Get your dates straight
There is an increasing anxiety about getting pregnant, especially for women over 35, but don’t feel as if you need to go straight for IVF. Work out when you ovulate. Ovulation occurs 14 days before your period, so this is the best time to try for a baby. If you are over 35 try for six months, and if you have no luck speak to your GP about alternatives
Check your BMI
If you are underweight or overweight it can affect your normal hormonal balance and ovulation cycle. If you are overweight eat healthily, but don’t think that you need to cut out certain foods, such as full-fat dairy. Medical researchers discovered that women who included full-fat milk, cheese, ice cream and cream in their diets had higher levels of fertility
Keep it balanced
We need a good alkaline/acid balance in our diet to make sure our body functions are working, so cutting out highly acidic foods and drinks can make you more fertile. Meat and carbonated drinks are highly acidic, while dairy and leafy green vegetables are more alkaline, as is bottled water, which contains magnesium and calcium
Watch your alcohol
Keep your intake within health guidelines as it can rob your body of key nutrients – the NHS recommends no more than two to three units a day for women. If you smoke you should quit. Smoking takes vitamins B and C from your body and suppresses your appetite, as well as causing acidity – all of which will make you less fertile
To read more go to http://bit.ly/gvUjwU
Monday 31 January 2011
Friday 28 January 2011
Woman goes to court to try and find her sperm donor's identity
A WOMAN conceived with the help of a sperm donor has taken a rare legal step to find out the identity of her biological father.
In a case that could affect thousands of donor-conceived families, Kimberley Springfield has asked a tribunal to overturn a bureaucratic decision that no action be taken to help identify the donor.
Her case comes as state and federal parliamentary inquiries due to report in the coming months consider donor conception and the rights of donor-conceived people to gain access to identifying information about their donors.
In submissions to both inquiries, Ms Springfield, 26, whose sister and at least four half siblings were conceived with her biological father's sperm, said she had suffered mentally, emotionally and physically from being denied knowledge about her family since she found out how she was conceived five years ago.
''I cannot fathom going through life never knowing where I have come from, my ancestry and my identity,'' Ms Springfield wrote. ''Every day I look at the faces of people around me and wonder: 'Could you be my father, my half sister, my half brother, my grandparent?'''
Ms Springfield was born before 1988, when sperm donors were completely anonymous. The identity of her donor is not recorded on the voluntary register of donors kept by the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
In Victoria, where Ms Springfield lives, those born between 1988 and 1997 have the right to access information about the donor if the donor agrees and only those born after 1997 have an absolute right to information.
Ms Springfield has asked the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to review the registrar's decision to deny her recent request that they seek the donor's identity from a medical institution and then write to the donor advocating the purpose and benefit of the voluntary register.
Peter Hanks, QC, for Ms Springfield, said the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act stated that ''the registrar may from time to time publicise the establishment and purpose of the voluntary register''. He argued this provision needed to be read together with a part of the Births, Deaths and Marriages Act dealing with the registrar's general functions.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/fgfL1x
In a case that could affect thousands of donor-conceived families, Kimberley Springfield has asked a tribunal to overturn a bureaucratic decision that no action be taken to help identify the donor.
Her case comes as state and federal parliamentary inquiries due to report in the coming months consider donor conception and the rights of donor-conceived people to gain access to identifying information about their donors.
In submissions to both inquiries, Ms Springfield, 26, whose sister and at least four half siblings were conceived with her biological father's sperm, said she had suffered mentally, emotionally and physically from being denied knowledge about her family since she found out how she was conceived five years ago.
''I cannot fathom going through life never knowing where I have come from, my ancestry and my identity,'' Ms Springfield wrote. ''Every day I look at the faces of people around me and wonder: 'Could you be my father, my half sister, my half brother, my grandparent?'''
Ms Springfield was born before 1988, when sperm donors were completely anonymous. The identity of her donor is not recorded on the voluntary register of donors kept by the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.
In Victoria, where Ms Springfield lives, those born between 1988 and 1997 have the right to access information about the donor if the donor agrees and only those born after 1997 have an absolute right to information.
Ms Springfield has asked the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal to review the registrar's decision to deny her recent request that they seek the donor's identity from a medical institution and then write to the donor advocating the purpose and benefit of the voluntary register.
Peter Hanks, QC, for Ms Springfield, said the Assisted Reproductive Treatment Act stated that ''the registrar may from time to time publicise the establishment and purpose of the voluntary register''. He argued this provision needed to be read together with a part of the Births, Deaths and Marriages Act dealing with the registrar's general functions.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/fgfL1x
Women 6 more times likely to suffer fertility problems at age 35 than 25
Doctors have issued a stark warning to couples not to leave it too late to try for a baby.
With more and more women pursuing careers, they and their partners are leaving parenthood to at least their late thirties.
But women aged 35 are six times more likely to have problems conceiving compared to those ten years younger, warns a major study from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. The report says older parents are making it harder for themselves to have children – and increasing the likelihood of serious medical complications for both mother and baby. By the age of 40, a woman is more likely to have a miscarriage than give birth.
Men’s fertility also declines rapidly from the age of 25 and the doctors estimate that the average 40-year-old takes two years to get his partner pregnant – even if she is in her twenties. The report is a clear and authoritative wake-up call on the dangers of late parenthood. However, increasing numbers of couples are doing just that without properly understanding the consequences – and the risks.
Separate figures show that the number of mothers giving birth after their 40th birthday has trebled in the last 20 years. Almost 27,000 babies were born to mothers over 40 last year compared to with 9,336 in 1989. The doctors insist women should be given clear reminders that ‘the most secure age for childbearing remains 20 to 35’.
Up to 30 per cent of 35-year-olds take longer than a year to get pregnant, compared to only 5 per cent of 25-year-olds, according to the figures in the report by the Royal College. The research, which looked at several major studies on fertility, also shows that the average childbearing age has risen from 23 in 1968 to 29.3 today.
Expectant mothers in their late thirties and forties are far more likely to suffer complications such as pre-eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage or stillbirth and they are also more likely to need a Caesarean. Babies born to them are more likely to be premature, smaller or have Down’s Syndrome and other genetic disorders.
Doctors warn that government campaigns to cut teenage pregnancy and boost contraception uptake may have resulted in young people thinking they can delay parenthood indefinitely. They also say that IVF has given women a ‘false sense of security’, despite major breakthroughs in recent years.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/gsAbC6
With more and more women pursuing careers, they and their partners are leaving parenthood to at least their late thirties.
But women aged 35 are six times more likely to have problems conceiving compared to those ten years younger, warns a major study from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. The report says older parents are making it harder for themselves to have children – and increasing the likelihood of serious medical complications for both mother and baby. By the age of 40, a woman is more likely to have a miscarriage than give birth.
Men’s fertility also declines rapidly from the age of 25 and the doctors estimate that the average 40-year-old takes two years to get his partner pregnant – even if she is in her twenties. The report is a clear and authoritative wake-up call on the dangers of late parenthood. However, increasing numbers of couples are doing just that without properly understanding the consequences – and the risks.
Separate figures show that the number of mothers giving birth after their 40th birthday has trebled in the last 20 years. Almost 27,000 babies were born to mothers over 40 last year compared to with 9,336 in 1989. The doctors insist women should be given clear reminders that ‘the most secure age for childbearing remains 20 to 35’.
Up to 30 per cent of 35-year-olds take longer than a year to get pregnant, compared to only 5 per cent of 25-year-olds, according to the figures in the report by the Royal College. The research, which looked at several major studies on fertility, also shows that the average childbearing age has risen from 23 in 1968 to 29.3 today.
Expectant mothers in their late thirties and forties are far more likely to suffer complications such as pre-eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy, miscarriage or stillbirth and they are also more likely to need a Caesarean. Babies born to them are more likely to be premature, smaller or have Down’s Syndrome and other genetic disorders.
Doctors warn that government campaigns to cut teenage pregnancy and boost contraception uptake may have resulted in young people thinking they can delay parenthood indefinitely. They also say that IVF has given women a ‘false sense of security’, despite major breakthroughs in recent years.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/gsAbC6
Saturday 22 January 2011
Surrogate mother allowed to keep her baby
A surrogate mother who had a baby girl for a couple but changed her mind about handing her over is allowed to keep her, a judge has ruled.
The welfare of the six-month-old child, known only as T, "requires her to remain with her mother", said Mr Justice Baker, giving reasons yesterday for a decision he made after a hearing in Birmingham last month.
He said: "In my judgment, there is a clear attachment between mother and daughter. To remove her from her mother's care would cause a measure of harm. It is the mother who, I find, is better able to meet T's needs, in particular her emotional needs."
The judge said the risks of entering into a surrogacy agreement are "very considerable".
He added: "In particular, the natural process of carrying and giving birth to a baby creates an attachment which may be so strong that the surrogate mother finds herself unable to give up the child."
He said the mother met the couple, Mr and Mrs W, over the internet in 2009 and agreed informally that the mother would be inseminated by Mr W, and hand the baby over after the birth.
During the pregnancy, however, she changed her mind, and at T's birth refused to hand over the baby as agreed.
The mother has two older children. Mr W is a chef and he and Mrs W were married in 2005.
After Mr and Mrs W were married, they tried to have a baby themselves, but their attempts resulted in a series of miscarriages, which led them to consider surrogacy.
It was agreed that the mother would act as a surrogate for the Ws, using Mr W's sperm, and she became pregnant, but at some point during the pregnancy, relations between the parties deteriorated.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/e7uV7q
The welfare of the six-month-old child, known only as T, "requires her to remain with her mother", said Mr Justice Baker, giving reasons yesterday for a decision he made after a hearing in Birmingham last month.
He said: "In my judgment, there is a clear attachment between mother and daughter. To remove her from her mother's care would cause a measure of harm. It is the mother who, I find, is better able to meet T's needs, in particular her emotional needs."
The judge said the risks of entering into a surrogacy agreement are "very considerable".
He added: "In particular, the natural process of carrying and giving birth to a baby creates an attachment which may be so strong that the surrogate mother finds herself unable to give up the child."
He said the mother met the couple, Mr and Mrs W, over the internet in 2009 and agreed informally that the mother would be inseminated by Mr W, and hand the baby over after the birth.
During the pregnancy, however, she changed her mind, and at T's birth refused to hand over the baby as agreed.
The mother has two older children. Mr W is a chef and he and Mrs W were married in 2005.
After Mr and Mrs W were married, they tried to have a baby themselves, but their attempts resulted in a series of miscarriages, which led them to consider surrogacy.
It was agreed that the mother would act as a surrogate for the Ws, using Mr W's sperm, and she became pregnant, but at some point during the pregnancy, relations between the parties deteriorated.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/e7uV7q
Thursday 20 January 2011
Could astrology boost your chances of getting pregnant?
After four miscarriages and six failed IVF treatments, Mandy Parry was no stranger to studying charts in her quest to be a mum.
She knew precisely where she was in her menstrual cycle as readily as she knew the day of the week. In the five years she and her husband Mark had been trying to conceive, Mandy tried spiritual healing, feng shui, acupuncture, organic diets and a host of herbal remedies.
Then, in a last attempt, Mandy consulted a fertility astrologer to help her get pregnant.
‘Mark and I had spent more than £50,000 on treatments and we’d both taken second jobs to pay for them,’ Mandy says. ‘All the heartbreak had made me profoundly depressed - at times I wanted to die. The odds were so stacked against us.’ But now the couple are the proud parents of eight-month-old Violet. And Mandy has no doubt it was astro-fertility that has helped to fulfil her dream of becoming a mother.
‘Though I was sceptical, I was also desperate,’ says Mandy. ‘I don’t even read my horoscope and Mark thought it was a complete waste of money. But when you want a baby as badly as I did, you will consider anything. 'Since Violet was born I feel intoxicated with happiness. I still can’t quite believe she’s here. All of my scepticism has melted away.’
But can credit for this miracle conception really be given to star-gazing - and is there a shred of evidence to support it?
Astro-fertility works on the assumption that there are only two or three times a year when a woman can become pregnant and go on to successfully give birth. Those windows are particular to each woman based on her and her partner’s time and place of birth and the alignment of planets at those moments. It is only when the position of those planets is replicated that a woman can conceive.
‘It sounds like nonsense,’ says Mandy, a secondary school teacher. ‘But we’d exhausted all other options so I thought: “Why not?”' She and Mark, a community safety worker, met in May 2004 when Mandy was 39 and eager to have a family. But, just as their relationship got serious, Mark, 47, made a confession - he’d had a vasectomy a few years back, following the birth of his three sons from his first marriage.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/dRIdte
She knew precisely where she was in her menstrual cycle as readily as she knew the day of the week. In the five years she and her husband Mark had been trying to conceive, Mandy tried spiritual healing, feng shui, acupuncture, organic diets and a host of herbal remedies.
Then, in a last attempt, Mandy consulted a fertility astrologer to help her get pregnant.
‘Mark and I had spent more than £50,000 on treatments and we’d both taken second jobs to pay for them,’ Mandy says. ‘All the heartbreak had made me profoundly depressed - at times I wanted to die. The odds were so stacked against us.’ But now the couple are the proud parents of eight-month-old Violet. And Mandy has no doubt it was astro-fertility that has helped to fulfil her dream of becoming a mother.
‘Though I was sceptical, I was also desperate,’ says Mandy. ‘I don’t even read my horoscope and Mark thought it was a complete waste of money. But when you want a baby as badly as I did, you will consider anything. 'Since Violet was born I feel intoxicated with happiness. I still can’t quite believe she’s here. All of my scepticism has melted away.’
But can credit for this miracle conception really be given to star-gazing - and is there a shred of evidence to support it?
Astro-fertility works on the assumption that there are only two or three times a year when a woman can become pregnant and go on to successfully give birth. Those windows are particular to each woman based on her and her partner’s time and place of birth and the alignment of planets at those moments. It is only when the position of those planets is replicated that a woman can conceive.
‘It sounds like nonsense,’ says Mandy, a secondary school teacher. ‘But we’d exhausted all other options so I thought: “Why not?”' She and Mark, a community safety worker, met in May 2004 when Mandy was 39 and eager to have a family. But, just as their relationship got serious, Mark, 47, made a confession - he’d had a vasectomy a few years back, following the birth of his three sons from his first marriage.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/dRIdte
Tuesday 18 January 2011
The HFEA is launching a public consultation about sperm and egg donation: have your say
The HFEA is launching a public consultation about sperm and egg donation. The HFEA believes that the current level of remuneration – £250 per donation for "reasonable expenses" and loss of earnings may but deterring donors.
One in seven British couples have problems conceiving and the demand from infertile, single and gay couples for donated eggs and sperm is steadily rising.
The consultation will focus on three main areas of policy:
:The level of compensation for donors
:The number of families a donor can help to create
:Family donation
Prof Lisa Jardine, Chair of the HFEA said:
‘The donation of sperm and eggs is a generous act and donors have helped many thousands of people achieve their dream of having a child. We know that many people are facing long waiting lists at clinics because of a shortage of donors. We want to ensure that we have the best policies in place so that there are no unnecessary barriers in the way of those wishing to donate whilst protecting those who are born as a result of donation.’
Compensation for donors
Payment for donation is not allowed by law. It does, however, allow compensation for inconvenience, in addition to expenses and loss of earnings. Our current policy is designed to ensure that donors are not out of pocket by donating but that they do not gain financially from it. We currently allow donors to be compensated for expenses and loss of earning, but not for inconvenience.
Feedback from clinics, however, shows that not only do some donors end up out of pocket, but the system is more complex than it needs to be. We are therefore seeking views about whether clinics should offer a lump sum, rather than reimbursing for actual expenses.
Another question in the consultation is whether the HFEA should introduce compensation for inconvenience, as some other European countries do. This move may remove a barrier to donation, but we have to be careful that it does not create a financial incentive to donate. Other countries have different schemes in place. For example, in Denmark, sperm donors receive 50–150 Euros (£45-£135) for the examination, use of their time and travel expenses. In Spain, egg donors are compensated 900 Euros (around £765) whereas sperm donors are compensated 45 Euros (around £40) per valid sample they produce. This is a blanket fee for loss of earnings, expenses and inconvenience.
Another key question for the consultation is issue of egg sharing, where patients donate their eggs in return for a reduction in the cost of their treatment.
The number of families a donor can help to create
The HFEA set a limit on the number of families one donor’s eggs or sperm can be used to help create. The current limit is ten families. This limit minimises the possibility of two children from the same donor having a relationship with each other without knowing they are genetically related. It also addresses the perceived needs of donor conceived people and their parents in maintaining a relatively small number of siblings.
The HFEA are seeking views on what the family limit should be, to ensure the right balance is struck between increasing the availability of donated eggs and sperm and protecting the interests of donors and donor-conceived people.
Family donation
Family donation includes many different types of donation relationships, some more common than others. Donation between sisters, cousins and brothers are the most common donation relationship. The HFEA have also had reports of mother to daughter, daughter to mother, father to son and son to father.
Receiving sperm or eggs from a family member is an attractive option for some as it maintains a genetic link between the recipient and any child born as a result. It can also avoid long waiting lists at fertility clinics.
Donation of this kind can, however, raise some social and ethical issues such as unusual genetic and social relationships. For example, if a woman donates an egg to her sister she will be the genetic mother and social aunt of any child born as a result.
There are a number of options for regulation of family donation including a ban on the mixing of sperm and eggs between close genetic relatives (those who would otherwise be banned from having sex with each other) or only ban the mixing of sperm and eggs between genetic relatives.
The HFEA could also issue additional best practice guidance to clinics or ask them to have a strategy in place to handle cases of family donation.
How to participate
People can share their views through a series of questionnaires on the consultation pages of the HFEA's website. They will also be holding a series of workshops with patients, donors, parents of donors conceived people, as well as those who are donor conceived. The HFEA will also be consulting with clinics.
The HFEA wish to hear a wide range of views both from those directly affected and those who are interested in the issues. The consultation ends on April 17 and decisions will be made at the Authority meeting in July.
To take part and have your say, follow this link www.hfea.gov.uk
To read more about gay parenting, sperm and egg donation visit www.prideangel.com
To read more go to http://bit.ly/gggIEO
One in seven British couples have problems conceiving and the demand from infertile, single and gay couples for donated eggs and sperm is steadily rising.
The consultation will focus on three main areas of policy:
:The level of compensation for donors
:The number of families a donor can help to create
:Family donation
Prof Lisa Jardine, Chair of the HFEA said:
‘The donation of sperm and eggs is a generous act and donors have helped many thousands of people achieve their dream of having a child. We know that many people are facing long waiting lists at clinics because of a shortage of donors. We want to ensure that we have the best policies in place so that there are no unnecessary barriers in the way of those wishing to donate whilst protecting those who are born as a result of donation.’
Compensation for donors
Payment for donation is not allowed by law. It does, however, allow compensation for inconvenience, in addition to expenses and loss of earnings. Our current policy is designed to ensure that donors are not out of pocket by donating but that they do not gain financially from it. We currently allow donors to be compensated for expenses and loss of earning, but not for inconvenience.
Feedback from clinics, however, shows that not only do some donors end up out of pocket, but the system is more complex than it needs to be. We are therefore seeking views about whether clinics should offer a lump sum, rather than reimbursing for actual expenses.
Another question in the consultation is whether the HFEA should introduce compensation for inconvenience, as some other European countries do. This move may remove a barrier to donation, but we have to be careful that it does not create a financial incentive to donate. Other countries have different schemes in place. For example, in Denmark, sperm donors receive 50–150 Euros (£45-£135) for the examination, use of their time and travel expenses. In Spain, egg donors are compensated 900 Euros (around £765) whereas sperm donors are compensated 45 Euros (around £40) per valid sample they produce. This is a blanket fee for loss of earnings, expenses and inconvenience.
Another key question for the consultation is issue of egg sharing, where patients donate their eggs in return for a reduction in the cost of their treatment.
The number of families a donor can help to create
The HFEA set a limit on the number of families one donor’s eggs or sperm can be used to help create. The current limit is ten families. This limit minimises the possibility of two children from the same donor having a relationship with each other without knowing they are genetically related. It also addresses the perceived needs of donor conceived people and their parents in maintaining a relatively small number of siblings.
The HFEA are seeking views on what the family limit should be, to ensure the right balance is struck between increasing the availability of donated eggs and sperm and protecting the interests of donors and donor-conceived people.
Family donation
Family donation includes many different types of donation relationships, some more common than others. Donation between sisters, cousins and brothers are the most common donation relationship. The HFEA have also had reports of mother to daughter, daughter to mother, father to son and son to father.
Receiving sperm or eggs from a family member is an attractive option for some as it maintains a genetic link between the recipient and any child born as a result. It can also avoid long waiting lists at fertility clinics.
Donation of this kind can, however, raise some social and ethical issues such as unusual genetic and social relationships. For example, if a woman donates an egg to her sister she will be the genetic mother and social aunt of any child born as a result.
There are a number of options for regulation of family donation including a ban on the mixing of sperm and eggs between close genetic relatives (those who would otherwise be banned from having sex with each other) or only ban the mixing of sperm and eggs between genetic relatives.
The HFEA could also issue additional best practice guidance to clinics or ask them to have a strategy in place to handle cases of family donation.
How to participate
People can share their views through a series of questionnaires on the consultation pages of the HFEA's website. They will also be holding a series of workshops with patients, donors, parents of donors conceived people, as well as those who are donor conceived. The HFEA will also be consulting with clinics.
The HFEA wish to hear a wide range of views both from those directly affected and those who are interested in the issues. The consultation ends on April 17 and decisions will be made at the Authority meeting in July.
To take part and have your say, follow this link www.hfea.gov.uk
To read more about gay parenting, sperm and egg donation visit www.prideangel.com
To read more go to http://bit.ly/gggIEO
Sunday 16 January 2011
Talking with children about Sperm donation
Starting a family the "old-fashioned way" is becoming less common. Only 25% of American households are made up of a husband, wife, and a child. The fertility field is continually growing with advances in scientific technology, and infertile patients have more options for conceiving -- including the use of donor sperm. Along with the medical advances comes the continual need for emotional support for both the parent and children.
The American Fertility Association, a 501(c)3 national non-profit organization, is excited to announce the release of its second fact sheet in a series of articles designed to help parents who are wondering about whether or how to share their children's donor origins with them. The first article in this series, Talking with Children about Ovum Donation, addressed the long-term implications of disclosure and non-disclosure, parents' concerns about disclosure, current research about parents who disclose, guidelines for sharing information with children, and some suggested words and expressions for doing so.
Jean Benward, LCSW, and Patricia Mendell, LCSW, both mental health professionals specializing in infertility issues, recently completed the second fact sheet, Talking with Children about Sperm Donation. This latest comprehensive article acknowledges that couples deciding to use sperm donation face decisions and experiences that are both similar and different from those using ovum donation. These differences include the greater history of secrecy and stigma associated with sperm donation, the relative "silence" about male infertility and cultural myths about male parenting. This resource is a lifetime tool for families created through sperm donation who would like to talk to their children and others about their donor origins.
This fact sheet is the second in a series of five articles and is designed primarily for heterosexual couples considering sperm donation. The next two articles will focus on the unique experiences and issues faced by lesbian couples and single women who use sperm donation. "While donor insemination (DI) has been available for heterosexual couples for nearly a century, this was not true for single women and lesbians," explains Jean Benward. "Even now, single women and lesbians face prejudice in the larger culture where many people deny the legitimacy of families formed without fathers."
To read more go to http://bit.ly/i98w7r
The American Fertility Association, a 501(c)3 national non-profit organization, is excited to announce the release of its second fact sheet in a series of articles designed to help parents who are wondering about whether or how to share their children's donor origins with them. The first article in this series, Talking with Children about Ovum Donation, addressed the long-term implications of disclosure and non-disclosure, parents' concerns about disclosure, current research about parents who disclose, guidelines for sharing information with children, and some suggested words and expressions for doing so.
Jean Benward, LCSW, and Patricia Mendell, LCSW, both mental health professionals specializing in infertility issues, recently completed the second fact sheet, Talking with Children about Sperm Donation. This latest comprehensive article acknowledges that couples deciding to use sperm donation face decisions and experiences that are both similar and different from those using ovum donation. These differences include the greater history of secrecy and stigma associated with sperm donation, the relative "silence" about male infertility and cultural myths about male parenting. This resource is a lifetime tool for families created through sperm donation who would like to talk to their children and others about their donor origins.
This fact sheet is the second in a series of five articles and is designed primarily for heterosexual couples considering sperm donation. The next two articles will focus on the unique experiences and issues faced by lesbian couples and single women who use sperm donation. "While donor insemination (DI) has been available for heterosexual couples for nearly a century, this was not true for single women and lesbians," explains Jean Benward. "Even now, single women and lesbians face prejudice in the larger culture where many people deny the legitimacy of families formed without fathers."
To read more go to http://bit.ly/i98w7r
Friday 14 January 2011
Single and Considering Motherhood? Volunteers Needed for Study. Can you help?
Would you like to take part in some cutting edge, exciting new research? Susanna Graham, a PhD student at the Centre for Family Research, University of Cambridge, is undertaking a study exploring the decision-making and experiences of single women in the UK using donor sperm to achieve motherhood and is looking for volunteers to take part in the study. Further details about the study can be found below and if you would like more information or think you might be interested in taking part then please e-mail Susanna at smg57@cam.ac.uk
Why is the study being done?
Single motherhood by choice is a growing family trend. Some women choose to use donors from British sperm banks, some import sperm from abroad and others use known donors. Internet sperm donor matching sites such as Pride Angel are also an option for women wanting to find a sperm donor. Single women using donor sperm has sparked much ethical debate amongst policy makers and the media but very little is known about the women who make this choice and there has been no research into why women might use internet matching sites to find a donor. This study therefore aims to better understand the issues and factors important to women embarking upon single motherhood by choice, to hear their own thoughts and feelings about their situation and the choices they are making regarding donor sperm.
Am I eligible to take part?
If you are a heterosexual woman living in the UK who is currently trying or thinking about getting pregnant with the aid of donor sperm and are currently not in a relationship with a partner then you are eligible to take part in this study.
What does taking part involve?
Choosing to take part in the study would involve you being interviewed by a researcher about your reasons for pursuing motherhood alone, the decisions you have made regarding how to embark upon motherhood, particularly about finding a donor, and your experiences of this so far. Anything that you say during this research will be kept strictly confidential. The study has received ethical approval from the Ethics Committee of the School of Humanities and Social Science, University of Cambridge.
What will happen to the findings of the research?
The findings of this research will be written up and submitted as a PhD thesis. It is also expected that they will be used for publication in academic journals and presented at academic conferences. They will also be made available to Pride Angel and other specialist groups of professionals who are directly involved in working with single women using donor sperm and so therefore may help other women in similar situations.
Want to find out more? Contact us at Pride Angel
To read more go to http://bit.ly/eoMrMO
Why is the study being done?
Single motherhood by choice is a growing family trend. Some women choose to use donors from British sperm banks, some import sperm from abroad and others use known donors. Internet sperm donor matching sites such as Pride Angel are also an option for women wanting to find a sperm donor. Single women using donor sperm has sparked much ethical debate amongst policy makers and the media but very little is known about the women who make this choice and there has been no research into why women might use internet matching sites to find a donor. This study therefore aims to better understand the issues and factors important to women embarking upon single motherhood by choice, to hear their own thoughts and feelings about their situation and the choices they are making regarding donor sperm.
Am I eligible to take part?
If you are a heterosexual woman living in the UK who is currently trying or thinking about getting pregnant with the aid of donor sperm and are currently not in a relationship with a partner then you are eligible to take part in this study.
What does taking part involve?
Choosing to take part in the study would involve you being interviewed by a researcher about your reasons for pursuing motherhood alone, the decisions you have made regarding how to embark upon motherhood, particularly about finding a donor, and your experiences of this so far. Anything that you say during this research will be kept strictly confidential. The study has received ethical approval from the Ethics Committee of the School of Humanities and Social Science, University of Cambridge.
What will happen to the findings of the research?
The findings of this research will be written up and submitted as a PhD thesis. It is also expected that they will be used for publication in academic journals and presented at academic conferences. They will also be made available to Pride Angel and other specialist groups of professionals who are directly involved in working with single women using donor sperm and so therefore may help other women in similar situations.
Want to find out more? Contact us at Pride Angel
To read more go to http://bit.ly/eoMrMO
Wednesday 12 January 2011
International surrogacy: progress or media hype?
International surrogacy has become big news. Last month, a landmark international commercial surrogacy case, Re L [1], attracted front page national headlines. Hard on its heels the media spotlight fell on the birth of Elton John and David Furnish's US surrogate born son, Zachary, on Christmas Day. This has fuelled the debate about surrogacy and the question is why has it generated such attention? The decision in Re L attracted front page national headlines because it marks a significant watershed in the history of UK surrogacy law. For the first time the court has made clear that the child's welfare will trump public policy on payments. It is only the third published case of its kind to ratify a foreign commercial surrogacy arrangement. Having represented the parents in this case (as well as the first parents to secure a parental order in the case of X&Y in 2008 [2]) I know how difficult and sensitive these applications are and quite how much is at stake.
In Re L, a High Court judge, Mr Justice Hedley, awarded legal parenthood to the British couple who entered into a commercial surrogacy arrangement with a surrogate mother in Illinois, USA. Notwithstanding the public policy ban on commercial surrogacy in the UK (which allows only the payment of reasonable pregnancy related expenses to a surrogate, unless retrospectively authorised by the English court on a case by case basis), the judge decided that the welfare of the child (known only as 'L') was the paramount consideration.
Mr Justice Hedley ruled that legal changes last year now (for the first time) weight the balance between public policy and the welfare of the child decisively in favour of welfare except in the clearest case of abuse of public policy. He authorised the British parents' commercial payment to their surrogate and awarded them legal parenthood. In doing so, he highlighted the legal difficulties surrounding re-entry into the UK after the birth, the need for intended parents to grapple with immigration control and the continuing lack of availability of good quality information. He warned that the court would continue to police the public policy concerns and scrutinise the issue of payments carefully. He also added that the legal criteria had been 'fully met' by the 'most careful and conscientious parents' in this case.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/gmHLou
In Re L, a High Court judge, Mr Justice Hedley, awarded legal parenthood to the British couple who entered into a commercial surrogacy arrangement with a surrogate mother in Illinois, USA. Notwithstanding the public policy ban on commercial surrogacy in the UK (which allows only the payment of reasonable pregnancy related expenses to a surrogate, unless retrospectively authorised by the English court on a case by case basis), the judge decided that the welfare of the child (known only as 'L') was the paramount consideration.
Mr Justice Hedley ruled that legal changes last year now (for the first time) weight the balance between public policy and the welfare of the child decisively in favour of welfare except in the clearest case of abuse of public policy. He authorised the British parents' commercial payment to their surrogate and awarded them legal parenthood. In doing so, he highlighted the legal difficulties surrounding re-entry into the UK after the birth, the need for intended parents to grapple with immigration control and the continuing lack of availability of good quality information. He warned that the court would continue to police the public policy concerns and scrutinise the issue of payments carefully. He also added that the legal criteria had been 'fully met' by the 'most careful and conscientious parents' in this case.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/gmHLou
Monday 10 January 2011
Mother to freeze eggs for her infertile daughter with Turner Syndrome
A mother plans to freeze her eggs so that her infertile daughter may someday be able to use them to give birth to her own brother or sister.
Toddler Mackenzie Stephens was born with Turner Syndrome, a hereditary condition which means she is missing an X-chromosome. The condition, which only affects girls, means two-year-old Mackenzie was born without ovaries, preventing her from ever having a child of her own naturally.
When Penny Jarvis, herself a mother of five, learnt that her daughter might never be able to have children of her own, she was devastated. So Ms Jarvis, 25, has decided to freeze her own eggs so someday Mackenzie can use them for IVF and start a family. However, technically, this means Mackenzie's future child would be both her offspring and her sibling.
Ms Jarvis described how she and partner Karl Stephens, 42, were distraught when the doctor broke the news about their daughter's condition. The full-time mother from Sheffield, said: 'The doctor was talking about chromosomes and things and it was all a bit of a blur.
'The only word I heard at the time was 'infertility' and I just burst into tears. It's what most people want to be; a mum. 'She has three sisters and I couldn't imagine her growing up and watching them all have children while she couldn't have any of her own. 'Obviously, every mother wants to be a grandmother someday - that's what they dream of.
'As I was leaving the hospital, the consultant told me not to look up Turner Syndrome on the internet as it was full of worst-case scenarios. 'But, of course, I did it anyway. As soon as we were over the shock, Karl and I looked it up together as we had never even heard of it before and neither had any of our friends.
'While some of the stuff I was reading was scary - talk of congenital heart defects and diabetes - I discovered that egg donation was a possibility.' Enlarge Mackenzie has Turner Syndrome, which means she doesn't have ovaries Turner Syndrome affects one in every 2,500 girls. It causes a number of mental and physical health issues, but most can be corrected or treated with surgery, drugs and psychological therapy.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/erpsFV
Toddler Mackenzie Stephens was born with Turner Syndrome, a hereditary condition which means she is missing an X-chromosome. The condition, which only affects girls, means two-year-old Mackenzie was born without ovaries, preventing her from ever having a child of her own naturally.
When Penny Jarvis, herself a mother of five, learnt that her daughter might never be able to have children of her own, she was devastated. So Ms Jarvis, 25, has decided to freeze her own eggs so someday Mackenzie can use them for IVF and start a family. However, technically, this means Mackenzie's future child would be both her offspring and her sibling.
Ms Jarvis described how she and partner Karl Stephens, 42, were distraught when the doctor broke the news about their daughter's condition. The full-time mother from Sheffield, said: 'The doctor was talking about chromosomes and things and it was all a bit of a blur.
'The only word I heard at the time was 'infertility' and I just burst into tears. It's what most people want to be; a mum. 'She has three sisters and I couldn't imagine her growing up and watching them all have children while she couldn't have any of her own. 'Obviously, every mother wants to be a grandmother someday - that's what they dream of.
'As I was leaving the hospital, the consultant told me not to look up Turner Syndrome on the internet as it was full of worst-case scenarios. 'But, of course, I did it anyway. As soon as we were over the shock, Karl and I looked it up together as we had never even heard of it before and neither had any of our friends.
'While some of the stuff I was reading was scary - talk of congenital heart defects and diabetes - I discovered that egg donation was a possibility.' Enlarge Mackenzie has Turner Syndrome, which means she doesn't have ovaries Turner Syndrome affects one in every 2,500 girls. It causes a number of mental and physical health issues, but most can be corrected or treated with surgery, drugs and psychological therapy.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/erpsFV
Saturday 8 January 2011
Study of children raised by lesbian parents using known or unknown sperm donors
There is no evidence that lesbians’ children are hurt or damaged by meeting their sperm donor fathers, a small study says.
The study, by researchers at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, used data from the US National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study.
Seventy-eight teenagers were studied, Reuters reports.
A third of the donors knew their offspring, just over a third were permanently anonymous and 18 could be contacted once the child turned 18.
Using questionnaires and interviews, the researchers found no difference in the mental health of teenagers who knew their fathers or did not.
Another study, by the University of Cambridge, interviewed 23 sperm and egg donors who all said they had positive experiences with meeting their offspring and most saw them regularly.
Both pieces of research were published in the journal Human Reproduction.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/gZZvX2
The study, by researchers at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, used data from the US National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study.
Seventy-eight teenagers were studied, Reuters reports.
A third of the donors knew their offspring, just over a third were permanently anonymous and 18 could be contacted once the child turned 18.
Using questionnaires and interviews, the researchers found no difference in the mental health of teenagers who knew their fathers or did not.
Another study, by the University of Cambridge, interviewed 23 sperm and egg donors who all said they had positive experiences with meeting their offspring and most saw them regularly.
Both pieces of research were published in the journal Human Reproduction.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/gZZvX2
Thursday 6 January 2011
Online IVF calculator predicts fertility treatment success rates
Web resource based on five years of medical records aims to tell women their likelihood of giving birth with 99% accuracy
Women hoping to have a baby through fertility treatment can from today use an online calculator to show them how likely they are to succeed.
IVF (in-vitro fertilisation) is expensive, only sometimes available on the NHS and less successful than many people think.
To help couples to decide whether IVF is worth pursuing for them, academics at Glasgow and Bristol have created the calculator, which they say will predict a woman's likelihood of giving birth with up to 99% accuracy.
"In the US and the UK, IVF is successful in about a third of women under 35 years old, but in only 5%-10% of women over the age of 40," said Professor Scott Nelson, Muirhead chair of reproductive and maternal medicine at the University of Glasgow.
"However, there are many other factors in addition to age which can alter your chance of success, and clinics don't usually take these into account when counselling couples or women."
The calculator, available for free at www.ivfpredict.com, is based on data from more than 144,000 IVF cycles held by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) – all the outcomes of treatments undergone between 2003 and 2007.
"Essentially, these findings indicate that treatment-specific factors can be used to provide infertile couples with a very accurate assessment of their chance of a successful outcome following IVF," Nelson said.
"It provides critical information on the likely outcome for couples deciding whether to undergo IVF. Up until now, estimates of success have not been reliable.
"The result of this study is a tool which can be used to make incredibly accurate predictions."
To read more go to http://bit.ly/eyUW3w
Women hoping to have a baby through fertility treatment can from today use an online calculator to show them how likely they are to succeed.
IVF (in-vitro fertilisation) is expensive, only sometimes available on the NHS and less successful than many people think.
To help couples to decide whether IVF is worth pursuing for them, academics at Glasgow and Bristol have created the calculator, which they say will predict a woman's likelihood of giving birth with up to 99% accuracy.
"In the US and the UK, IVF is successful in about a third of women under 35 years old, but in only 5%-10% of women over the age of 40," said Professor Scott Nelson, Muirhead chair of reproductive and maternal medicine at the University of Glasgow.
"However, there are many other factors in addition to age which can alter your chance of success, and clinics don't usually take these into account when counselling couples or women."
The calculator, available for free at www.ivfpredict.com, is based on data from more than 144,000 IVF cycles held by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) – all the outcomes of treatments undergone between 2003 and 2007.
"Essentially, these findings indicate that treatment-specific factors can be used to provide infertile couples with a very accurate assessment of their chance of a successful outcome following IVF," Nelson said.
"It provides critical information on the likely outcome for couples deciding whether to undergo IVF. Up until now, estimates of success have not been reliable.
"The result of this study is a tool which can be used to make incredibly accurate predictions."
To read more go to http://bit.ly/eyUW3w
Tuesday 4 January 2011
Intralipid fertility treatment may cut miscarriages and boost pregnancy rates
An experimental fertility treatment increases the odds of an IVF pregnancy up to six times while also inhibiting chemicals which cause miscarriages, a study has found. When women who had gone through IVF time and time again without success were given a soya-based substance, half became pregnant. In contrast, fewer than one in ten of those who had conventional fertility treatment alone conceived.
The doctors behind the remarkable study believe that the Intralipid liquid, a fat and calorie-rich potion normally used when tube-feeding very sick patients, could help many more women achieve their dream of motherhood.
Improving success rates would spare women the emotional and financial pain of going through repeated IVF treatments, only for them to fail. The liquid also stems the production by the body of harmful chemicals which can lead to miscarriage.
George Ndukwe, of the Care fertility clinic in Nottingham, said: ‘Every day in my clinic I see women who have had numerous IVF cycles all with the same negative outcome and no baby. ‘I also regularly see couples who have suffered the misery of repeated miscarriages. ‘People talk about the financial implications but the emotional one is as bad or, I would say, worse. ‘These women are at the bottom of a dark pit and can’t climb out and can’t see the light.
We are devoting our attention to finding answers when nature goes wrong.’ Dr Ndukwe, the clinic’s medical director, believes that up to one in four women who struggle conceiving have faulty immune systems.
It is thought that extra high levels of white blood cells called natural killer cells ‘fight’ the pregnancy by triggering the production of chemicals that attack the placenta or the embryo. The chemicals are already known to trigger rheumatoid arthritis and the arthritis drug Humira has shown promise in boosting pregnancy rates.
However, it costs up to £2,000 per patient and does not work for everyone. At around £200 per woman, Intralipid, which is given through a drip around a week before a woman has IVF, is much cheaper.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/ieus05
The doctors behind the remarkable study believe that the Intralipid liquid, a fat and calorie-rich potion normally used when tube-feeding very sick patients, could help many more women achieve their dream of motherhood.
Improving success rates would spare women the emotional and financial pain of going through repeated IVF treatments, only for them to fail. The liquid also stems the production by the body of harmful chemicals which can lead to miscarriage.
George Ndukwe, of the Care fertility clinic in Nottingham, said: ‘Every day in my clinic I see women who have had numerous IVF cycles all with the same negative outcome and no baby. ‘I also regularly see couples who have suffered the misery of repeated miscarriages. ‘People talk about the financial implications but the emotional one is as bad or, I would say, worse. ‘These women are at the bottom of a dark pit and can’t climb out and can’t see the light.
We are devoting our attention to finding answers when nature goes wrong.’ Dr Ndukwe, the clinic’s medical director, believes that up to one in four women who struggle conceiving have faulty immune systems.
It is thought that extra high levels of white blood cells called natural killer cells ‘fight’ the pregnancy by triggering the production of chemicals that attack the placenta or the embryo. The chemicals are already known to trigger rheumatoid arthritis and the arthritis drug Humira has shown promise in boosting pregnancy rates.
However, it costs up to £2,000 per patient and does not work for everyone. At around £200 per woman, Intralipid, which is given through a drip around a week before a woman has IVF, is much cheaper.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/ieus05
Sunday 2 January 2011
Barrie and Tony to open 'one-stop-shop' Surrogacy centre in UK
Barrie and Tony Drewitt-Barlow - the first gay couple in Britain to have a baby with a surrogate mother, and who advised Sir Elton John and David Furnish over their new son, Zachary - tell Olga Craig about their newest arrival: a "one-stop-shop" surrogate baby centre which they open in Essex next month
It is a morality tale for our times. To the casual observer, they could have been the conventional Christmas festivities seen in any household – turkey and trimmings, excited children, doting parents and a huge pile of presents under the tree.
But this was anything but a traditional gathering. In the Drewitt-Barlow home, the guest list for last weekend’s laughter-filled Christmas lunch consisted of five children, their two fathers and their four mothers.
In our changing moral climate, in which the traditional nuclear family is becoming increasingly outmoded, such a mix of melded families is far from uncommon.
But this household – a happy one, it must be said – is unique. Seated around the table with gay parents Barrie and Tony Drewitt-Barlow and their children were the two women who donated eggs and the pair who were the surrogates, carrying the children.
The youngsters call Barrie Dad and Tony Daddy and refer to all four women as Mum. They live with their fathers in Essex during term time and spend the holidays in California, where the couple also have a home and where they see their mothers – although none of the women has any legal rights over their offspring.
Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, 42, and his partner Tony, 46, were headline news a decade ago when they became Britain’s first gay surrogate parents.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/ebBT4N
It is a morality tale for our times. To the casual observer, they could have been the conventional Christmas festivities seen in any household – turkey and trimmings, excited children, doting parents and a huge pile of presents under the tree.
But this was anything but a traditional gathering. In the Drewitt-Barlow home, the guest list for last weekend’s laughter-filled Christmas lunch consisted of five children, their two fathers and their four mothers.
In our changing moral climate, in which the traditional nuclear family is becoming increasingly outmoded, such a mix of melded families is far from uncommon.
But this household – a happy one, it must be said – is unique. Seated around the table with gay parents Barrie and Tony Drewitt-Barlow and their children were the two women who donated eggs and the pair who were the surrogates, carrying the children.
The youngsters call Barrie Dad and Tony Daddy and refer to all four women as Mum. They live with their fathers in Essex during term time and spend the holidays in California, where the couple also have a home and where they see their mothers – although none of the women has any legal rights over their offspring.
Barrie Drewitt-Barlow, 42, and his partner Tony, 46, were headline news a decade ago when they became Britain’s first gay surrogate parents.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/ebBT4N
Saturday 1 January 2011
Secret sperm donor donated sperm to his aunt and lesbian partner
A 15-year old boy secretly donated sperm to his aunt's lesbian partner so they could have children, his parents have discovered.
Charlie Lowden's parents Charles and Lynn are now coming to terms with the fact that the two children they considered to be their nephew and niece are actually their biological grandchildren.
They only discovered the family secret last December after Charlie, 20, died following a routine hernia operation.
After his death it emerged that several years previously he offered to donate sperm - unofficially - to his aunt Sarah Ashman, now 40, who is his mother's younger sister, and her partner Claire, now 30.
He knew they had wanted to have a baby, but Claire had suffered a miscarriage after becoming pregnant by another donor. Claire Ashman, a beautician from Choppington in Northumberland, subsequently gave birth to a boy, Carlton, now five.
Three years later they asked him to donate again, which he did, resulting in Sarah, who is now two.
The lesbian couple agreed to keep Charlie's true identity as the father under wraps. However, his death forced his aunt to confess the situation to her sister.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/h1qhNo
Charlie Lowden's parents Charles and Lynn are now coming to terms with the fact that the two children they considered to be their nephew and niece are actually their biological grandchildren.
They only discovered the family secret last December after Charlie, 20, died following a routine hernia operation.
After his death it emerged that several years previously he offered to donate sperm - unofficially - to his aunt Sarah Ashman, now 40, who is his mother's younger sister, and her partner Claire, now 30.
He knew they had wanted to have a baby, but Claire had suffered a miscarriage after becoming pregnant by another donor. Claire Ashman, a beautician from Choppington in Northumberland, subsequently gave birth to a boy, Carlton, now five.
Three years later they asked him to donate again, which he did, resulting in Sarah, who is now two.
The lesbian couple agreed to keep Charlie's true identity as the father under wraps. However, his death forced his aunt to confess the situation to her sister.
To read more go to http://bit.ly/h1qhNo
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