Scientists are questioning if using wi-fi on a laptop to searh the internet could harm a man's fertility, after lab work suggested ejaculated sperm were significantly damaged after only four hours of exposure.
The benchside tests showed sperm were less able to swim and had changes in the genetic code that they carry. Experts stress this does not mean the same would occur in a real-life setting and say men should not worry unduly. But they are recommending more studies.
The preliminary research, published in the journal Fertility and Sterility, looked at semen samples from 29 healthy donors. Each donor sample was separated out into two pots. One of these pots was then stored for four hours next to a laptop that was wirelessly connected to the internet. The other was stored under identical conditions, minus the laptop.
The scientists, from Argentina and the US, suspect that the effect seen is unrelated to the heat kicked out by a laptop, although heat can damage sperm.
The UK's Health Protection Agency has been closely monitoring the safety of wi-fi.
It says people using wi-fi, or those in the proximity of wi-fi equipment, are exposed to the radio signals it emits - and some of the transmitted energy in the signals is absorbed in their bodies. However, the signals are very low power.
The HPA says there is no consistent evidence to date that exposure to radio signals from wi-fi adversely affects the health of the general population.
UK fertility expert Dr Allan Pacey, senior lecturer in andrology at the University of Sheffield, said: "The study is very well conducted, but we should be cautious about what it may infer about the fertility of men who regularly use laptops with wi-fi on their laps.
"Ejaculated sperm are particularly sensitive to many factors because outside the body they don't have the protection of the other cells, tissues and fluids of the body in which they are stored before ejaculation. Therefore, we cannot infer from this study that because a man might use a laptop with wi-fi on his lap for more than four hours then his sperm will necessarily be damaged and he will be less fertile.
"We need large epidemiological studies to determine this, and to my knowledge these have not yet been performed."
He said men should still be cautious about balancing a laptop on their thighs for hours on end.
"We know from other studies that the bottom of laptops can become incredibly hot and inadvertent testicular heating is a risk factor for poor sperm quality.
"There is a case report of a man who burnt his penis after using a laptop resting on his lap for a long time. Therefore, there are many reasons to try and use a laptop on a table where possible, and this may in itself ameliorate any theoretical concerns about wi-fi."
"The study is very well conducted, but we should be cautious about what it may infer about the fertility of men who regularly use laptops with wi-fi on their laps” UK fertility expert Dr Allan Pacey
Article: 30th November 2011 www.bbcnews.co.uk
Wednesday 30 November 2011
Monday 28 November 2011
Liverpool Pride begins fundraising for 2012 to keep event free
Liverpool Pride organisers have said they will begin fundraising efforts for next summer’s event in December of this year to ensure the day remains free.
This is the earliest the event organisers have had to begin collecting money in the city’s history.
Liverpool City Council has said financial constraints may mean it is forced to cut funding to festivals in the city, though organisers say they will continue to work with the authority.
Over 40,000 people attended the event this year, double the 2010 figure of 20,000. A study completed by Liverpool Pride showed that 2011’s festival generated a total spend of over £2.6 million for the local economy.
Organisers are now asking local individuals and businesses to help ensure the event continues to be free in 2012.
James Davies, one of the trustees of Liverpool Pride said: “We’re delighted to be able to announce Liverpool Pride 2012 and can’t wait to start on the road to creating something that is truly special once more.
Although we face some funding cuts due to wider cuts in public spending, we’re determined to make Liverpool Pride 2012 even bigger and better than ever before and can only do that with the help of Liverpool, as a council, as a community and as a business collective.
“We’re grateful to the City Council and to the likes of the European Regional Development Fund as well as our sponsors for all of their support thus far and hope that, despite budget cuts, we can continue to work with them in the coming years.
“We made the festival into a massive success in 2011 even though we faced a 60% cut in our funding from the City Council and we’re determined to do it again even if further cuts should occur.”
Fundraising events begin in December with the Camp as Christmas evening at The Dome on Renshaw Street. The event features erstwhile X Factor contenders Diva Fever, who had to pull out of this year’s Pride event after triple-booking themselves.
Earlier this month, Liverpool unveiled the UK’s first gay street signs. Liverpool Pride is asking local businesses and individuals to run fundraising events including bring and buy sales, cake bake offs and sponsored drag days.
Article: 25th November 2011 www.pinknews.co.uk
This is the earliest the event organisers have had to begin collecting money in the city’s history.
Liverpool City Council has said financial constraints may mean it is forced to cut funding to festivals in the city, though organisers say they will continue to work with the authority.
Over 40,000 people attended the event this year, double the 2010 figure of 20,000. A study completed by Liverpool Pride showed that 2011’s festival generated a total spend of over £2.6 million for the local economy.
Organisers are now asking local individuals and businesses to help ensure the event continues to be free in 2012.
James Davies, one of the trustees of Liverpool Pride said: “We’re delighted to be able to announce Liverpool Pride 2012 and can’t wait to start on the road to creating something that is truly special once more.
Although we face some funding cuts due to wider cuts in public spending, we’re determined to make Liverpool Pride 2012 even bigger and better than ever before and can only do that with the help of Liverpool, as a council, as a community and as a business collective.
“We’re grateful to the City Council and to the likes of the European Regional Development Fund as well as our sponsors for all of their support thus far and hope that, despite budget cuts, we can continue to work with them in the coming years.
“We made the festival into a massive success in 2011 even though we faced a 60% cut in our funding from the City Council and we’re determined to do it again even if further cuts should occur.”
Fundraising events begin in December with the Camp as Christmas evening at The Dome on Renshaw Street. The event features erstwhile X Factor contenders Diva Fever, who had to pull out of this year’s Pride event after triple-booking themselves.
Earlier this month, Liverpool unveiled the UK’s first gay street signs. Liverpool Pride is asking local businesses and individuals to run fundraising events including bring and buy sales, cake bake offs and sponsored drag days.
Article: 25th November 2011 www.pinknews.co.uk
Sunday 27 November 2011
Chinese medicine could double your chance of getting pregnant
The latest study from Australia says chinese medicine could greatly improve chances of getting pregnant. The research at Adelaide University, Australia, reviewed eight clinical trials, 13 other studies and case reports comparing the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with western drugs or IVF treatment.
The review funded by the Australian government included 1,851 women with infertility problems, says a report in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine.
Review of the clinical trials alone found a 3.5 rise in pregnancies over a four-month period among women using TCM compared with western medicine. Other data covering 616 women within the review showed 50 per cent of women having TCM got pregnant compared with 30 per cent of those receiving IVF treatment.
TCM is far less expensive than IVF treatment and less stressful The overall analysis concluded there was a two-fold increase in the likelihood of getting pregnant in a four-month period for women using TCM compared with orthodox approaches.
The study’s authors said ‘Our meta-analysis suggests traditional Chinese herbal medicine to be more effective in the treatment of female infertility - achieving on average a 60 per cent pregnancy rate over four months compared with 30 per cent achieved with standard western drug treatment.’
The study said the difference appeared to be due to the careful analysis of the menstrual cycle – the period when it is possible for a woman to conceive – by TCM practitioners. It said ‘Assessment of the quality of the menstrual cycle integral to TCM diagnosis appears to be fundamental to the successful treatment of female infertility.’
Dr Karin Ried (correct) of the university’s school of population health and clinical practice, who led the study, said infertility affects one in six couples and even after investigations 20 per cent of infertility remains ‘unexplained’. She said TCM recognises many more ‘menstrual disturbances’ than conventional medicine, is far less expensive than IVF treatment and less stressful. She said ‘Infertility issues can be treated with the integration of TCM and contemporary medicine to minimise the financial and emotional strain on people.’
Geeta Nargund, medical director of Create fertility clinic in London’s Harley Street, who uses a kinder form of IVF called in-vitro maturation or IVM which spares the woman exposure to drug hormones, said the study findings should be treated with caution. She said ‘We should be doing everything we can to use the least invasive methods to help patients get pregnant, if they don’t work then we can move on to drugs and more invasive approaches.
‘What we desperately need is detailed research into these alternative approaches that monitors what is happening to the body’s hormone systems and ovaries so we can see what difference they are making.
‘But we should not lose sight of the fact that Chinese herbs are potent medicines. They are regarded as natural but they have powerful effects on the body which can include a syndrome that mimics the over-stimulation we sometimes see from western IVF drugs.
‘There are potential risks from using herbs and people should be aware of that’ she added.
The review funded by the Australian government included 1,851 women with infertility problems, says a report in the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine.
Review of the clinical trials alone found a 3.5 rise in pregnancies over a four-month period among women using TCM compared with western medicine. Other data covering 616 women within the review showed 50 per cent of women having TCM got pregnant compared with 30 per cent of those receiving IVF treatment.
TCM is far less expensive than IVF treatment and less stressful The overall analysis concluded there was a two-fold increase in the likelihood of getting pregnant in a four-month period for women using TCM compared with orthodox approaches.
The study’s authors said ‘Our meta-analysis suggests traditional Chinese herbal medicine to be more effective in the treatment of female infertility - achieving on average a 60 per cent pregnancy rate over four months compared with 30 per cent achieved with standard western drug treatment.’
The study said the difference appeared to be due to the careful analysis of the menstrual cycle – the period when it is possible for a woman to conceive – by TCM practitioners. It said ‘Assessment of the quality of the menstrual cycle integral to TCM diagnosis appears to be fundamental to the successful treatment of female infertility.’
Dr Karin Ried (correct) of the university’s school of population health and clinical practice, who led the study, said infertility affects one in six couples and even after investigations 20 per cent of infertility remains ‘unexplained’. She said TCM recognises many more ‘menstrual disturbances’ than conventional medicine, is far less expensive than IVF treatment and less stressful. She said ‘Infertility issues can be treated with the integration of TCM and contemporary medicine to minimise the financial and emotional strain on people.’
Geeta Nargund, medical director of Create fertility clinic in London’s Harley Street, who uses a kinder form of IVF called in-vitro maturation or IVM which spares the woman exposure to drug hormones, said the study findings should be treated with caution. She said ‘We should be doing everything we can to use the least invasive methods to help patients get pregnant, if they don’t work then we can move on to drugs and more invasive approaches.
‘What we desperately need is detailed research into these alternative approaches that monitors what is happening to the body’s hormone systems and ovaries so we can see what difference they are making.
‘But we should not lose sight of the fact that Chinese herbs are potent medicines. They are regarded as natural but they have powerful effects on the body which can include a syndrome that mimics the over-stimulation we sometimes see from western IVF drugs.
‘There are potential risks from using herbs and people should be aware of that’ she added.
Friday 25 November 2011
Egg Donor Angel helps couple overcome Infertility
Like many couples, Ryan and Holly had always dreamed of having their own family. In 2004, after a year and a half of marriage, the two decided to go off birth control, looking forward to being a family.
Over the next twelve months, Holly took 12 pregnancy tests. Each one gave the same result—not pregnant.
Infertility is defined by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) as the inability to conceive within one year of trying – an issue that affects about 10 percent of women in their childbearing years. For many, fertility medications or assisted reproduction technologies like IVF help overcome the obstacle of infertility to create a family.
For some women, however, an insurmountable obstacle to their fertility reveals itself in the viability of their ovaries. The doctors at the Servy Massey Fertility Institute say that women entering their late 30s and early 40s experience a significant decline in the number of eggs in their ovaries and the quality of the eggs that are left.
For a very small percentage of infertile women, certain conditions can affect the ovaries, eggs, or uterus before aging ever does, and donor eggs are the only way for the couple to become pregnant.
In 2005, Holly had visited her OB/GYN, who found no obvious problems, but prescribed Clomid (an ovulation stimulation drug). Holly and Ryan dove into the world of infertility treatments, connecting with Dr. Edouard Servy at SMFI after learning Holly had polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
Dr. Servy performed a few rounds of IUI (intrauterine insemination) with no results, so he scheduled Holly for a laparoscopy and hysteroscopy in October 2006. The tests revealed Holly’s ovaries were attached to her uterus and a previous gall bladder surgery had left scar tissue.
After one more failed IUI, they decided to try in vitro fertilization (IVF) in February 2007. “We were so nervous, but so excited. We believed that this was our answer. We were finally going to get pregnant,” Holly remembers. The cycle was canceled, though: Holly didn’t have enough viable follicles, meaning no retrievable eggs.
Ryan and Holly tried again in April, and this time enough follicles were present. Then they were dealt another bad blow. “When Dr. Servy went into my ovaries to retrieve the eggs, there weren’t any,” says Holly. “We learned that I had empty follicle syndrome.”
EFS is a rare-occurring condition where no eggs are retrieved during an IVF procedure, despite the ovaries having many potential follicles. Out of all women diagnosed with infertility, only a fraction will not be able to conceive using their own eggs. Having EFS meant Holly was part of that small percentage.
Facing another defeat, Dr. Servy recommended they take the summer off and start again in the fall. When they met again in August, the only options left to discuss were adoption or egg donation.
“The truth was, I wanted to be pregnant. I wanted to carry our baby,” Holly says. “So we chose to go with an anonymous donor.” They contacted an egg donation agency and began their search for “the one.” After sorting through numerous candidates, Holly and Ryan chose the donor they call “Angel.”
“She seemed to have the same dry humor as my husband. Her likes and dislikes were similar to ours and her medical history was great,” Holly says. “Then we opened the packet and saw her picture – she looked just like me!”
Angel had never donated before, so they weren’t sure if she would have a successful egg retrieval. They felt it was meant to be, so they took the chance.
Several embryos were created from the donated eggs and Ryan’s sperm and two were transferred to Holly’s womb. On March 13, 2008, Holly found out she was pregnant.
To read more go to http://bit.lyluktH3S
Over the next twelve months, Holly took 12 pregnancy tests. Each one gave the same result—not pregnant.
Infertility is defined by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) as the inability to conceive within one year of trying – an issue that affects about 10 percent of women in their childbearing years. For many, fertility medications or assisted reproduction technologies like IVF help overcome the obstacle of infertility to create a family.
For some women, however, an insurmountable obstacle to their fertility reveals itself in the viability of their ovaries. The doctors at the Servy Massey Fertility Institute say that women entering their late 30s and early 40s experience a significant decline in the number of eggs in their ovaries and the quality of the eggs that are left.
For a very small percentage of infertile women, certain conditions can affect the ovaries, eggs, or uterus before aging ever does, and donor eggs are the only way for the couple to become pregnant.
In 2005, Holly had visited her OB/GYN, who found no obvious problems, but prescribed Clomid (an ovulation stimulation drug). Holly and Ryan dove into the world of infertility treatments, connecting with Dr. Edouard Servy at SMFI after learning Holly had polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
Dr. Servy performed a few rounds of IUI (intrauterine insemination) with no results, so he scheduled Holly for a laparoscopy and hysteroscopy in October 2006. The tests revealed Holly’s ovaries were attached to her uterus and a previous gall bladder surgery had left scar tissue.
After one more failed IUI, they decided to try in vitro fertilization (IVF) in February 2007. “We were so nervous, but so excited. We believed that this was our answer. We were finally going to get pregnant,” Holly remembers. The cycle was canceled, though: Holly didn’t have enough viable follicles, meaning no retrievable eggs.
Ryan and Holly tried again in April, and this time enough follicles were present. Then they were dealt another bad blow. “When Dr. Servy went into my ovaries to retrieve the eggs, there weren’t any,” says Holly. “We learned that I had empty follicle syndrome.”
EFS is a rare-occurring condition where no eggs are retrieved during an IVF procedure, despite the ovaries having many potential follicles. Out of all women diagnosed with infertility, only a fraction will not be able to conceive using their own eggs. Having EFS meant Holly was part of that small percentage.
Facing another defeat, Dr. Servy recommended they take the summer off and start again in the fall. When they met again in August, the only options left to discuss were adoption or egg donation.
“The truth was, I wanted to be pregnant. I wanted to carry our baby,” Holly says. “So we chose to go with an anonymous donor.” They contacted an egg donation agency and began their search for “the one.” After sorting through numerous candidates, Holly and Ryan chose the donor they call “Angel.”
“She seemed to have the same dry humor as my husband. Her likes and dislikes were similar to ours and her medical history was great,” Holly says. “Then we opened the packet and saw her picture – she looked just like me!”
Angel had never donated before, so they weren’t sure if she would have a successful egg retrieval. They felt it was meant to be, so they took the chance.
Several embryos were created from the donated eggs and Ryan’s sperm and two were transferred to Holly’s womb. On March 13, 2008, Holly found out she was pregnant.
To read more go to http://bit.lyluktH3S
Wednesday 23 November 2011
Men improve your sperm count by eating fruit
Female fertility has previously been linked to obesity, but a Brazilian study has discovered that a poor diet in men can lower sperm concentration and affect their ability to reach the egg.
A new study involving 250 men with partners undergoing IVF reveals that those who regularly drink alcoholand eat a poor diet are less fertile than those who eat a diet high in fruit and grains.
Lead researcher Edson Borges, from the Fertility-Assisted Fertilization Center in Sao Paolo, says: 'The sperm concentration was negatively influenced by body mass index and alcohol consumption, and was positively influenced by cerealconsumption and the number of meals per day.'
The results from the study reveal that, from the speed of their sperm to their partner's chance of pregnancy, men who drank alcohol and ate a poor diet were less fertile.
Lynn Westphal from Stanford University hopes that the study, published in the Fertility and Sterility journal, will encourage men to make healthier lifestyle choices.
'We talk about having a healthylifestyleand trying to eliminate any of these things that are bad for health, but I think most of the emphasis tends to be on making sure the woman is as healthy as possible,' she says.
Article: 22nd December 2011 www.marieclaire.co.uk
A new study involving 250 men with partners undergoing IVF reveals that those who regularly drink alcoholand eat a poor diet are less fertile than those who eat a diet high in fruit and grains.
Lead researcher Edson Borges, from the Fertility-Assisted Fertilization Center in Sao Paolo, says: 'The sperm concentration was negatively influenced by body mass index and alcohol consumption, and was positively influenced by cerealconsumption and the number of meals per day.'
The results from the study reveal that, from the speed of their sperm to their partner's chance of pregnancy, men who drank alcohol and ate a poor diet were less fertile.
Lynn Westphal from Stanford University hopes that the study, published in the Fertility and Sterility journal, will encourage men to make healthier lifestyle choices.
'We talk about having a healthylifestyleand trying to eliminate any of these things that are bad for health, but I think most of the emphasis tends to be on making sure the woman is as healthy as possible,' she says.
Article: 22nd December 2011 www.marieclaire.co.uk
Monday 21 November 2011
Surrogacy: Parenting the hard way
Alice Jolly and her husband knew they could offer a loving home to one of the thousands of British children awaiting adoption. So why were they forced to go abroad instead and use a surrogate to get the child they longed for?
The scene: a church hall in Oxford three years ago. My husband, Stephen, and I are attending a seminar for couples who want to adopt. A social worker stands beside a whiteboard and explains the process. I look around at the other couples. Their eyes are blank, puzzled. Some start to yawn while others scratch their heads. The social worker has become a tic tac man at a race course, frantically waving her arms, speaking a language that no-one understands. We all start to stare at our shoes. It's becoming embarrassing – what are we doing here and who put these people in charge of something so important?
A man in the audience is trying to raise his hand but his wife keeps pulling his arm back down. He refuses to be silenced. "So any 16-year-old girl can go into an alleyway on Saturday night," he says, "and have a knee-trembler with a bloke whose name she doesn't know, and no one is ever going to ask about her suitability for motherhood. But I'm going to have to go through all this just to be a father?"
The room is silent. The man's wife is tearful. A social worker crouching in the corner makes a note in her black book. We all know that this couple have fallen at the first hurdle. And yet he has only said what everyone in the room is thinking.
As we have a six-year-old son, Stephen and I decide that it might be best for us to adopt a child under two. No children under two are available for adoption in the UK – or at least none are under two by the time they emerge from our adoption system. And so we go to a seminar in North London about overseas adoption. There we are made to play a bizarre board game. Adoption Monopoly? Or is it Snakes and Ladders – but without any ladders? Each couple has a marker to move around the board. Cards are drawn from a pack. They say, "your paper work has been lost, go back three months." Or, "the country you have chosen is now closed for adoption, go back to square one."
Finally, it comes to our turn. "So, Stephen and Alice, where are you up to now?" "Well, I've just retired," Stephen says, pretending to read the card. No one dares laugh or it'll be back to the beginning for them. We break for a coffee and chat to other people. One couple can't currently be considered for adoption because, although they are home owners and employed, they have £5,000 of credit card debt. Another couple used to live in Bedfordshire, and they got two years into the adoption process, but then they moved to Berkshire so they had to begin again.
After coffee, the discussion focuses on the difficulties experienced by adopted children. Two men interrupt – one is black, the other of Asian origin. Both of them were themselves adopted. The lady running the seminar is clearly uncomfortable with real-life multi-cultural adoption stories. But she presses them to express the anger they must surely feel towards their adoptive parents.
"Anger? I was in an orphanage in Thailand and my Mum and Dad adopted me, brought me back here, gave me everything. From an early age I wanted to be a musician and they made that possible. How could I possibly be angry?" Then the black guy says: "I was adopted from Ghana and for me it was certainly traumatic. Because every year my adoptive family in Hampstead wanted to celebrate Ghanaian National Day. So all my flabby, white relatives dressed up in African costumes and played drums. Man, I've been on the pyschiatrist's couch for years..." Doubtless the names of these two have gone into the black book as well.
A one-to-one meeting with a social worker follows. It's a scene from The Trial, by Kafka. We have to convince her we want a child, but we must not appear to want one too much. We tell our story: a stillbirth, four miscarriages, failed IVF. The social worker thinks we have too much baggage – but surely the truth is that most people who adopt do so because other plans have failed?
I mention that we've been told that adopting from Russia will probably take two years. No, she says. It will take four and most of the Russian babies have foetal alcohol syndrome. I have talked to a number of families who have adopted from Russia and they tell a different story – but I can't say so. And so it goes on. No and no and no. We are guilty until proven innocent. Everything is a problem – the fact that we've lived abroad, that we have an existing child, that we both went to boarding school, that once every two months Stephen might smoke a cigarette in a bar.
But strangely, the biggest problem is that we are about to have building work done in our house. Until that work has finished, we can't even start the process. As we drive home, Stephen is fuming and I am in tears. I know the social worker is playing games, trying to find out if we are serious. But could she not have offered some support or encouragement? I know that adoption isn't easy – and that it shouldn't be easy. But does it have to be negative, intrusive, judgemental and so painfully inefficient? Would they rather leave 100 children in care than relax their impossible demands for perfection?
Six months later we meet a lawyer who specialises in gestational surrogacy in the US. Nearly everyone who crosses her threshold has tried to adopt and given up. And US surrogacy? Well, it's expensive and legally complex – but it can be done. We get in touch with agencies in the States. Yes, they say. Yes and yes and yes.
But I am unconvinced. To me, surrogacy seems bizarre and extreme. It's from the world of lawsuits and reality TV shows. But then I talk to people with real experience of surrogacy and uncover a world that couldn't be more different from those sensational media stories. A world in which women are genuinely trying to help other women overcome the pain of infertility.
Two weeks ago we came back from America with our baby daughter. She is called Hope. We are the luckiest people in the world. Throughout the whole process, I continued to doubt whether surrogacy can really work well for everyone involved – now I know that it can. But still I am left with questions about why we couldn't have given a home to an existing child instead of creating a new one. And some part of me will always be haunted by that baby who we might have adopted – and who is probably still waiting for a family and a home.
Article: 15th November 2011 www.independent.co.uk
Photo: Alice Jolly, her husband Stephen and children Thomas and Hope by JOHN LAWRENCE
Proceeds from this article have been donated to SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society) uk-sands.org
The scene: a church hall in Oxford three years ago. My husband, Stephen, and I are attending a seminar for couples who want to adopt. A social worker stands beside a whiteboard and explains the process. I look around at the other couples. Their eyes are blank, puzzled. Some start to yawn while others scratch their heads. The social worker has become a tic tac man at a race course, frantically waving her arms, speaking a language that no-one understands. We all start to stare at our shoes. It's becoming embarrassing – what are we doing here and who put these people in charge of something so important?
A man in the audience is trying to raise his hand but his wife keeps pulling his arm back down. He refuses to be silenced. "So any 16-year-old girl can go into an alleyway on Saturday night," he says, "and have a knee-trembler with a bloke whose name she doesn't know, and no one is ever going to ask about her suitability for motherhood. But I'm going to have to go through all this just to be a father?"
The room is silent. The man's wife is tearful. A social worker crouching in the corner makes a note in her black book. We all know that this couple have fallen at the first hurdle. And yet he has only said what everyone in the room is thinking.
As we have a six-year-old son, Stephen and I decide that it might be best for us to adopt a child under two. No children under two are available for adoption in the UK – or at least none are under two by the time they emerge from our adoption system. And so we go to a seminar in North London about overseas adoption. There we are made to play a bizarre board game. Adoption Monopoly? Or is it Snakes and Ladders – but without any ladders? Each couple has a marker to move around the board. Cards are drawn from a pack. They say, "your paper work has been lost, go back three months." Or, "the country you have chosen is now closed for adoption, go back to square one."
Finally, it comes to our turn. "So, Stephen and Alice, where are you up to now?" "Well, I've just retired," Stephen says, pretending to read the card. No one dares laugh or it'll be back to the beginning for them. We break for a coffee and chat to other people. One couple can't currently be considered for adoption because, although they are home owners and employed, they have £5,000 of credit card debt. Another couple used to live in Bedfordshire, and they got two years into the adoption process, but then they moved to Berkshire so they had to begin again.
After coffee, the discussion focuses on the difficulties experienced by adopted children. Two men interrupt – one is black, the other of Asian origin. Both of them were themselves adopted. The lady running the seminar is clearly uncomfortable with real-life multi-cultural adoption stories. But she presses them to express the anger they must surely feel towards their adoptive parents.
"Anger? I was in an orphanage in Thailand and my Mum and Dad adopted me, brought me back here, gave me everything. From an early age I wanted to be a musician and they made that possible. How could I possibly be angry?" Then the black guy says: "I was adopted from Ghana and for me it was certainly traumatic. Because every year my adoptive family in Hampstead wanted to celebrate Ghanaian National Day. So all my flabby, white relatives dressed up in African costumes and played drums. Man, I've been on the pyschiatrist's couch for years..." Doubtless the names of these two have gone into the black book as well.
A one-to-one meeting with a social worker follows. It's a scene from The Trial, by Kafka. We have to convince her we want a child, but we must not appear to want one too much. We tell our story: a stillbirth, four miscarriages, failed IVF. The social worker thinks we have too much baggage – but surely the truth is that most people who adopt do so because other plans have failed?
I mention that we've been told that adopting from Russia will probably take two years. No, she says. It will take four and most of the Russian babies have foetal alcohol syndrome. I have talked to a number of families who have adopted from Russia and they tell a different story – but I can't say so. And so it goes on. No and no and no. We are guilty until proven innocent. Everything is a problem – the fact that we've lived abroad, that we have an existing child, that we both went to boarding school, that once every two months Stephen might smoke a cigarette in a bar.
But strangely, the biggest problem is that we are about to have building work done in our house. Until that work has finished, we can't even start the process. As we drive home, Stephen is fuming and I am in tears. I know the social worker is playing games, trying to find out if we are serious. But could she not have offered some support or encouragement? I know that adoption isn't easy – and that it shouldn't be easy. But does it have to be negative, intrusive, judgemental and so painfully inefficient? Would they rather leave 100 children in care than relax their impossible demands for perfection?
Six months later we meet a lawyer who specialises in gestational surrogacy in the US. Nearly everyone who crosses her threshold has tried to adopt and given up. And US surrogacy? Well, it's expensive and legally complex – but it can be done. We get in touch with agencies in the States. Yes, they say. Yes and yes and yes.
But I am unconvinced. To me, surrogacy seems bizarre and extreme. It's from the world of lawsuits and reality TV shows. But then I talk to people with real experience of surrogacy and uncover a world that couldn't be more different from those sensational media stories. A world in which women are genuinely trying to help other women overcome the pain of infertility.
Two weeks ago we came back from America with our baby daughter. She is called Hope. We are the luckiest people in the world. Throughout the whole process, I continued to doubt whether surrogacy can really work well for everyone involved – now I know that it can. But still I am left with questions about why we couldn't have given a home to an existing child instead of creating a new one. And some part of me will always be haunted by that baby who we might have adopted – and who is probably still waiting for a family and a home.
Article: 15th November 2011 www.independent.co.uk
Photo: Alice Jolly, her husband Stephen and children Thomas and Hope by JOHN LAWRENCE
Proceeds from this article have been donated to SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society) uk-sands.org
Friday 18 November 2011
Fertility treatments such as IVF and ICSI rise in the UK
The number of people accessing fertility treatments such as IVF and ICSI has risen in the UK by almost six percent in the past year.
Statistics released by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HEFA) revealed the number of fertility cycles carried out in 2010 stood at 57,652 – a 5.9 percent increase on treatments in 2009. It was also found that the age of women having such treatments is rising; within the last 20 years it has increased by 18 months.
The average age now stands at 35.1 years, compared to 33.6 years in 1991. Additionally, 19 percent of women having fertility treatments were found to be aged 40 plus, equating to one in five treatments. This figure has increased by nearly 10 percent since 1998.
Health experts believe the overall increase in fertility treatments and cycles is due to budget cuts that have affected the NHS. As a result, the National Health Service in the UK has tightened treatment eligibility regulations, meaning it is more difficult for to people to qualify for NHS funded fertility procedures.
However, in spite of this and the fact that most of fertility treatments are carried out and funded privately, the HEFA figures revealed the number of NHS treatments increased last year.
The proportion of fertility cycles that were funded by the NHS reached 40.6 percent in 2010 compared to 38.5 percent in 2009.
The Chief Executive of Infertility Network UK, Clare Lewis-Jones, commented on the findings. She said: “The fact that only a minority of treatment cycles in 2010 were funded by the NHS continues to highlight the difficulties faced by many patients in trying to access NHS treatment.
“The recent suspension of funding by many PCTs means that the number of NHS-funded cycles will no doubt decrease in 2011 and we are also concerned that, if responsibility for commissioning of fertility services is passed to GPs, there will be even more variations in access to treatment.”
Article: 17th November 2011 www.healthcareglobal.com
Statistics released by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HEFA) revealed the number of fertility cycles carried out in 2010 stood at 57,652 – a 5.9 percent increase on treatments in 2009. It was also found that the age of women having such treatments is rising; within the last 20 years it has increased by 18 months.
The average age now stands at 35.1 years, compared to 33.6 years in 1991. Additionally, 19 percent of women having fertility treatments were found to be aged 40 plus, equating to one in five treatments. This figure has increased by nearly 10 percent since 1998.
Health experts believe the overall increase in fertility treatments and cycles is due to budget cuts that have affected the NHS. As a result, the National Health Service in the UK has tightened treatment eligibility regulations, meaning it is more difficult for to people to qualify for NHS funded fertility procedures.
However, in spite of this and the fact that most of fertility treatments are carried out and funded privately, the HEFA figures revealed the number of NHS treatments increased last year.
The proportion of fertility cycles that were funded by the NHS reached 40.6 percent in 2010 compared to 38.5 percent in 2009.
The Chief Executive of Infertility Network UK, Clare Lewis-Jones, commented on the findings. She said: “The fact that only a minority of treatment cycles in 2010 were funded by the NHS continues to highlight the difficulties faced by many patients in trying to access NHS treatment.
“The recent suspension of funding by many PCTs means that the number of NHS-funded cycles will no doubt decrease in 2011 and we are also concerned that, if responsibility for commissioning of fertility services is passed to GPs, there will be even more variations in access to treatment.”
Article: 17th November 2011 www.healthcareglobal.com
Thursday 17 November 2011
Can Reflexology help you get pregnant?
Infertility can be an emotionally exhausting, not to mention expensive, condition. But according to a growing number of people, the key to helping many couples get pregnant could be far simpler than they think - thanks to reflexology.
An increasing number of women claim this popular type of foot massage has helped them conceive. Now a medical study has been launched to discover if the claims are true.
Reflexology, a traditional healing art dating from the ancient Egyptians and Chinese, involves manipulation of pressure points in the hands and feet and is often used to ease period pain, headaches, sinus and back problems as well as the effects of chemotherapy.
Practitioners claim the soles of the feet are like a mini map of the inside of the body and are linked to our inner organs and systems, including the fallopian tubes and ovaries. By massaging different points on the feet therapists claim they can unblock energy pathways in the body and so help the body to regain its natural balance and heal itself.
Some points on the foot are associated with a woman's egg production and by manipulating these areas reflexologists claim they can correct the imbalances which can hamper pregnancy. The latest research, a two year clinical trial at the IVF unit at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, is the brainchild of reflexologist Jane Holt. She approached the unit after 13 of the 23 women she treated with a range of fertility problems fell pregnant last year.
Beccy Wellington, 34, an auxiliary nurse, from Kingsbridge, in Devon, is convinced that her trip to see Jane in November 1999 resulted in the birth of her son Luke, who is now five months old.
'We had been trying for a baby for just over a year and had begun to look at other ways that would help me conceive when someone recommended reflexology,' she said. 'I had four treatments and was pregnant within three weeks. I am convinced that the reflexology got my body in working order so I was ready to conceive. I also felt ten times better, more positive and a lot happier in myself.' 'I went in there with an open mind, but was totally shocked to find myself pregnant so soon,' she said. 'I would definitely advise other women to try reflexology. It may not work for everyone, but it worked for me and it is worth trying.'
Jane Holt, a reflexologist for 12 years, claims one woman she helped had been trying to get pregnant for 20 years. 'Infertility is a complex problem and I think that often what is needed is something that gives the system a bit of a kick start and that's what reflexology can do,' she said. 'At least this gives women the option to try something else while they are going through hospital procedures and even if it works for some of them that's a bonus.'
Cathy Shipton, who plays nurse Duffy in the BBC TV series Casualty, is also convinced that reflexology on the set of the show in Bristol helped her to become pregnant. She had been trying to have a baby for four years, but four months after having twice weekly reflexology sessions she became pregnant.
In the new study, 150 volunteers will be offered reflexology rather than the fertility drug clomifene, which is usually used to induce ovulation. This drug works in about 70 per cent of patients, but the drug's main drawback is it can increase the likelihood of a multiple pregnancy. The volunteers will each receive eight treatments over a two to three month period. In order for the trial to be conducted in a scientific way, patients and hospital staff will not know whether true reflexology or a 'dummy' version has been given. Only the reflexologist will know who has had the real treatment. One in seven couples suffers with infertility. Last year the Plymouth IVF unit saw over 900 patients. Thirty per cent of these were not producing eggs.
The hospital has already pioneered the use of acupuncture - the insertion of fine needles into the body to unblock energy channels - in pregnancy and routinely offers it to women who might benefit. Dr Jonathan Lord, clinical lecturer in reproductive medicine at the hospital, is co-ordinating the new trial. 'At the moment there is no evidence to say whether reflexology works or not,' he said. 'Although there are several reports of patients in whom it has worked, this is not sufficient evidence to enable it to be routinely recommended.'
Article: 15th November 2011 www.dailymail.co.uk
An increasing number of women claim this popular type of foot massage has helped them conceive. Now a medical study has been launched to discover if the claims are true.
Reflexology, a traditional healing art dating from the ancient Egyptians and Chinese, involves manipulation of pressure points in the hands and feet and is often used to ease period pain, headaches, sinus and back problems as well as the effects of chemotherapy.
Practitioners claim the soles of the feet are like a mini map of the inside of the body and are linked to our inner organs and systems, including the fallopian tubes and ovaries. By massaging different points on the feet therapists claim they can unblock energy pathways in the body and so help the body to regain its natural balance and heal itself.
Some points on the foot are associated with a woman's egg production and by manipulating these areas reflexologists claim they can correct the imbalances which can hamper pregnancy. The latest research, a two year clinical trial at the IVF unit at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, is the brainchild of reflexologist Jane Holt. She approached the unit after 13 of the 23 women she treated with a range of fertility problems fell pregnant last year.
Beccy Wellington, 34, an auxiliary nurse, from Kingsbridge, in Devon, is convinced that her trip to see Jane in November 1999 resulted in the birth of her son Luke, who is now five months old.
'We had been trying for a baby for just over a year and had begun to look at other ways that would help me conceive when someone recommended reflexology,' she said. 'I had four treatments and was pregnant within three weeks. I am convinced that the reflexology got my body in working order so I was ready to conceive. I also felt ten times better, more positive and a lot happier in myself.' 'I went in there with an open mind, but was totally shocked to find myself pregnant so soon,' she said. 'I would definitely advise other women to try reflexology. It may not work for everyone, but it worked for me and it is worth trying.'
Jane Holt, a reflexologist for 12 years, claims one woman she helped had been trying to get pregnant for 20 years. 'Infertility is a complex problem and I think that often what is needed is something that gives the system a bit of a kick start and that's what reflexology can do,' she said. 'At least this gives women the option to try something else while they are going through hospital procedures and even if it works for some of them that's a bonus.'
Cathy Shipton, who plays nurse Duffy in the BBC TV series Casualty, is also convinced that reflexology on the set of the show in Bristol helped her to become pregnant. She had been trying to have a baby for four years, but four months after having twice weekly reflexology sessions she became pregnant.
In the new study, 150 volunteers will be offered reflexology rather than the fertility drug clomifene, which is usually used to induce ovulation. This drug works in about 70 per cent of patients, but the drug's main drawback is it can increase the likelihood of a multiple pregnancy. The volunteers will each receive eight treatments over a two to three month period. In order for the trial to be conducted in a scientific way, patients and hospital staff will not know whether true reflexology or a 'dummy' version has been given. Only the reflexologist will know who has had the real treatment. One in seven couples suffers with infertility. Last year the Plymouth IVF unit saw over 900 patients. Thirty per cent of these were not producing eggs.
The hospital has already pioneered the use of acupuncture - the insertion of fine needles into the body to unblock energy channels - in pregnancy and routinely offers it to women who might benefit. Dr Jonathan Lord, clinical lecturer in reproductive medicine at the hospital, is co-ordinating the new trial. 'At the moment there is no evidence to say whether reflexology works or not,' he said. 'Although there are several reports of patients in whom it has worked, this is not sufficient evidence to enable it to be routinely recommended.'
Article: 15th November 2011 www.dailymail.co.uk
Tuesday 15 November 2011
Sperm donors in sweden are well adjusted men - study shows
Men who pass a screening process and donate to sperm banks in Sweden score better on personality measures, such as responsibility, confidence and self-acceptance, than other men in their peer group, according to a Swedish study. Sweden was the first country to pass a so-called non-anonymous law, which entitles children to contact the sperm donor if they choose. Britain, Australia and other nations also require that donors consent to being contacted.
The United States allows donors to remain anonymous and for them to get paid, unlike Sweden, where men can only volunteer. The non-anonymous laws could be a problem for both sides since nobody can prepare themselves for their reactions if a child decides to contact the biological father, said Gunilla Sydsjo, lead author of the study and a professor at Sweden's Linkoping University.
"A decision made at the age of 25 might be crystal clear for the individual at that time but might take on other dimensions 20 years later," she wrote in an email to Reuters Health. "We have, in this study, shown that the men who are accepted for the program were all in the normal range of character and also demonstrated a mature personality and a stable character."
The study, published in the British obstetrics and gynecology journal BJOG, looked at 115 men who donated sperm at clinics in Sweden between 2005 and 2008, comparing them with men of similar age who did not attempt to donate sperm. Donors in Sweden go through a screening process that weeds out men with psychological or health problems. The study questionnaire asked about behaviors, emotions and social skills.
On two measures, self-directedness and cooperativeness, the donors scored higher than the comparison group, showing that they pursue goals, stick to their values and take responsibility, researchers said. The donors scored lower on one measure, called harm avoidance. "This indicates that the sperm donors described themselves as being less worried, uncertain, shy and less subject to fatigue," the researchers wrote.
All other personality traits, including persistence and novelty seeking behaviors, were similar between the two groups. The results suggested that the donors would not be thrown if a child decided to contact them, said Robert Oates, president of the Society for Male Reproduction and Urology, who was not involved in the study.
"They will be able to handle it if in the future somebody comes to them and says, 'I am your donor child'," he added.
"I think the majority are just nice people who want to help people out. That may be a different personality from the 21-year-old college student who wants to make a lot of money." Two recent studies have shown that uniting children with donor fathers is usually a positive experience, but the researchers wrote that they were not aware of any children in Sweden taking advantage of the transparency law to contact their biological fathers.
Article: www.uk.reuters.com 11th November 2011
The United States allows donors to remain anonymous and for them to get paid, unlike Sweden, where men can only volunteer. The non-anonymous laws could be a problem for both sides since nobody can prepare themselves for their reactions if a child decides to contact the biological father, said Gunilla Sydsjo, lead author of the study and a professor at Sweden's Linkoping University.
"A decision made at the age of 25 might be crystal clear for the individual at that time but might take on other dimensions 20 years later," she wrote in an email to Reuters Health. "We have, in this study, shown that the men who are accepted for the program were all in the normal range of character and also demonstrated a mature personality and a stable character."
The study, published in the British obstetrics and gynecology journal BJOG, looked at 115 men who donated sperm at clinics in Sweden between 2005 and 2008, comparing them with men of similar age who did not attempt to donate sperm. Donors in Sweden go through a screening process that weeds out men with psychological or health problems. The study questionnaire asked about behaviors, emotions and social skills.
On two measures, self-directedness and cooperativeness, the donors scored higher than the comparison group, showing that they pursue goals, stick to their values and take responsibility, researchers said. The donors scored lower on one measure, called harm avoidance. "This indicates that the sperm donors described themselves as being less worried, uncertain, shy and less subject to fatigue," the researchers wrote.
All other personality traits, including persistence and novelty seeking behaviors, were similar between the two groups. The results suggested that the donors would not be thrown if a child decided to contact them, said Robert Oates, president of the Society for Male Reproduction and Urology, who was not involved in the study.
"They will be able to handle it if in the future somebody comes to them and says, 'I am your donor child'," he added.
"I think the majority are just nice people who want to help people out. That may be a different personality from the 21-year-old college student who wants to make a lot of money." Two recent studies have shown that uniting children with donor fathers is usually a positive experience, but the researchers wrote that they were not aware of any children in Sweden taking advantage of the transparency law to contact their biological fathers.
Article: www.uk.reuters.com 11th November 2011
Saturday 12 November 2011
Men are you killing your sperm? Quality and quantity matter in male fertility
Most men don’t give much thought to their prenatal care, but, according to male-fertility experts, what guys do now could make the difference between becoming a dad or not.
Unlike women -- who have all the eggs they will ever have when they’re born -- men produce sperm all day long. Sperm takes about two to three months to fully mature, so a guy’s behaviour during the past 90 days will affect the baby he makes today, or whether he can make one at all, said Dr. Sijo Parekattil, director of urology at Winter Haven Hospital, where he specializes in male infertility.
Although society tends to focus on women when couples can’t conceive, about half the time it’s the guy’s fault, said Parekattil, who will be among several infertility and adoption experts speaking Saturday at a free conference in Lake Mary, Fla.
Among the more common sperm-killing behaviours guys engage in are keeping cellphones in pants pockets, and working with laptops on their laps, which raises sperm temperature.
Other behaviours not conducive to fatherhood are smoking; excessive drinking; frequenting saunas and hot tubs; wearing tight underwear; using recreational drugs, including marijuana; taking male supplements; and getting sick. Studies show that such behaviours can reduce sperm quality and quantity.
Ashok Agarwal, director of the Center for Reproductive Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, has conducted several studies on the effects of cellphone radiation on sperm. In one lab study, he found that the viability of sperm exposed to cellphone radiation for one hour dropped by 11 per cent compared with control samples.
His research also found that sperm count, motility and viability dropped more as cellphone exposure went up.
"Cellphones emit radiation, which can potentially harm the sperm in men who carry their phones in their pockets or on their belts," Agarwal said. "We believe these harmful effects are due to the proximity of the phones to the groin area."
A bout with the flu can lower sperm count, too, which is why experts recommend that men trying to have children get flu shots. Chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, also take their toll. Obesity can foster low sperm counts because excess fat causes men to produce more female hormones, Parekattil said.
When men take male supplements, including anabolic steroids, their bodies think they’re making too much testosterone and shut down the testicles, which actually atrophy, Parekattil said. Once guys stop taking supplements, sperm production can take a year to resume.
"A man’s lifestyle can impact the DNA organization inside the sperm and the surface properties of the sperm, which are critical for penetrating the egg, fertilizing it and helping the embryo get to full term," said Dr. Michael Witt, a urologist and male-fertility specialist who divides his time between Winter Park, Fla., and Atlanta.
Avoiding these sperm-unfriendly behaviours and conditions are sometimes all men need to do to give their sperm a boost, Witt said.
Besides having a better understanding of how lifestyle and anatomical stresses can affect sperm, men trying to become dads also benefit from another advance in male infertility: in-home sperm-test kits.
Although the home tests aren’t as sensitive as those in the urologist’s office, they’re a lot more convenient and less embarrassing than giving a sample at the doctor’s office.
A normal sperm count is about 40 million motile sperm per ejaculation, according to the World Health Organization. Most men produce that well into their 70s. However, of those men who have problems with infertility, about 10 per cent to 15 per cent make no sperm, and an additional 30 per cent have low sperm.
Among all men, about one in seven has a varicocele, in which excess blood vessels impair the count and quality of sperm, Witt said. Surgery to remove the veins often restores fertility.
Like 15 per cent of American couples, Clay and Wendi Harris of Orlando, Fla., couldn’t have a baby, despite trying for five years. "We were tested seven ways to Sunday" to look for the cause, Clay Harris said.
After five failed rounds of in vitro fertilization, they had just about given up. Then tests showed that Harris, 38, had a sperm count in "the midrange." However, Witt reviewed Harris’ sample and thought the sperm quality would improve if he had varicocele surgery.
In November 2010, Harris had the surgery, and afterward, "my sperm count went through the roof. It skyrocketed to 90 million." Now, the Harrises are expecting a baby boy in early February. "When we go for our weekly ultrasound," said Clay Harris, "we just stare at the baby on the monitor and hold hands."
Article: 11th November 2011 www.vancouversun.com
Check your sperm count with our male fertility test
Unlike women -- who have all the eggs they will ever have when they’re born -- men produce sperm all day long. Sperm takes about two to three months to fully mature, so a guy’s behaviour during the past 90 days will affect the baby he makes today, or whether he can make one at all, said Dr. Sijo Parekattil, director of urology at Winter Haven Hospital, where he specializes in male infertility.
Although society tends to focus on women when couples can’t conceive, about half the time it’s the guy’s fault, said Parekattil, who will be among several infertility and adoption experts speaking Saturday at a free conference in Lake Mary, Fla.
Among the more common sperm-killing behaviours guys engage in are keeping cellphones in pants pockets, and working with laptops on their laps, which raises sperm temperature.
Other behaviours not conducive to fatherhood are smoking; excessive drinking; frequenting saunas and hot tubs; wearing tight underwear; using recreational drugs, including marijuana; taking male supplements; and getting sick. Studies show that such behaviours can reduce sperm quality and quantity.
Ashok Agarwal, director of the Center for Reproductive Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic, has conducted several studies on the effects of cellphone radiation on sperm. In one lab study, he found that the viability of sperm exposed to cellphone radiation for one hour dropped by 11 per cent compared with control samples.
His research also found that sperm count, motility and viability dropped more as cellphone exposure went up.
"Cellphones emit radiation, which can potentially harm the sperm in men who carry their phones in their pockets or on their belts," Agarwal said. "We believe these harmful effects are due to the proximity of the phones to the groin area."
A bout with the flu can lower sperm count, too, which is why experts recommend that men trying to have children get flu shots. Chronic diseases, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, also take their toll. Obesity can foster low sperm counts because excess fat causes men to produce more female hormones, Parekattil said.
When men take male supplements, including anabolic steroids, their bodies think they’re making too much testosterone and shut down the testicles, which actually atrophy, Parekattil said. Once guys stop taking supplements, sperm production can take a year to resume.
"A man’s lifestyle can impact the DNA organization inside the sperm and the surface properties of the sperm, which are critical for penetrating the egg, fertilizing it and helping the embryo get to full term," said Dr. Michael Witt, a urologist and male-fertility specialist who divides his time between Winter Park, Fla., and Atlanta.
Avoiding these sperm-unfriendly behaviours and conditions are sometimes all men need to do to give their sperm a boost, Witt said.
Besides having a better understanding of how lifestyle and anatomical stresses can affect sperm, men trying to become dads also benefit from another advance in male infertility: in-home sperm-test kits.
Although the home tests aren’t as sensitive as those in the urologist’s office, they’re a lot more convenient and less embarrassing than giving a sample at the doctor’s office.
A normal sperm count is about 40 million motile sperm per ejaculation, according to the World Health Organization. Most men produce that well into their 70s. However, of those men who have problems with infertility, about 10 per cent to 15 per cent make no sperm, and an additional 30 per cent have low sperm.
Among all men, about one in seven has a varicocele, in which excess blood vessels impair the count and quality of sperm, Witt said. Surgery to remove the veins often restores fertility.
Like 15 per cent of American couples, Clay and Wendi Harris of Orlando, Fla., couldn’t have a baby, despite trying for five years. "We were tested seven ways to Sunday" to look for the cause, Clay Harris said.
After five failed rounds of in vitro fertilization, they had just about given up. Then tests showed that Harris, 38, had a sperm count in "the midrange." However, Witt reviewed Harris’ sample and thought the sperm quality would improve if he had varicocele surgery.
In November 2010, Harris had the surgery, and afterward, "my sperm count went through the roof. It skyrocketed to 90 million." Now, the Harrises are expecting a baby boy in early February. "When we go for our weekly ultrasound," said Clay Harris, "we just stare at the baby on the monitor and hold hands."
Article: 11th November 2011 www.vancouversun.com
Check your sperm count with our male fertility test
Thursday 10 November 2011
Sperm Donor anonymity debate in US - Should the law change?
When couples struggle with fertility, many of them turn to sperm donors to help them get pregnant.
This process has worked well for many families, but one woman, who used a sperm donor to have a child, says she thinks there should be changes made in the industry.
Wendy Kramer says her son always wanted to meet his biological dad, so she co-founded the Donor Sibling Registry, a website that allows donors and donor-conceived children to voluntarily connect. She says there are now 33,000 users and the website has made more than 9,000 connections.
Families input the name of their sperm bank and their donor number, and see if there are any links with donors or half siblings.
Kramer says it’s very rewarding, but she’s noticed a few things on her website that she finds alarming, like the number of children seemingly fathered by one sperm donor. “We do know there are groups of 50, 70, 100 all the way up to 150 children for one sperm donor,” Kramer says.
She believes that increases the risk of passing on genetic disorders, and poses the risk that a random meeting of half siblings could turn into accidental incest.
“We hear about random and chance meetings all the time on the donor sibling registry,” Kramer said. Kramer believes the sperm bank industry needs to make some big changes. “Donor anonymity is an archaic practice, and it’s something that should be banned,” she says.
She’d like for the donors’ medical histories to be updated over time, and she wants to see some sort of data base that would show if men were donating at multiple sperm banks. But sperm bank directors say this is a complicated issue. “We cannot control the patient,” said Betsy Cairo with Cryogam, the state’s only commercial sperm bank.
She says her bank does limit the number of pregnancies to eight in the region and 25 in the country, but try as they might, they have a hard time getting information once the sperm goes out to other clinics. Cairo says every shipment includes a form asking the patient or the doctor to let the sperm bank know if a pregnancy results, but less than half of people even respond.
“If a patient chooses not to disclose, that is her choice, so are you going to regulate the patient?” she asked. It is a complicated issue. Other countries, including the UK, have done away with anonymity, allowing children born using sperm or egg donation to get information about their genetic parents when they reach age 18. The donors have no financial responsibility, but some people argue that banning donor anonymity would mean fewer people would donate.
Article: Fox 31 Denver 8th November 2011
This process has worked well for many families, but one woman, who used a sperm donor to have a child, says she thinks there should be changes made in the industry.
Wendy Kramer says her son always wanted to meet his biological dad, so she co-founded the Donor Sibling Registry, a website that allows donors and donor-conceived children to voluntarily connect. She says there are now 33,000 users and the website has made more than 9,000 connections.
Families input the name of their sperm bank and their donor number, and see if there are any links with donors or half siblings.
Kramer says it’s very rewarding, but she’s noticed a few things on her website that she finds alarming, like the number of children seemingly fathered by one sperm donor. “We do know there are groups of 50, 70, 100 all the way up to 150 children for one sperm donor,” Kramer says.
She believes that increases the risk of passing on genetic disorders, and poses the risk that a random meeting of half siblings could turn into accidental incest.
“We hear about random and chance meetings all the time on the donor sibling registry,” Kramer said. Kramer believes the sperm bank industry needs to make some big changes. “Donor anonymity is an archaic practice, and it’s something that should be banned,” she says.
She’d like for the donors’ medical histories to be updated over time, and she wants to see some sort of data base that would show if men were donating at multiple sperm banks. But sperm bank directors say this is a complicated issue. “We cannot control the patient,” said Betsy Cairo with Cryogam, the state’s only commercial sperm bank.
She says her bank does limit the number of pregnancies to eight in the region and 25 in the country, but try as they might, they have a hard time getting information once the sperm goes out to other clinics. Cairo says every shipment includes a form asking the patient or the doctor to let the sperm bank know if a pregnancy results, but less than half of people even respond.
“If a patient chooses not to disclose, that is her choice, so are you going to regulate the patient?” she asked. It is a complicated issue. Other countries, including the UK, have done away with anonymity, allowing children born using sperm or egg donation to get information about their genetic parents when they reach age 18. The donors have no financial responsibility, but some people argue that banning donor anonymity would mean fewer people would donate.
Article: Fox 31 Denver 8th November 2011
Tuesday 8 November 2011
61 year old IVF mum said 'I was too old when I had my baby'
A retired teacher who gave birth at 57 through IVF now admits that she was too old to have a child. Susan Tollefsen sparked an ethical storm after becoming Britain’s oldest first-time mother when she had daughter Freya using sperm from her partner Nick Mayer, who is 11 years her junior, and a donor egg.
Now aged 61 and separated from Mr Mayer, she believes there should be an age limit of 50 for IVF treatment for women in the UK. The pensioner said she had split from Mr Mayer in part because of the ‘shock’ of having a child so late in life.
She said: ‘Freya is without doubt the best thing I have ever done in my life, and I have no regrets. But with the benefit of hindsight I recognise that perhaps some of my critics were right.
'I get a great emotional feeling when I look at her, and a sadness when I realise time’s running out. If I could change just one thing, I would wish to be younger so I could enjoy watching Freya grow up, get married and have children of her own. ‘If I’m completely honest, my experience has taught me that 50 should probably be the cut-off limit for having children, but until you have them it’s almost impossible to appreciate that. ‘It’s so true that you only learn by your own mistakes, and my mistake was not to have had her sooner.’
Mrs Tollefsen, a former special needs teacher from Laindon, Essex, gave birth to Freya in 2008. The strain exposed problems that already existed in her relationship with Mr Mayer, and she is now bringing up Freya on her own on a tight income, which includes her pension. Freya stays with her father, a warehouse manager, every other weekend.
‘I’ve never regretted having Freya, but I’ve had to pay a heavy price for my dream of being a mother,’ Mrs Tollefsen added. ‘It’s cost me my relationship. ‘You think you’re madly in love with someone and you just don’t realise what they’re going to be like after you’ve had children.’
Mr Mayer, 49, said: ‘We’re living separately for various reasons. I’d prefer us all to be living together but that’s just not the case – but who knows what’ll happen in the future.’
Mrs Tollefsen also acknowledged the age gap between herself and other mothers at the school gates. ‘They are nice people but we are so different – we are from different generations,’ she said. ‘I have little in common with most of them. They talk about nights out and music and things that just don’t involve me. Sometimes I envy them their youth and infinite chances. I realised, belatedly, that I wanted a sibling for Freya but regretfully I had to devote the time to nursing my parents. But perhaps more than most I now know the real value of the time that’s left to us, and I don’t intend to waste a moment.’
She added: ‘A lot of the criticism I faced was based on my age, with claims that Freya would be abandoned in the event of my death. But Nick is still in his 40s.’ She also lamented the fact that older fathers do not face the sort of criticism she encountered, saying: ‘They get a slap on the back.’ Josephine Quintavalle, a co-founder of the pressure group Comment on Reproductive Ethics, praised Mrs Tollefsen’s candour. ‘One has to admire her honesty in coming forward and speaking frankly about the difficulties about being a mother so old,’ she said. ‘We can only hope that this acts as a warning to others who are in their later years and considering having a child.
‘One has to feel sorry for her, because she took advantage of something society offered her. But I think it shows that we need to have a bit more respect for nature, which seems to know how hard it is to look after a child when you are older. There is a very good reason the menopause comes when it does. IVF and egg-donating are creating a lot of unnatural situations.
‘As a society, we have to start to look at all of these issues from the perspective of the child and ask what is best for them. ‘The ideal situation for a child is to be with a two parents who are young and healthy enough to look after them.’
Article: 7th November 2011 www.dailymail.co.uk
Now aged 61 and separated from Mr Mayer, she believes there should be an age limit of 50 for IVF treatment for women in the UK. The pensioner said she had split from Mr Mayer in part because of the ‘shock’ of having a child so late in life.
She said: ‘Freya is without doubt the best thing I have ever done in my life, and I have no regrets. But with the benefit of hindsight I recognise that perhaps some of my critics were right.
'I get a great emotional feeling when I look at her, and a sadness when I realise time’s running out. If I could change just one thing, I would wish to be younger so I could enjoy watching Freya grow up, get married and have children of her own. ‘If I’m completely honest, my experience has taught me that 50 should probably be the cut-off limit for having children, but until you have them it’s almost impossible to appreciate that. ‘It’s so true that you only learn by your own mistakes, and my mistake was not to have had her sooner.’
Mrs Tollefsen, a former special needs teacher from Laindon, Essex, gave birth to Freya in 2008. The strain exposed problems that already existed in her relationship with Mr Mayer, and she is now bringing up Freya on her own on a tight income, which includes her pension. Freya stays with her father, a warehouse manager, every other weekend.
‘I’ve never regretted having Freya, but I’ve had to pay a heavy price for my dream of being a mother,’ Mrs Tollefsen added. ‘It’s cost me my relationship. ‘You think you’re madly in love with someone and you just don’t realise what they’re going to be like after you’ve had children.’
Mr Mayer, 49, said: ‘We’re living separately for various reasons. I’d prefer us all to be living together but that’s just not the case – but who knows what’ll happen in the future.’
Mrs Tollefsen also acknowledged the age gap between herself and other mothers at the school gates. ‘They are nice people but we are so different – we are from different generations,’ she said. ‘I have little in common with most of them. They talk about nights out and music and things that just don’t involve me. Sometimes I envy them their youth and infinite chances. I realised, belatedly, that I wanted a sibling for Freya but regretfully I had to devote the time to nursing my parents. But perhaps more than most I now know the real value of the time that’s left to us, and I don’t intend to waste a moment.’
She added: ‘A lot of the criticism I faced was based on my age, with claims that Freya would be abandoned in the event of my death. But Nick is still in his 40s.’ She also lamented the fact that older fathers do not face the sort of criticism she encountered, saying: ‘They get a slap on the back.’ Josephine Quintavalle, a co-founder of the pressure group Comment on Reproductive Ethics, praised Mrs Tollefsen’s candour. ‘One has to admire her honesty in coming forward and speaking frankly about the difficulties about being a mother so old,’ she said. ‘We can only hope that this acts as a warning to others who are in their later years and considering having a child.
‘One has to feel sorry for her, because she took advantage of something society offered her. But I think it shows that we need to have a bit more respect for nature, which seems to know how hard it is to look after a child when you are older. There is a very good reason the menopause comes when it does. IVF and egg-donating are creating a lot of unnatural situations.
‘As a society, we have to start to look at all of these issues from the perspective of the child and ask what is best for them. ‘The ideal situation for a child is to be with a two parents who are young and healthy enough to look after them.’
Article: 7th November 2011 www.dailymail.co.uk
Sunday 6 November 2011
AMH test to check your real fertility age
MORE women are delaying motherhood until they are older, so it is helpful to know what your real fertility age is. The average age of those giving birth was 29½ last year – up a year on a decade ago. Almost a quarter of the 2,500 women taking part in Red magazine's national fertility report had problems conceiving. British mums have their first-born later than any other nationality and the number giving birth after 40 has trebled.
Sun Woman asked five women between 25 and 32 to take tests to give a UK snapshot of fertility. The Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) Test gives an estimate of the woman's remaining egg supply, or "ovarian reserve". The shocking results revealed four out of the five women had a LOW egg reserve result.
Here fertility expert Zita West, who runs her own clinic in London, explains why there is no reason to panic and explains how they can improve fertility.
1. Sarah House, 27
Single Sarah, a health and beauty consultant from Broadstairs, Kent, was given an egg reserve count of 18.96, which is considered LOW. Zita says: "For her age, this AMH level is on the low side. "Sarah's BMI indicates that she is slightly overweight. But she exercises, which is a good thing. "Being overweight may interfere with your menstrual cycle, create hormonal imbalance and prevent ovulation. "She admitted she is a smoker and this can damage her eggs so I have advised her to give up." Sarah says: "The results were not what I expected and I was a bit worried. I thought I would be fine because I'm a young person and as far as I know, I have no health problems. "I'm going to focus on my weight and smoking but I'm not going to rush into having a family just because of the test results. "I am not ready to have babies yet. "I want to give up smoking and I'm considering hypnotherapy. "I've been going to the gym a lot and I've joined the weight-loss group Slimming World. "I might try the test again in three years and see what the results are like then. "If I had the finance,I might consider freezing my eggs at that point."
2. Lucy Jones, 32
Single Lucy's egg reserve count was 9.56, which is LOW. She is an accountant and lives in Chalk Farm, North London. Zita says: "Lucy seems to think she may have polycystic ovary syndrome but the AMH result does not reflect this. She should see her GP to discuss her worries, though. "She goes to the gym and it is important that she keeps this up and stays fit and healthy. "I would advise her to think about having a baby sooner rather than later." Lucy says: "I was surprised by how low my results were and it took me a while to process the implications. "I eat very healthily, don't smoke and have regular periods. I will go to the GP like Zita suggests. I've been told to have a baby sooner rather than later. "But I split with my boyfriend of nine years last year and I don't want to rush into a new relationship just to have a baby. "All I can do is take my test results into consideration when I next meet someone. "If I get to the age of 35 or 36 and I'm still single I will have to reassess and make a decision about what I want to do. "There are always options such as egg freezing and adoption. "I will keep myself healthy and in good physical condition as this helps fertility. "I chatted with my mum and at my age she got pregnant so I think this is positive. "I will not worry about the test results.
3. Abby Campbell, 26
Single Abby was given an egg reserve count of 14.70, which is LOW. She is a shop manager from Lincoln. Zita says: "Her egg count is a little low for her age. "Now she is aware that her AMH is slightly lower than average so she may want to think about having children a little earlier. "She doesn't smoke and she exercises regularly. "She should carry on with this healthy lifestyle because it helps to boost her fertility. Abby also needs to discuss with her mother at what age she went through the menopause because women usually follow their mums in this pattern and it would be helpful for Abby to know what to expect. "She also has a low vitamin D count – hers comes in at 37 when it should be more than 50. "She needs to look to try and boost this figure with supplements if possible, because this will help to increase her fertility." Abby says: "I was surprised by the test results I received but I think it is always better to know these things for the future. "I'm not going to rush out and have a baby, though. "I will take Zita's advice and get vitamin D supplements. "I will also be certain to quiz my mother about when she started the menopause and whether she had any underlying fertility problems. "But my test results are not going to change how I am living or what I am doing now."
4. Hannah Shrimpton, 25
Hannah was given an AMH reading of 31.74, which is SATISFACTORY. She owns a cake-making business and lives with her boyfriend of three years in Peckham, South London. Zita says: "I'm happy with Hannah's results and potential future fertility. She is not overweight, seems to lead a very healthy lifestyle and is young. "Hannah said she has been diagnosed with endometriosis, a condition which affects approximately five to ten per cent of women. Tissue from the womb lining grows in other parts of the reproductive tract and some women may have fertility problems." Hannah says: "Suffering from endometriosis, my fertility has always been at the back of my mind and last year I was warned it might be very bad. "I am not thinking of starting a family yet as my career is only just starting, but I will keep healthy. "I had an operation to laser certain cells a few months ago and my symptoms are a lot better. Although I'm not thinking of kids yet, I'm pleased my test was satisfactory."
5. Kellie Blackmore, 31
Bank worker Kellie was given an egg reserve of 17.48, which is LOW. She lives with her boyfriend, truck driver Chris Pope, in Tamworth, Staffs. Zita says: "At Kellie's age you would expect her fertility to be 17, and hers is 17.48, but this is still considered low. "Kellie has a low vitamin D count – it is 37 and she needs to increase it to 50 or above. "Her alcohol intake for the week is 20 units. When trying for a baby, cutting down on alcohol is always good. "Kellie is slightly overweight and needs to lose weight to improve her fertility level. She and her partner spend a lot of time in steam rooms. This needs to be cut down because heat damages a man's sperm." Kellie says: "I didn't know the dangers to fertility in steam rooms. We'll stop that, along with drinking in the week. I'll take vitamin supplements too." "My low vitamin D levels did come as a surprise and I am now taking a supplement. "Because I hope to have children in the future I am stopping drinking in the week. "Me and my boyfriend are also making healthy meals and I will keep going to the gym, to get to a healthier weight."
Article: 2nd November 2011 www.thesun.co.uk
Read more about boosting fertility at Pride Angel
Sun Woman asked five women between 25 and 32 to take tests to give a UK snapshot of fertility. The Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) Test gives an estimate of the woman's remaining egg supply, or "ovarian reserve". The shocking results revealed four out of the five women had a LOW egg reserve result.
Here fertility expert Zita West, who runs her own clinic in London, explains why there is no reason to panic and explains how they can improve fertility.
1. Sarah House, 27
Single Sarah, a health and beauty consultant from Broadstairs, Kent, was given an egg reserve count of 18.96, which is considered LOW. Zita says: "For her age, this AMH level is on the low side. "Sarah's BMI indicates that she is slightly overweight. But she exercises, which is a good thing. "Being overweight may interfere with your menstrual cycle, create hormonal imbalance and prevent ovulation. "She admitted she is a smoker and this can damage her eggs so I have advised her to give up." Sarah says: "The results were not what I expected and I was a bit worried. I thought I would be fine because I'm a young person and as far as I know, I have no health problems. "I'm going to focus on my weight and smoking but I'm not going to rush into having a family just because of the test results. "I am not ready to have babies yet. "I want to give up smoking and I'm considering hypnotherapy. "I've been going to the gym a lot and I've joined the weight-loss group Slimming World. "I might try the test again in three years and see what the results are like then. "If I had the finance,I might consider freezing my eggs at that point."
2. Lucy Jones, 32
Single Lucy's egg reserve count was 9.56, which is LOW. She is an accountant and lives in Chalk Farm, North London. Zita says: "Lucy seems to think she may have polycystic ovary syndrome but the AMH result does not reflect this. She should see her GP to discuss her worries, though. "She goes to the gym and it is important that she keeps this up and stays fit and healthy. "I would advise her to think about having a baby sooner rather than later." Lucy says: "I was surprised by how low my results were and it took me a while to process the implications. "I eat very healthily, don't smoke and have regular periods. I will go to the GP like Zita suggests. I've been told to have a baby sooner rather than later. "But I split with my boyfriend of nine years last year and I don't want to rush into a new relationship just to have a baby. "All I can do is take my test results into consideration when I next meet someone. "If I get to the age of 35 or 36 and I'm still single I will have to reassess and make a decision about what I want to do. "There are always options such as egg freezing and adoption. "I will keep myself healthy and in good physical condition as this helps fertility. "I chatted with my mum and at my age she got pregnant so I think this is positive. "I will not worry about the test results.
3. Abby Campbell, 26
Single Abby was given an egg reserve count of 14.70, which is LOW. She is a shop manager from Lincoln. Zita says: "Her egg count is a little low for her age. "Now she is aware that her AMH is slightly lower than average so she may want to think about having children a little earlier. "She doesn't smoke and she exercises regularly. "She should carry on with this healthy lifestyle because it helps to boost her fertility. Abby also needs to discuss with her mother at what age she went through the menopause because women usually follow their mums in this pattern and it would be helpful for Abby to know what to expect. "She also has a low vitamin D count – hers comes in at 37 when it should be more than 50. "She needs to look to try and boost this figure with supplements if possible, because this will help to increase her fertility." Abby says: "I was surprised by the test results I received but I think it is always better to know these things for the future. "I'm not going to rush out and have a baby, though. "I will take Zita's advice and get vitamin D supplements. "I will also be certain to quiz my mother about when she started the menopause and whether she had any underlying fertility problems. "But my test results are not going to change how I am living or what I am doing now."
4. Hannah Shrimpton, 25
Hannah was given an AMH reading of 31.74, which is SATISFACTORY. She owns a cake-making business and lives with her boyfriend of three years in Peckham, South London. Zita says: "I'm happy with Hannah's results and potential future fertility. She is not overweight, seems to lead a very healthy lifestyle and is young. "Hannah said she has been diagnosed with endometriosis, a condition which affects approximately five to ten per cent of women. Tissue from the womb lining grows in other parts of the reproductive tract and some women may have fertility problems." Hannah says: "Suffering from endometriosis, my fertility has always been at the back of my mind and last year I was warned it might be very bad. "I am not thinking of starting a family yet as my career is only just starting, but I will keep healthy. "I had an operation to laser certain cells a few months ago and my symptoms are a lot better. Although I'm not thinking of kids yet, I'm pleased my test was satisfactory."
5. Kellie Blackmore, 31
Bank worker Kellie was given an egg reserve of 17.48, which is LOW. She lives with her boyfriend, truck driver Chris Pope, in Tamworth, Staffs. Zita says: "At Kellie's age you would expect her fertility to be 17, and hers is 17.48, but this is still considered low. "Kellie has a low vitamin D count – it is 37 and she needs to increase it to 50 or above. "Her alcohol intake for the week is 20 units. When trying for a baby, cutting down on alcohol is always good. "Kellie is slightly overweight and needs to lose weight to improve her fertility level. She and her partner spend a lot of time in steam rooms. This needs to be cut down because heat damages a man's sperm." Kellie says: "I didn't know the dangers to fertility in steam rooms. We'll stop that, along with drinking in the week. I'll take vitamin supplements too." "My low vitamin D levels did come as a surprise and I am now taking a supplement. "Because I hope to have children in the future I am stopping drinking in the week. "Me and my boyfriend are also making healthy meals and I will keep going to the gym, to get to a healthier weight."
Article: 2nd November 2011 www.thesun.co.uk
Read more about boosting fertility at Pride Angel
Friday 4 November 2011
Visit Pride Angel at The Fertility Show London Olympia
The Fertility show, London Olympia started today with many visitors arriving to discuss their infertility concerns and questions with the 100 exhibitors on show. Exhibitors included fertility clinics from within the UK, USA and Europe. Fertility support services, talked about alternative options to IVF, including natural fertility techniques, DuoFertility, Zestica along with Zita West vitamins and many more. Pride Angel was a popular stand today with many more visitors being interested in the opportunity of using known sperm or egg donors as a method of conceiving. Fertility clinics spoke with interest with Pride Angel, as they are seeing many more people taking known donors to clinics for fertility treatment.
Why not take a visit to The Fertility Show tomorrow Saturday 5th November? There will be many interesting seminars, to include the following:
Saturday 12.45-13.30
International Surrogacy
Earlier this year, Channel 4 aired a controversial documentary called Google Baby which followed the journey of embryos, created in a United States fertility clinic from donor sperm and eggs, to India where they were implanted into local surrogates. Dr Gad Lavy who runs New England Fertility, the IVF clinic featured in the film, talks about what's involved in international surrogacy whilst Louisa Ghevaert, partner specialising in fertility and parenting law at UK solicitors Porter Dodson, discusses the complicated legal aspects involved with such arrangements.
Saturday 14.30-15.15
Issues for families created with donors
If you are hoping to use donated sperm, eggs or embryos to start your family, then the issues of what, when and how to tell a child about their genetic origin becomes crucial. This can be even more complicated with the use of anonymous overseas donors. Olivia Montuschi who runs DC Network, an organisation of 1,500 families created with the help of donors, is joined by a donor conceived person to discuss being open with children in these cases.
Saturday 14.45-15.30
Single women and lesbian couples - options for conceiving.
What are the routes open to women who want to conceive without having sex with a man? Dr Carole Gilling-Smith, Medical Director of the Agora Fertility Clinic, explains the practical issues around getting pregnant with donor sperm, including IUI and IVF, whilst Natalie Woods, a lesbian patient of Carole’s who became a mother after treatment and is also a fertility counsellor, goes into some of the issues discussed in counselling as well as providing a patient’s perspective.
Pride Angel will be exhibiting on stand 20, so if you have any questions, why not come along and have a chat, we look forward to seeing you there.
Article: 4th November 2011 www.prideangel.com
Why not take a visit to The Fertility Show tomorrow Saturday 5th November? There will be many interesting seminars, to include the following:
Saturday 12.45-13.30
International Surrogacy
Earlier this year, Channel 4 aired a controversial documentary called Google Baby which followed the journey of embryos, created in a United States fertility clinic from donor sperm and eggs, to India where they were implanted into local surrogates. Dr Gad Lavy who runs New England Fertility, the IVF clinic featured in the film, talks about what's involved in international surrogacy whilst Louisa Ghevaert, partner specialising in fertility and parenting law at UK solicitors Porter Dodson, discusses the complicated legal aspects involved with such arrangements.
Saturday 14.30-15.15
Issues for families created with donors
If you are hoping to use donated sperm, eggs or embryos to start your family, then the issues of what, when and how to tell a child about their genetic origin becomes crucial. This can be even more complicated with the use of anonymous overseas donors. Olivia Montuschi who runs DC Network, an organisation of 1,500 families created with the help of donors, is joined by a donor conceived person to discuss being open with children in these cases.
Saturday 14.45-15.30
Single women and lesbian couples - options for conceiving.
What are the routes open to women who want to conceive without having sex with a man? Dr Carole Gilling-Smith, Medical Director of the Agora Fertility Clinic, explains the practical issues around getting pregnant with donor sperm, including IUI and IVF, whilst Natalie Woods, a lesbian patient of Carole’s who became a mother after treatment and is also a fertility counsellor, goes into some of the issues discussed in counselling as well as providing a patient’s perspective.
Pride Angel will be exhibiting on stand 20, so if you have any questions, why not come along and have a chat, we look forward to seeing you there.
Article: 4th November 2011 www.prideangel.com
Wednesday 2 November 2011
Charlie Condou | Two dads, one mum - one family
One of the great things about my family is that, instead of the usual two parents, Georgia (and baby-to-be) have three. That's three pairs of hands to share the load and, especially given that we're all flexibly self-employed and close friends, it means that life runs pretty smoothly most of the time.
Last month, for example, we decided to make the most of the sudden burst of late-summer weather, as well as the fact that I had a bit of time off from Coronation Street, and all head down to the country for the week. Georgia loved having all her parents (and one set of grandparents) around, and the three of us enjoyed chilling together and spoiling her, making the most of these last few months of "her-only childhood".
Last week I found myself in the highly unusual position of being a single parent. Cam had gone back to Canada for his mum and dad's 50th wedding anniversary, while Catherine had a number of work things to deal with. She's also entering the third trimester of pregnancy, and is at the stage where she tires easily, particularly as an older mother-to-be, so I took Georgia home with me for three days.
Aside from the obvious lone-parenting issues – plonking your child in front of Peppa Pig while you go to the loo with the door open, for example – the biggest difference was being able to create our own timetable.
I didn't have to meet Catherine or Cam for hand-overs or meal times, so Georgia and I could pootle through the day at our own pace, going wherever the mood took us. Because, of course, the down side of three parents is that there are three people's schedules and needs to consider. So, for those few days, much as I love Catherine, much as I miss Cam, having Georgia all to myself was a rare treat.
Yes, I know how spoilt that sounds. I'm sure there are countless single parents reading this and rolling their eyes. I have plenty of friends who really are bring up children alone, so I'm well aware that the reality of single parenting, day in, day out, is that it can be stressful, exhausting and lonely.
The time alone with my daughter felt like a luxury precisely because I don't have to do it all the time. I don't have to struggle out of bed seven days a week, regardless of how I feel, I don't have to juggle work and childcare and shopping and cooking, while trying to cling to the vestiges of a social life. I have it easy and so, when I do get Georgia to myself, I make the most of it. In fact, I wallow in it – playing and snuggling and enjoying every minute of her two-year-old cuteness. The fact that I also have to spend so much time away in Manchester filming the TV show only serves to make time alone with Georgia feel even more like a luxury.
I wonder again how I'll manage to love the new baby with the same ferocity with which I love Georgia. Even though I know rationally that I will, and everyone tells me "babies bring their own love", it still seems unfathomable.
Before Georgia was born, I had a clear picture of what fatherhood would be like, but this time, when I try to think ahead to being a father of two, my imagination fails, and I struggle to see it emotionally or practically. I am excited about the new baby, but I'm apprehensive, too.
Right now, fatherhood feels so perfect that the thought of any change makes me nervous. Then I think about holding my son in my arms, and I know it's going to work out fine.
Article: 29th October 2011 www.guardian.co.uk
Read more about gay and lesbian families at Pride Angel
Last month, for example, we decided to make the most of the sudden burst of late-summer weather, as well as the fact that I had a bit of time off from Coronation Street, and all head down to the country for the week. Georgia loved having all her parents (and one set of grandparents) around, and the three of us enjoyed chilling together and spoiling her, making the most of these last few months of "her-only childhood".
Last week I found myself in the highly unusual position of being a single parent. Cam had gone back to Canada for his mum and dad's 50th wedding anniversary, while Catherine had a number of work things to deal with. She's also entering the third trimester of pregnancy, and is at the stage where she tires easily, particularly as an older mother-to-be, so I took Georgia home with me for three days.
Aside from the obvious lone-parenting issues – plonking your child in front of Peppa Pig while you go to the loo with the door open, for example – the biggest difference was being able to create our own timetable.
I didn't have to meet Catherine or Cam for hand-overs or meal times, so Georgia and I could pootle through the day at our own pace, going wherever the mood took us. Because, of course, the down side of three parents is that there are three people's schedules and needs to consider. So, for those few days, much as I love Catherine, much as I miss Cam, having Georgia all to myself was a rare treat.
Yes, I know how spoilt that sounds. I'm sure there are countless single parents reading this and rolling their eyes. I have plenty of friends who really are bring up children alone, so I'm well aware that the reality of single parenting, day in, day out, is that it can be stressful, exhausting and lonely.
The time alone with my daughter felt like a luxury precisely because I don't have to do it all the time. I don't have to struggle out of bed seven days a week, regardless of how I feel, I don't have to juggle work and childcare and shopping and cooking, while trying to cling to the vestiges of a social life. I have it easy and so, when I do get Georgia to myself, I make the most of it. In fact, I wallow in it – playing and snuggling and enjoying every minute of her two-year-old cuteness. The fact that I also have to spend so much time away in Manchester filming the TV show only serves to make time alone with Georgia feel even more like a luxury.
I wonder again how I'll manage to love the new baby with the same ferocity with which I love Georgia. Even though I know rationally that I will, and everyone tells me "babies bring their own love", it still seems unfathomable.
Before Georgia was born, I had a clear picture of what fatherhood would be like, but this time, when I try to think ahead to being a father of two, my imagination fails, and I struggle to see it emotionally or practically. I am excited about the new baby, but I'm apprehensive, too.
Right now, fatherhood feels so perfect that the thought of any change makes me nervous. Then I think about holding my son in my arms, and I know it's going to work out fine.
Article: 29th October 2011 www.guardian.co.uk
Read more about gay and lesbian families at Pride Angel
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