pushing the Boundaries' with Campaign Magazine ( a big industry title ) I spoke with Katy in real life at Social Chain's very cool office in central Manchester, in the days where you could do that, which is why Kate isn't in this episode. Self ProtectionKaty spoke about her struggle with the responsibility of being a young female Managing Director. She had imposter syndrome and took herself into therapy sessions to get support on how best to deal with it. In the context of this chat, Katy explained how she made sure she was mentally prepared to talk about her miscarriage in the public sphere because she had no idea what the reaction would be and she was nervous that people would tell her it wasn't the right place or platform - something so many people fear when talking about infertility. Baby Loss Awareness WeekKaty shared her story in October 2019, a year on from her miscarriage which happened in December 2018. She spoke about the challenges of that time of year with everybody being together and how it forced her into telling people that I was pregnant, as she wasn't drinking in the Chrimbo celebrations - this was before the '12 week' point. Her family and friends knew and so she also had to share her that she had miscarried on Christmas Eve because she didn't want to get messages wishing her the best Christmas and New Year because I was going to have a baby in the next year. Katy talked about feeling that she was also ruining other people's Christmas because I'd tell them such sad news.Miscarrying Naturally Katy spoke about how she miscarried naturally the day before she was due to be put under for the operation. The first the scan she had, she said felt a good connection to someone who really cared and she said 'You look healthy, everything there on the scan looks healthy, you've just started an unfortunate experience, there was just a problem with that egg or that sperm, and you should be fine and I can't wait to see you again' which Katy said gave her such hope as every other interaction she had, felt like she was just being told to get on with things. Breakdown in Communication.Katy explained how she was still getting letters about having scans for her pregnancy after she had miscarried due to being registered with two different hospitals and how they were ringing her partner but wouldn't speak to him so he couldn't even act as her gatekeeper for. This meant in the end, she had to have numerous conversations reliving her experience over and over/Telling WorkKaty talked about how she had spoken to others about how much of a lift it is, to be told it's not your fault, which is such a straightforward piece of information to give to somebody. We talked about how she had no follow up conversations after going through it and wasn't given any guidance on where to find support. She had stopped her therapy and hadn't told her work as she didn't want to tell them she was going through 'something so horrific' because she was worried they would think she would then be trying again and be off on Maternity. So she didn't tell anyone and struggled with it from Christmas until Easter - which is when she said the broke down. When she did tell them, they were amazing Talking it through in TherapyKaty discussed the grieving process with her therapist and how she had been putting so much pressure on herself with her work and doing the right thing by others. She talked about giving herself permission to grieve once she had accessed support once again. She also talked about how she went to the doctors and was given antidepressants, which she is still onThe Impact of MiscarriageWe talked about how misunderstood... See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Talking about your Miscarriage

Welcome to this bonus episode of The Fertility Podcast in association with Medichecks, the home blood-testing company. Medichecks have started working with the wonderful Kate Davies, aka my co-host to develop a range of fertility tests and they invited me to their headquarters in Nottingham to talk more about them. So I headed back to my home town with brand new podcasting kit to chat with Sam Rogers, Medical Director and Natasha Fernando. Head of Clinical Excellence and Kate about what the tests are going to enable you to find out. What you will hear in this episode is:  How the tests were developed looking at which biomarkers people need to understand their fertility and the training for Medichecks doctors in how they process themHow Medichecks will look at people’s medical histories, lifestyle, diet, activity and energy levels and tie in with the info they glean from blood tests.How repeat customers are getting much more informed about how behaviours affect their lifestyle and how home testing means you don't have to wait until you are over 40 (which is when the NHS do overall health checks ) Baseline Fertility Tests FSH &amp; LH Levels: these control periods and time of ovulation, levels of Oestradiol - the main female hormone which shows if you are ovulatingProgesterone: 7 days before the first day of a period. This can be called the 21-day test. Kate explains how she sometimes gets two tests during that timeAMH: and how it gives an indicator as it is a useful measurement but is no means a guarantee of a baby. A lower test result shouldn't cause panic, just talk to your doctor, look at your baseline hormone levels. PCOS: looks at an initial diagnosis PCOS test as well as looking at the more long term effectsFor Men: Testosterone: looking at the hormones that control testosterone release as the body it likes to hold on to it. We also discussed the impact on male fertility from using protein shakes and steroids and how you get irreversible, low levels of fertility or infertility as a result. We also discussed tight pants!Advice for Men To limit alcohol and coffee and how smoking is so bad for developing sperm.Exercise - we discuss how too little or too much can have negative effects on sperm production. We also discussed Jonathan Ramsey - a Urologist and former podcast guest who has talked about how cycling for commuting is OK, but long rides put a lot of pressure on the testicles. Hear a previous chat with Jonathan  here We discussed the importance of avoiding hot tubs, heated car warmers, and Natasha talked about papers on mobile phone radiation in pockets.Erectile DisfunctionAn early sign that the blood vessels are getting clogged up with cholesterol. Testosterone can also cause it as can the stress and pressures of TTC. DietOverall benefits of eating a health diet, which can help the balance of your hormones. We discuss what oxidative stress levels are and how you can manage them. The benefits of plant based diet and how a Vegan lifestyle - has no impact on testosterone levels. There is a belief amongst Men that a plant-based diet lowers testosterone but there is no evidence available Sleep The importance of sleep and how many health factors it can impactHow to future proof your fertilityBe proactive in the conversations you have with your family. For example, ask your mother when she had her menopause. With Men, don't be afraid to talk to your doctor if you have any pains in your testicles.  Any concerns you... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome to this bonus episode of The Fertility Podcast in association with Medichecks, the home blood-testing company. Medichecks have started working with the wonderful Kate Davies, aka my co-host to develop a range of fertility tests and they invited me to their headquarters in Nottingham to talk more about them. So I headed back to my home town with brand new podcasting kit to chat with Sam Rogers, Medical Director and Natasha Fernando. Head of Clinical Excellence and Kate about what the tests are going to enable you to find out. What you will hear in this episode is:  How the tests were developed looking at which biomarkers people need to understand their fertility and the training for Medichecks doctors in how they process themHow Medichecks will look at people’s medical histories, lifestyle, diet, activity and energy levels and tie in with the info they glean from blood tests.How repeat customers are getting much more informed about how behaviours affect their lifestyle and how home testing means you don't have to wait until you are over 40 (which is when the NHS do overall health checks ) Baseline Fertility Tests FSH &amp; LH Levels: these control periods and time of ovulation, levels of Oestradiol - the main female hormone which shows if you are ovulatingProgesterone: 7 days before the first day of a period. This can be called the 21-day test. Kate explains how she sometimes gets two tests during that timeAMH: and how it gives an indicator as it is a useful measurement but is no means a guarantee of a baby. A lower test result shouldn't cause panic, just talk to your doctor, look at your baseline hormone levels. PCOS: looks at an initial diagnosis PCOS test as well as looking at the more long term effectsFor Men: Testosterone: looking at the hormones that control testosterone release as the body it likes to hold on to it. We also discussed the impact on male fertility from using protein shakes and steroids and how you get irreversible, low levels of fertility or infertility as a result. We also discussed tight pants!Advice for Men To limit alcohol and coffee and how smoking is so bad for developing sperm.Exercise - we discuss how too little or too much can have negative effects on sperm production. We also discussed Jonathan Ramsey - a Urologist and former podcast guest who has talked about how cycling for commuting is OK, but long rides put a lot of pressure on the testicles. Hear a previous chat with Jonathan <a href="https://www.thefertilitypodcast.com/ep-79-poor-sperm-doesnt-have-to-lead-straight-to-fertility-treatment/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> here </a>We discussed the importance of avoiding hot tubs, heated car warmers, and Natasha talked about papers on mobile phone radiation in pockets.Erectile DisfunctionAn early sign that the blood vessels are getting clogged up with cholesterol. Testosterone can also cause it as can the stress and pressures of TTC. DietOverall benefits of eating a health diet, which can help the balance of your hormones. We discuss what oxidative stress levels are and how you can manage them. The benefits of plant based diet and how a Vegan lifestyle - has no impact on testosterone levels. There is a belief amongst Men that a plant-based diet lowers testosterone but there is no evidence available Sleep The importance of sleep and how many health factors it can impactHow to future proof your fertilityBe proactive in the conversations you have with your family. For example, ask your mother when she had her menopause. With Men, don't be afraid to talk to your doctor if you have any pains in your testicles.  Any concerns you... See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

BONUS EPISODE: INTRODUCING MEDICHECKS HOME FERTILITY TESTS

In this bonus episode,Kate and I speak with  Sally Cheshire, who is the chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) These shownotes are a transcript of part of our conversation with Sally. Please listen to hear the full interview:What is 'elective treatment' It is the word that the NHS use when it's not an outright emergency. So the NHS made that decision. And it's an unfortunate name because no one chooses to go in for surgery, particularly with regard to fertility treatment, but that's the word that's been used. So the NHS said that they would suspend all non-emergency treatment during the pandemic, so the only people who were being treated in the first stages of the pandemic after the 23rd of March, that was, were people who were in an emergency situation.What we said in terms of fertility is that patients who were having cancer surgery, for example, and needed fertility preservation would still be allowed to go ahead and our clinics would stay open for those patients to store gametes and embryos. But also, we would allow as many patients as possible to try and finish their cycles if they had started. And we know that there was a different response from clinics, and you can imagine that they were trying to manage, as well as all other NHS hospitals, some clinics carried on with those cycles, and then collected eggs or frozen eggs or embryos. But some patients we know had their cycles cancelled earlier than the 15th of April. And all I have to say is it was up to the clinic to decide whether they could go ahead. Some of them of course, had already lost staff to the front line. They'd had some of their equipment used for testing for virus testing from the embryology lab, and some of them also had staff who were self isolating or who've been diagnosed. Counselling:We do know there's been a massive increase in patients seeking counselling support. But if you actually talk to counsellors, some patients are asking different questions. Some of them are clearly distressed, not being able to have treatment. Some of them are very fearful of the virus and what impact it might have. So counsellors tell us they've seen an increase in patients who were just seeking help to deal with their general anxiety, not necessarily ready to talk about the implications of their particular treatment and what that might mean. So we do know that there is support out there and I'm sorry to patients who didn't quite get what they wanted, perhaps from their clinic.Professional Guidance:We've had to rely on professional guidance. So from the UK bodies from the British fertility society and of and the clinical scientists, but also from Europe and America, who advised similarly to stop treatment, until we knew a few more things, and their guidance has been very similar to the UK all along. And the Royal College of Obstetricians and gynaecologists also had to think about whether they considered there was any risk in early pregnancy. And they've also issued a couple of sets of guidance. So I think everybody has issued at least two sets of guidance over the last four weeks from the professional bodies. We've issued a number of letters to clinics explaining our requirements. And we've also tried to communicate with patients as best we can.The professional bodies have issued their latest guidance, which is cautious optimism.Tough Decision:I think this is the most difficult decision the FDA has ever had to make in 30 years really and the board and the staff have tried so hard to get it right. One of one of our criteria, quite rightly, was that there was no, or that there was as much evidence as possible to say there was no increased risk in pregnancy. And when I was thinking about it this morning, as a patient, you know, pregnancy is somewhere over the rainbow, isn't it? It's a long, long time away. And if you are trying to think about having treatment, it's probably not even possible in... See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this bonus episode,Kate and I speak with  Sally Cheshire, who is the chair of the <a href="https://www.hfea.gov.uk/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) </a>These shownotes are a transcript of part of our conversation with Sally. Please listen to hear the full interview:What is 'elective treatment' It is the word that the NHS use when it's not an outright emergency. So the NHS made that decision. And it's an unfortunate name because no one chooses to go in for surgery, particularly with regard to fertility treatment, but that's the word that's been used. So the NHS said that they would suspend all non-emergency treatment during the pandemic, so the only people who were being treated in the first stages of the pandemic after the 23rd of March, that was, were people who were in an emergency situation.What we said in terms of fertility is that patients who were having cancer surgery, for example, and needed fertility preservation would still be allowed to go ahead and our clinics would stay open for those patients to store gametes and embryos. But also, we would allow as many patients as possible to try and finish their cycles if they had started. And we know that there was a different response from clinics, and you can imagine that they were trying to manage, as well as all other NHS hospitals, some clinics carried on with those cycles, and then collected eggs or frozen eggs or embryos. But some patients we know had their cycles cancelled earlier than the 15th of April. And all I have to say is it was up to the clinic to decide whether they could go ahead. Some of them of course, had already lost staff to the front line. They'd had some of their equipment used for testing for virus testing from the embryology lab, and some of them also had staff who were self isolating or who've been diagnosed. Counselling:We do know there's been a massive increase in patients seeking counselling support. But if you actually talk to counsellors, some patients are asking different questions. Some of them are clearly distressed, not being able to have treatment. Some of them are very fearful of the virus and what impact it might have. So counsellors tell us they've seen an increase in patients who were just seeking help to deal with their general anxiety, not necessarily ready to talk about the implications of their particular treatment and what that might mean. So we do know that there is support out there and I'm sorry to patients who didn't quite get what they wanted, perhaps from their clinic.Professional Guidance:We've had to rely on professional guidance. So from the UK bodies from the British fertility society and of and the clinical scientists, but also from Europe and America, who advised similarly to stop treatment, until we knew a few more things, and their guidance has been very similar to the UK all along. And the Royal College of Obstetricians and gynaecologists also had to think about whether they considered there was any risk in early pregnancy. And they've also issued a couple of sets of guidance. So I think everybody has issued at least two sets of guidance over the last four weeks from the professional bodies. We've issued a number of letters to clinics explaining our requirements. And we've also tried to communicate with patients as best we can.The professional bodies have issued their latest guidance, which is cautious optimism.Tough Decision:I think this is the most difficult decision the FDA has ever had to make in 30 years really and the board and the staff have tried so hard to get it right. One of one of our criteria, quite rightly, was that there was no, or that there was as much evidence as possible to say there was no increased risk in pregnancy. And when I was thinking about it this morning, as a patient, you know, pregnancy is somewhere over the rainbow, isn't it? It's a long, long time away. And if you are trying to think about having treatment, it's probably not even possible in... See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

The HFEA answers your questions on restarting fertility treatment

Frankie Brunker – These Precious Little PeoplePlease be warned that this weeks’ episode is a hard-hitting and emotional one. It is a raw and emotional account of stillbirth and the grief that follows.Natalie chats with Frankie Brunker, whom Natalie met at a fabulous Yoga day put on by Lucy from The Rainbow Running club.Route to ParenthoodFrankie’s route to parenthood started really quickly after conceiving in the first month of trying however, devastatingly their daughter was born stillborn at 38 weeks. This came as a complete shock.Frankie’s husband had to call their family from the hospital to break the news. Frankie felt so concerned about telling family and how they would feel, particularly her nieces and nephews who were excited about a new baby coming into the family. They decided that they needed to be insular and in their own little bubble to get through this difficult time, one day at a time.The Funeral Frankie made the decision for her nieces and nephews not to attend the funeral of their daughter. At the time, this felt like the right decision but now Frankie has some regrets and is now mindful that not being included may make it more difficult for children, in general, to deal with grief.Experiencing a StillbirthFrankie talks about her experience of giving birth at the hospital and how she felt that some of the midwives had limited experience of caring for a mother delivering a stillborn baby, and that she felt there were gaps in the bereavement care she and her husband received.Frankie’s honest account of the, sometimes insensitive and ignorant, remarks she has received along the way is powerful and arrestingPrecious Little People As a result of her experience, Frankie is now the author of a beautiful children’s book to help explain baby loss to children but also Frankie says the book helps adults to come to terms with grief too. Her aim for the book is that you can talk about loss of your baby but that you can still think of them and smile. Her book aims to appeals to bereaved parents from diverse communities and cultures.Blogging as a bereaved parent Frankie has recently written  a blog giving support to bereaved parents who may be finding it especially difficult going through this experience during lockdown, and urges people to reach out for support. SOCIAL MEDIA:Frankie Brunker Instagram: @thesepreciouslittlepeopleThe Fertility Podcast Instagram  Kate DaviesInstagram See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Frankie Brunker – These Precious Little PeoplePlease be warned that this weeks’ episode is a hard-hitting and emotional one. It is a raw and emotional account of stillbirth and the grief that follows.Natalie chats with Frankie Brunker, whom Natalie met at a fabulous Yoga day put on by Lucy from The Rainbow Running club.Route to ParenthoodFrankie’s route to parenthood started really quickly after conceiving in the first month of trying however, devastatingly their daughter was born stillborn at 38 weeks. This came as a complete shock.Frankie’s husband had to call their family from the hospital to break the news. Frankie felt so concerned about telling family and how they would feel, particularly her nieces and nephews who were excited about a new baby coming into the family. They decided that they needed to be insular and in their own little bubble to get through this difficult time, one day at a time.The Funeral Frankie made the decision for her nieces and nephews not to attend the funeral of their daughter. At the time, this felt like the right decision but now Frankie has some regrets and is now mindful that not being included may make it more difficult for children, in general, to deal with grief.Experiencing a StillbirthFrankie talks about her experience of giving birth at the hospital and how she felt that some of the midwives had limited experience of caring for a mother delivering a stillborn baby, and that she felt there were gaps in the bereavement care she and her husband received.Frankie’s honest account of the, sometimes insensitive and ignorant, remarks she has received along the way is powerful and arrestingPrecious Little People As a result of her experience, Frankie is now the author of a beautiful children’s book to help explain baby loss to children but also Frankie says the book helps adults to come to terms with grief too. Her aim for the book is that you can talk about loss of your baby but that you can still think of them and smile. Her book aims to appeals to bereaved parents from diverse communities and cultures.Blogging as a bereaved parent Frankie has recently written <a href="https://footprintsonourhearts.com/2020/05/22/017-why-werent-we-told-stillbirth-and-esmes-story-with-frankie-brunker/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> a blog</a> giving support to bereaved parents who may be finding it especially difficult going through this experience during lockdown, and urges people to reach out for support. SOCIAL MEDIA:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/thesepreciouslittlepeople/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Frankie Brunker</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/thesepreciouslittlepeople/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a>: @thesepreciouslittlepeople<a href="https://www.thefertilitypodcast.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">The Fertility Podcast </a><a href="https://instagram.com/fertilitypoddy" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> <a href="http://www.yourfertilityjourney.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank"> Kate Davies</a><a href="https://instagram.com/your_fertility_journey" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

Life after Stillbirth

Meet Janet Murray. Janet is a digital content expert, author, and fellow podcaster. Earlier in the year Janet shared an article about secondary infertility and we wanted to talk to her about this and her experiences of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.Fertility StruggleJanet struggled with infertility and after routine tests, she was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis. Treatment ensued and shortly after her diagnosis, Janet fell pregnant. Sadly this pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, and Janet, who is normally a very pragmatic person, felt completely floored. However, she did fall pregnant again but this pregnancy was thwarted by anxiety and at 29 weeks Janet went into early labor. Luckily after time in neonatal intensive care, Janet was able to bring home her daughter Katie. Very soon after, Janet was surprised to find she was pregnant again. Unfortunately, this pregnancy ended in an ectopic pregnancy and Janet was told that she would be unlikely to conceive again.The loneliness of the first 12 weeksJanet shares her thoughts on how difficult it is to reach out for support for after an early miscarriage, as it’s almost taboo to talk about your pregnancy until after the 12-week point.I have an excuse to talkSecondary infertility is frequently dismissed by society. Over the last 5 years, Janet has run five London Marathons to raise money for The Miscarriage Association and the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust and she feels this has given her an excuse to talk about miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy in a public space."At least you have oneJanet felt that friends didn’t understand her desire to have another child and a sibling for her daughter. Because she was career-focused people always assumed that Janet only wanted to have one child out of choice. In her article (above) Janet talks about the agony of not being able to have a sibling for Katie.SOCIAL MEDIA:Janet Murray Instagram Miscarriage AssociationEctopic Pregnancy Trust Bliss Tommy’s The Fertility Podcast InstagramKate Davies Instagram See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Meet Janet Murray. Janet is a digital content expert, author, and fellow podcaster. Earlier in the year Janet shared an article about <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/parenting/least-already-have-child-pain-secondary-infertility/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">secondary infertility</a> and we wanted to talk to her about this and her experiences of miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy.Fertility StruggleJanet struggled with infertility and after routine tests, she was diagnosed with autoimmune hepatitis. Treatment ensued and shortly after her diagnosis, Janet fell pregnant. Sadly this pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, and Janet, who is normally a very pragmatic person, felt completely floored. However, she did fall pregnant again but this pregnancy was thwarted by anxiety and at 29 weeks Janet went into early labor. Luckily after time in neonatal intensive care, Janet was able to bring home her daughter Katie. Very soon after, Janet was surprised to find she was pregnant again. Unfortunately, this pregnancy ended in an ectopic pregnancy and Janet was told that she would be unlikely to conceive again.The loneliness of the first 12 weeksJanet shares her thoughts on how difficult it is to reach out for support for after an early miscarriage, as it’s almost taboo to talk about your pregnancy until after the 12-week point.I have an excuse to talkSecondary infertility is frequently dismissed by society. Over the last 5 years, Janet has run five London Marathons to raise money for The Miscarriage Association and the Ectopic Pregnancy Trust and she feels this has given her an excuse to talk about miscarriage and ectopic pregnancy in a public space."At least you have oneJanet felt that friends didn’t understand her desire to have another child and a sibling for her daughter. Because she was career-focused people always assumed that Janet only wanted to have one child out of choice. In her article (above) Janet talks about the agony of not being able to have a sibling for Katie.SOCIAL MEDIA:<a href="https://www.janetmurray.co.uk" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Janet Murray</a> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/janmurrayuk/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> <a href="https://www.miscarriageassociation.org.uk" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Miscarriage Association</a><a href="https://ectopic.org.uk" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Ectopic Pregnancy Trust</a> <a href="https://www.bliss.org.uk" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Bliss</a> <a href="https://www.tommys.org" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Tommy’s</a> <a href="https://www.thefertilitypodcast.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">The Fertility Podcast</a> <a href="https://instagram.com/fertilitypoddy" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a><a href="http://www.yourfertilityjourney.com" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Kate Davies</a> <a href="https://instagram.com/your_fertility_journey" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

How it feels to not be able to give your child a sibling

Welcome to another ‘Meet the Makers’ episode where we chat to Louise Zeniou from Cradle. When we spoke to Louise, she had been having a busy few days with various media interviews, and in-between her busy schedule she managed to sneak in an interview with us whilst sat on the floor outside the toilets in Pret!Louise has a personal experience of what it feels like to go through early pregnancy loss when she became ill and diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy. As she was so ill, she was rushed into hospital and had surgery immediately. She talks about the amazing care she received, but after surgery she missed the most basic of items such as a toothbrush and a hairbrush.The Comfort BagFrom her own experience Louise started the Comfort Bag Project with the aim to support hospitals, so that in those early moments of pregnancy loss women and men can be provided with toiletries and other products to give them a little comfort and importantly dignity. In the bag Louise also includes a personal message to give immediate words of comfort following a loss and the ways bereaved parents can connect for support once they have been discharged from hospital.How Cradle Supports the NHSCradle provides Comfort Bags to various hospitals across the country and it’s growing! From just starting out as one, Louise now has 73 volunteer ambassadors. Cradle also work with Hospital Trusts as the patient voice to help in the development of services and projects for bereaved parents. SignpostingThe role of Cradle is also to signpost to various support and counselling services to offer parents much needed professional support. Want to get involved?Contact Louise for information on how you can become an ambassador for Cradle.SOCIAL MEDIA: CRADLEThe Fertility Podcast@fertilitypoddyKate Davies Instagram    See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Welcome to another ‘Meet the Makers’ episode where we chat to Louise Zeniou from Cradle. When we spoke to Louise, she had been having a busy few days with various media interviews, and in-between her busy schedule she managed to sneak in an interview with us whilst sat on the floor outside the toilets in Pret!Louise has a personal experience of what it feels like to go through early pregnancy loss when she became ill and diagnosed with an ectopic pregnancy. As she was so ill, she was rushed into hospital and had surgery immediately. She talks about the amazing care she received, but after surgery she missed the most basic of items such as a toothbrush and a hairbrush.The Comfort BagFrom her own experience Louise started the Comfort Bag Project with the aim to support hospitals, so that in those early moments of pregnancy loss women and men can be provided with toiletries and other products to give them a little comfort and importantly dignity. In the bag Louise also includes a personal message to give immediate words of comfort following a loss and the ways bereaved parents can connect for support once they have been discharged from hospital.How Cradle Supports the NHSCradle provides Comfort Bags to various hospitals across the country and it’s growing! From just starting out as one, Louise now has 73 volunteer ambassadors. Cradle also work with Hospital Trusts as the patient voice to help in the development of services and projects for bereaved parents. SignpostingThe role of Cradle is also to signpost to various support and counselling services to offer parents much needed professional support. Want to get involved?<a href="mailto:cradle@earlypregnancyloss.co.uk">Contact Louise</a> for information on how you can become an ambassador for Cradle.SOCIAL MEDIA: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/cradle_epl" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">CRADLE</a><a href="https://www.thefertilitypodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Fertility Podcast</a><a href="https://instagram.com/fertilitypoddy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">@fertilitypoddy</a><a href="http://www.yourfertilityjourney.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kate Davies</a> <a href="https://instagram.com/your_fertility_journey" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

What support is available for you in hospital if you lose your baby

It was a bleak and dreary day.. .Kate and I connected with Eleanor Stevenson, Professor of Nursing from Duke University, North Carolina USA and Kevin McEleny, Consultant Urologist at Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust to discuss a brilliant new initiative to support men struggling with infertility.Together Kevin and Eleanor have created All about fertility an evidence-based resource providing couples with up to date articles, webinars and videos created by experts from the field of fertility. But they didn’t want to just stop there. From their research Kevin and Eleanor identified that men didn’t want to engage with support from counsellors and so they created a support forum just for men to access support in a way that was accessible to them and on their terms.Peer Support In the future, Kevin and Eleanor hope to roll out other versions of this platform to include support forums for same-sex couples and women. In the US, Eleanor is seeing that professionals are becoming more aware of male fertility but as yet, US men aren’t opening up. Whereas conversely, in the UK men are beginning to talk and there are a number of men that are leading the way, some of who have been recent guests on the podcast.Educating medical professionalsKevin talks about the need for greater awareness and sensitivity among professionals. The evidence that has come out of their research shows that what men are told at the very start can have enormous consequences on their emotional wellbeing. Eleanor tells us that while men continue to feel that their problems are not real. It reinforces stigma and men get further silenced.SOCIAL MEDIA: https://all-about-fertility.com/Twitter Kevin on twitter Eleanor on twitter FacebookKevin’s previous episode on The Fertility Podcast The Fertility Podcast Instagram  Kate DaviesInstagram   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It was a bleak and dreary day.. .Kate and I connected with Eleanor Stevenson, Professor of Nursing from Duke University, North Carolina USA and Kevin McEleny, Consultant Urologist at Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust to discuss a brilliant new initiative to support men struggling with infertility.Together Kevin and Eleanor have created <a href="https://all-about-fertility.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">All about fertility </a>an evidence-based resource providing couples with up to date articles, webinars and videos created by experts from the field of fertility. But they didn’t want to just stop there. From their research Kevin and Eleanor identified that men didn’t want to engage with support from counsellors and so they created a support forum just for men to access support in a way that was accessible to them and on their terms.Peer Support In the future, Kevin and Eleanor hope to roll out other versions of this platform to include support forums for same-sex couples and women. In the US, Eleanor is seeing that professionals are becoming more aware of male fertility but as yet, US men aren’t opening up. Whereas conversely, in the UK men are beginning to talk and there are a number of men that are leading the way, some of who have been recent guests on the podcast.Educating medical professionalsKevin talks about the need for greater awareness and sensitivity among professionals. The evidence that has come out of their research shows that what men are told at the very start can have enormous consequences on their emotional wellbeing. Eleanor tells us that while men continue to feel that their problems are not real. It reinforces stigma and men get further silenced.SOCIAL MEDIA: <a href="https://all-about-fertility.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://all-about-fertility.com/</a><a href="https://twitter.com/aafertility" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Twitter </a><a href="https://twitter.com/malefertdoc" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kevin on twitter </a><a href="https://twitter.com/EleanorPhD" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Eleanor on twitter </a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/aafertility/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Facebook</a><a href="https://www.thefertilitypodcast.com/100/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Kevin’s previous episode on The Fertility Podcast</a> <a href="https://www.thefertilitypodcast.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Fertility Podcast</a> <a href="blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> <a href="http://www.yourfertilityjourney.com" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Kate Davies</a><a href="https://instagram.com/your_fertility_journey" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Instagram</a> See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.

What support is there for men dealing with infertility?

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