fertility

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Good news for childless couples – donor recruitment giving hope. What is your view on egg donation?


Hope for childless couples

Hope for childless couples

An abundance of egg donors to help childless couples conceive

There is normally a nationwide shortage of egg donations with many women on waiting lists.

Neelam Potdar is a Consultant Gynaecologist and Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine at Leicester Fertility Centre and said: “In the past our waiting list has been as long as two years because there has been a lack of donors, which has meant couples seeking help elsewhere, even as far as Spain and Cyprus to receive donated eggs.”

Leicester Fertility Centre based at Leicester Royal Infirmary, has worked hard on recruiting donors and reducing the waiting list down to just six months. This has meant that we now have an unprecedented and unexpected surplus of egg donors.

Mo Thomas, Senior Counsellor at Leicester Fertility Centre said: “Any couple who are interested in egg donation should contact us. We are really pleased that we have managed to reduce our waiting lists and would welcome meeting anyone who would like our help in conceiving a child of their own.”

“We hope we can help as many couples as possible and we are happy to help NHS and private patients”, Mo adds.

Which prompts our question. Ladies – would you ever consider donating your eggs and why?

Please feel to share you thoughts and experiences in the comment section below.

Many thanks in advance.


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When are women at their most fertile? Help plan conception ! Find out in our new video with Zita West


How to get to know your body when trying for a baby!

Zita West

Zita West

Watch our video with Zita West where she gives advice on pre conception planning as well as busting a few pregnancy myths

If you’ve decided to try for a baby you might feel ready emotionally, but is your body prepared for the task ahead? To boost your chances of a healthy pregnancy you need to fully understand your body and fulfil its needs with some preconception planning.

For most women your fertile time will be between day 10 and 18 of your cycle. This varies from month to month for each individual, but there are fertile signs you can look out for.

During a woman’s fertile time, regular sex is essential for conception. It is important for a woman to work out when her individual fertile time is, but if you choose not to do this then the more sex you have, the greater your chance of conception.
Contrary to common belief, the body has amazing ways to help sperm on its journey to the egg and there is no need to try gymnastic style sex positions to help sperm on its journey.
If you are trying to conceive or know someone who is, watch our video with Zita West who has teamed up with First Response to provide advice on how to get to know your body and work out when your most fertile time is.

You can watch the video here http://youtu.be/otLnpE5o_FA


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How can men boost their fertility? Watch our video with Zita West where she gives advice to men on simple lifestyle changes they can make to boost fertility


Zita West

Zita West

It’s easy for couples to focus solely on the woman’s health as they prepare for pregnancy; however, pre conception health is just as important for men.

The average sperm count should be 15 million or more per ml according to new guidelines. Low sperm count and mobility may be caused by a series of lifestyle factors and could affect a man’s chances of conceiving. There are several habits men need to be forming during these critical months of preparation, including increasing water intake, eating food rich in antioxidants also folic acid, and avoiding hot baths and tight pants as heat is damaging to sperm.

It is important for couples to remember that baby making is a team project so there’s absolutely no reason why your partner shouldn’t join you in eating better food, exercising more and doing things he enjoys to relieve stress, all of which will improve the health of his sperm and fertility. No one knows more about this than leading fertility and pregnancy expert Zita West who is also a practicing midwife, acupuncturist and nutritional advisor.

Watch her video here:-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b92wVJwWXr4


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How can diet and exercise help you conceive? Watch our video with Zita West where she gives advice on how diet, nutrition and exercise can play a key role in boosting your fertility


Zita West

Zita West

It’s well known that a good diet and exercise regime is important for a healthy pregnancy and for your baby’s growth. But believe it or not, paying attention to diet and exercise should also be a top priority even before you conceive.

From the very start you’ll be nourishing the egg and sperm cells that will become your baby, so following a sensible diet when you’re ‘trying’ is imperative.  Balancing your blood sugar by eating breakfast, having a diet rich in antioxidants and making sure you have plenty of vitamin D will all help to balance hormone levels and improve your fertility.

For both men and women, being overweight can affect your ability to conceive. So maintaining a healthy level of exercise not only keeps your weight down but helps with endorphin release, reduces stress, regulates your blood sugar levels, and promotes good circulation to the reproductive organs.

Balance is vital when it comes to both diet and exercise as being underweight can harm your fertility and men who do too much exercise could be impairing their sperm count; no one knows more about this than leading fertility and pregnancy expert Zita West who is also a practicing midwife, acupuncturist and nutritional advisor.

If you are trying to conceive or know someone who is, watch our video with Zita West who has teamed up with First Response to give advice on diet, nutrition and exercise fertility boosters.

You can watch the video here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b92wVJwWXr4

Zita West is – who has been a midwife for 30 years and whose clients have included Kate Winslet, Stella McCartney and Sophie Wessex.


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IVF treatment- have you had or would you consider having IVF treatment for fertility?

IVF egg

IVF egg

One of the big news stories of the summer was the announcement of a new low cost for of IVF.  With a massive reduction in cost this innovation in fertility treatments will bring hope to many women seeking to have a child. For more information please check out this report from the UK’s Daily Telegraph web site http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/10166904/No-frills-IVF-kit-for-200-could-be-on-offer-to-British-couples-within-years.html.

According to the article the current costs of £5,000 could be reduced to as low as £180 for a cycle of IVF.  Making the treatment much more accessible to ordinary people.

Simply put In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a reproductive technology in which the woman’s egg is removed and then joined with a sperm cell from a man in a test tube.   Hence the term “test tube baby”.

Would you consider having IVF for yourself or with your partner?  Does the potential change in cost alter your view?

Please take the poll below or add your thoughts in the comments box below to share your opinion.

Many thanks in advance.