If you are considering private IVF treatment, but you are not sure if you are eligible, here are some easy to read guidelines to help… Who is eligible? All patients, irrespective of whether they meet the NHS criteria for IVF treatment, can be seen by a private fertility clinic. However, as a general rule, it is recommended that you seek the advice of fertility specialists if: You are under the age of thirty-five and have been having regular unprotected sex for twelve months without a pregnancy. You are over thirty-five and have been trying to conceive for six months. You are over forty and have been trying to conceive for three months. Have you seen your GP? If you are... View Article
IVF treatment can be a stressful process and an emotional rollercoaster ride. There can be many contributing factors to these heightened feelings, including the treatment timescale, the hormonal effects of the medication and the anxiety about the success of the treatment. To help you prepare for dealing with your emotions during IVF treatment, we have put together the following advice… Knowledge To reduce your stress levels, it is important that you gather as much information as possible about the procedure and prepare yourself for your IVF journey. The best way to do this is by asking as many questions as possible to your chosen fertility clinic. The more you know and understand about the process, the less anxious you will... View Article
What is the fertility apps function? There are over a thousand of these apps available, from simple period trackers to ones specifically designed to help plan or prevent pregnancy. They fall into two main categories: calendar-based, where users input the start and the end of their periods and symptom-thermal, based on physical signs of ovulation such us cervical mucus. Whatever the specifics, the aim is the same: to identify a user’s fertility window- the six days in which you can conceive, made up of ovulation and the five days preceding it. How does a fertility calendar work? The fertility apps will ask you for the date of your first day of your period, the average length of your menstrual cycles.... View Article
If you are single or in a LGBT relationship and you want to try for a baby, there are several routes to parenthood that you can consider. Modern medical practices offer many effective solutions to help single or lesbian women achieve parenthood. The first step for these women is to decide whether they want to preserve their fertility and try for a baby in the future, or begin their treatment now. Read on below for some fertility treatment options that can help you to have a baby if you don’t have a male partner… Donor sperm Donor sperm can help you to become a parent, regardless of your sexuality or whether you are in a relationship. The donor sperm is... View Article
If you and your partner are experiencing problems with trying to conceive a child and you have had a fertility evaluation, you can then consider your treatment options. Fertility treatments vary, depending on your requirements, but they typically involve medication to stimulate the production of egg and/or sperm cells, or procedures that handle the eggs, sperm or embryos. Every patient is different and the treatment for your infertility might just be some changes to your lifestyle or weight. With that said, your treatment will depend on the cause of your infertility. Before you can determine which treatment option is most effective, you’ll need to understand what each one actually is. Fertility Drugs In many cases of infertility, women are not... View Article
Anabolic steroids belong to a class of drugs called androgens, which are compounds that act similarly to testosterone. Also known as anabolic-androgenic steroids these drugs are prescribed for the treatment of various conditions, including hormone imbalances and muscle loss. Unfortunately, they are often abused by athletes and others trying to increase muscle mass quickly. Testosterone is an important androgen in the human body. Effects of androgens are most evident during puberty like voice changing or pubic and body hair growing. It is naturally produced in the testicle, where its primary role is to help with the development of sperm. When the testosterone levels fall, the body responds by producing both luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle stimulation hormone (FSH). LH acts... View Article
When discussing fertility treatment options you will naturally have a number of questions to ask. One of the most common questions we hear is how painful is IVF and what actually happens during the procedure? To help answer these questions, we have put together the following information… IVF treatment encompasses a number of procedures referred to as the ‘treatment cycle’.The truth is that during an IVF cycle, there are many stages where a woman may experience discomfort, but this is different for every individual. The IVF cycle starts with hormone injections for the development of eggs. These injections are usually painless and can be self-administered, but to those who do not like needles this can be a concern. As these... View Article
Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a common cause of infertility in females. If you have it, it’s important to determine what is causing it, as each case is different. Although there is no absolute cure, the symptoms of PCOS can be treated. But what actually is it? What is PCOS? PCOS is an imbalance of hormones that leads to many miniature ovarian cysts. During the ovulation cycle of a woman who has PCOS, the eggs that begin to develop never actually mature enough to prompt ovulation, so they are therefore never released from the ovary. Each of the immature follicles containing an immature egg releases hormones which, cumulatively, cause the ovary to become polycystic. Women who have PCOS may have... View Article
Two of the most common fertility treatments are IVF, which means In Vitro Fertilisation and ICSI, which stands for Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection. ICSI is quite similar to IVF because both methods require eggs and sperm to be collected from each partner, for fertilisation performed outside of the body. The difference between these two procedures is the way in which fertilisation is achieved… With IVF treatment the eggs and sperm are mixed together in a laboratory dish. The sperm then naturally penetrates and fertilises the egg. The fertilised egg is then returned to the woman’s womb in the hope that it will grow and develop into a successful pregnancy. ICSI is a fertility treatment where a single sperm is picked up... View Article
Women freeze their eggs for numerous medical and lifestyle reasons. If you know you want to have children in the future, but currently want to focus on other areas of your life, such as your career, egg freezing is an excellent option. It is also recommended for women undergoing certain medical treatments that may affect their fertility. Age is another reason women consider egg freezing. As you age, the chance of naturally conceiving reduces, because the number and quality of your eggs drops. Egg freezing is therefore a fantastic option if you wish to preserve your fertility. As you can see there are various benefits to having your eggs frozen. Let’s take a look at each of these benefits in... View Article
