Do I need support when trying to conceive?

YES you really do.

You can ask for it either online or if there are close family and friends you can talk to, great. Otherwise, there are amazing organisations available to guide you through this daunting place.

We all grow up assuming we’ll have a family, we’re taught how not to get pregnant but there is a huge gap in our knowledge when it comes to our fertility.

I have that on good authority as I’ve spent the last four years talking to people, both experts and people who are going through it themselves to make this podcast and the sad thing is, so many of us still don’t know enough about what lifestyle changes we can make, what tests we can do, to arm ourselves with more knowledge.

I want to signpost you to some episodes which I think will help, I hope all of them do and I am going to be writing more content doing just this, and you can also search a specific term on the right hand side box and if nothing comes up… let me know and I’ll get on it!

Miscarriage

There are so many unknowns to manage here and all too often we don’t ask for help. If you have had to deal with a miscarriage or recurrent miscarriage, you might be internalising the grief without asking for help when there are amazing people you could speak to which you can learn more about in this episode and fertility expert Dr Simon Fishell explains the science behind a miscarriage which is still hugely misunderstood

PCOS

If PCOS has been ruling your life and not being diagnosed by your doctor I have spoken to brilliant women who have managed to have a family and now work tirelessly to help women just like you, Kym Cambell is a great place to start and I have numerous expert interviews dealing with PCOS.

Using a syringe!

If you’re trying to conceive and are interested in artificial insemination, I met the amazing husband and wife team Marc and Maureen Brown who created Mosie, which they had success with to grow their family. It’s a syringe, the size of your palm and they’ve been having amazing success. Hear their story

Cost of IVF

Financing IVF causes such stress and I have spoken to Fertility Network and Fertility Fairness in the UK about this a lot. As I write this blog, yesterday was such a significant day as Fertility Network and IVF Babble delivered a petition to No.10 Downing Street 102k signatures, campaigning for fair access to IVF treatment and now this issue must be discussed in parliament. Despite this amazing achievement, the postcode lottery continues and CCG’s are still cutting their funding to treatment in the UK. Only this morning I was being interviewed on BBC Radio Manchester about my feelings on the subject.

When it comes to paying for your treatment, Fertility Network ran a survey in 2018, and over 90% of people spoke about the trauma of infertility. As well as having to deal with failed treatment, the money stress was a big issue.

One thing to consider if you are don’t know how to factor in how much IVF will cost is to look into finance plans which is something I’ve discussed here.

Male Infertility

I also make a big deal about Men with my podcasts and am always keen to share stories from guys who are willing to talk as well as experts offering insight. Sperm count is on the decline, male factor infertility issues makeup 50% of all cases and all too often Men don’t even get spoken to when having consultations. WTF is that all about. My aim with my content is to empower with your knowledge. Ask questions at every stage, as there are lots here for you to get stuck in to and I know from the feedback you give me that you’re finding these episodes helpful. If you are a guy, reading this and wondering what you can do to help be more proactive, why not start here

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