I've been to the Central London support group for Infertility Network UK tonight, talking about fertility treatment overseas. It's a subject that always generates so much interest, whether you're keen to travel for treatment yourself or are convinced that it is all some kind of dubious exploitative racket.
We did a survey for Infertility Network UK a while back on this very subject, and found that 3/4 of those who responded were interested in travelling overseas for fertility treatment. Of those who'd been abroad already, the vast majority had been really happy with the clinic and the treatment. However, there are always stories about dubious clinics and unethical practices which it can be impossible to prove, or to categorically deny.
The thing that emerged most clearly from the survey was the importance of thorough research - talk to people, check out as much as you can online, try to find others who have been to the same place. It does seem that if you choose the right place, treatment overseas can be a wholly positive experience, but if you jump in too quickly, you may find all kinds of problems you hadn't anticipated.
Thursday 26 November 2009
Tuesday 24 November 2009
Body clock testing
I've just been reading about yet another type of body clock testing - see this
It sounds like a great idea - take a simple test and see how late you can leave it to try to get pregnant. However, there are a number of problems.
For a start, this particular body clock test costs £350 - a tidy sum for a scan and some bloods... Perhaps you could justify shelling out that much if you were worried about your declining fertility and seeking some reassurance - but that's exactly where the second problem lies. The results could suggest that you're in tip top reproductive condition, nowhere near the menopause, and have some years to go. What they won't show is any other underlying fertility problems you may have, such as blocked fallopian tubes. You could risk delaying starting to try for a baby until it's too late for you - all because this test showed that your ovaries looked fine.
These tests also work on the premise that if there is a problem, you'll be able to freeze your eggs right away as an insurance policy against reproductive ageing. And that's the final issue. Egg freezing is still a relatively new science, and having eggs in the freezer doesn't guarantee a future pregnancy. It is expensive and is only worth doing if you understand the limitations and have no other options.
So, body clock testing may sound sensible - but should probably be taken with a large pinch of salt!
It sounds like a great idea - take a simple test and see how late you can leave it to try to get pregnant. However, there are a number of problems.
For a start, this particular body clock test costs £350 - a tidy sum for a scan and some bloods... Perhaps you could justify shelling out that much if you were worried about your declining fertility and seeking some reassurance - but that's exactly where the second problem lies. The results could suggest that you're in tip top reproductive condition, nowhere near the menopause, and have some years to go. What they won't show is any other underlying fertility problems you may have, such as blocked fallopian tubes. You could risk delaying starting to try for a baby until it's too late for you - all because this test showed that your ovaries looked fine.
These tests also work on the premise that if there is a problem, you'll be able to freeze your eggs right away as an insurance policy against reproductive ageing. And that's the final issue. Egg freezing is still a relatively new science, and having eggs in the freezer doesn't guarantee a future pregnancy. It is expensive and is only worth doing if you understand the limitations and have no other options.
So, body clock testing may sound sensible - but should probably be taken with a large pinch of salt!
Monday 23 November 2009
Free IVF treatment...
Yes, it's true. The Lister Fertility Clinic in London is offering 21 free treatment cycles - and that's full cycles, to include the freezing, storage and transfer of any additional embryos.
If you are under 45 and need IVF treatment, you can apply for one of the 21 free cycles. They are being offered through the charity Infertility Network UK and you can find out how to access the scheme on the I N UK website
The free cycles will be allocated by a random lottery, so anyone who applies stands an equal chance. At the moment in the UK, women should be entitled to up the three cycles of NHS IVF treatment, but the reality is that access to treatment depends entirely on where you live, with some primary care trusts only offering one cycle of treatment and others inventing their own criteria to limit the amount of treatment offered.
The Lister officially opened a new state-of-the-art fertility clinic last week, and the clinic is planning to offer some free treatment cycles every year.
If you are under 45 and need IVF treatment, you can apply for one of the 21 free cycles. They are being offered through the charity Infertility Network UK and you can find out how to access the scheme on the I N UK website
The free cycles will be allocated by a random lottery, so anyone who applies stands an equal chance. At the moment in the UK, women should be entitled to up the three cycles of NHS IVF treatment, but the reality is that access to treatment depends entirely on where you live, with some primary care trusts only offering one cycle of treatment and others inventing their own criteria to limit the amount of treatment offered.
The Lister officially opened a new state-of-the-art fertility clinic last week, and the clinic is planning to offer some free treatment cycles every year.
Wednesday 18 November 2009
Good news for Wales
Good news for those needing fertility treatment in Wales - from April next year, you will be able to access two cycles of NHS-funded IVF treatment.
The announcement was made by the Welsh Health Minister yesterday, and is to be welcomed as a move towards implementing the guidelines laid down by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence which suggest that all those who are eligible should be offered three cycles of treatment.
You can read more here
The announcement was made by the Welsh Health Minister yesterday, and is to be welcomed as a move towards implementing the guidelines laid down by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence which suggest that all those who are eligible should be offered three cycles of treatment.
You can read more here
Tuesday 17 November 2009
stuff of nightmares
Apparently a fertility specialist in the US has been accused of using his own sperm to fertilise a woman's eggs during treatment rather than her partner's sperm. The case first emerged some years ago and was settled out of court, but is now being investigated again.
When you go to a fertility clinic, so much trust is involved in letting someone else take control of your eggs, sperm and embryos. Thankfully, mix-ups are rare in our tightly regulated system here in the UK, but deliberately changing a child's genetic heritage like this is horrendous. There's more on the story here
With more and more couples travelling overseas for treatment, it is important to be aware that the rules and regulations clinics follow here are not universal. There are horror stories, like that of the clinic where embryos were "shared out" between all the patients or of another where no embryos were ever transferred during embryo transfer. If you're going abroad - do your research and make sure you are going to a reputable clinic.
When you go to a fertility clinic, so much trust is involved in letting someone else take control of your eggs, sperm and embryos. Thankfully, mix-ups are rare in our tightly regulated system here in the UK, but deliberately changing a child's genetic heritage like this is horrendous. There's more on the story here
With more and more couples travelling overseas for treatment, it is important to be aware that the rules and regulations clinics follow here are not universal. There are horror stories, like that of the clinic where embryos were "shared out" between all the patients or of another where no embryos were ever transferred during embryo transfer. If you're going abroad - do your research and make sure you are going to a reputable clinic.
Thursday 12 November 2009
Support for single women
It's hard enough not being able to have a child when you are going through it with a partner, but having to cope with fertility treatment by yourself can be really tough. At Infertility Network UK, we're thinking of setting up a support group for single women if there's sufficient interest. You can find out more by checking out the forums at www.infertilitynetworkuk.com
Comments
Apologies to all those who have commented on the blog recently - I just found the comments, and then managed to delete the whole lot! Next time I will be more careful...
The Fertility Show
Yes, another post about The Fertility Show. It will be my last word on the subject - until next year of course... It was an amazing two days - very busy and wonderful to see so many people there. The talks were a sell-out, and that was hardly surprising as it provided a unique opportunity to catch many of the UK's leading fertility specialists explaining their areas of expertise. There were some slightly odd stands - fertility astrology anyone? - but most provided information and access to instant advice.
I've been slightly surprised by some of the negative comments from journalists about the show, as everyone I spoke to had found it both interesting and informative - and being with thousands of other people going through the same thing made it clear quite what a common problem infertility is. The negative comments have all focused on the commercialism and the fact that many people were there to make money. I must admit that this sudden sense of horror at the idea that anyone should make money from infertility seems a little odd to me - fertility clinics have been raking it in for decades and you'd be hard pressed to find an impoverished fertility consultant.
I do take the point that some of the people working on the stands were perhaps a little forward - but one piece in the Daily Mail which criticised the Fertility Forest and More to Life - that's the charity that supports people who are living with involuntary childlessness -was just plain nasty. I'm not going to link to the piece but if you happen to have read it and felt the same way, you could always write to complain...
I've been slightly surprised by some of the negative comments from journalists about the show, as everyone I spoke to had found it both interesting and informative - and being with thousands of other people going through the same thing made it clear quite what a common problem infertility is. The negative comments have all focused on the commercialism and the fact that many people were there to make money. I must admit that this sudden sense of horror at the idea that anyone should make money from infertility seems a little odd to me - fertility clinics have been raking it in for decades and you'd be hard pressed to find an impoverished fertility consultant.
I do take the point that some of the people working on the stands were perhaps a little forward - but one piece in the Daily Mail which criticised the Fertility Forest and More to Life - that's the charity that supports people who are living with involuntary childlessness -was just plain nasty. I'm not going to link to the piece but if you happen to have read it and felt the same way, you could always write to complain...
Thursday 5 November 2009
Last chance for The Fertility Show
It's finally here - it starts tomorrow. You can still buy tickets on the door. It promises to be a fantastic event and there are a huge range of speakers and exhibitors. My talks have both sold out (!), but there are still spaces for some of the others - check out the website and see what's on - www.fertilityshow.co.uk
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