Lesbian 'other mom' talks about what she feels thankful for

Thanksgiving was my adoptive mother's favorite holiday. I think of her often and miss her even as I wish for my other mother, my bio mom, during the holiday season. As a lesbian parent, I imagine my kids will have a similar experience of longing for two mothers; for each profound and each for different reasons. In many ways I'm the "other mother," with my ex-partner as the primary. And I often feel that I miss so much - that I focus on what I don't have much more easily, sometimes, than my blessings as a mom, now again a spouse, and a human being living in an auspicious time for gay rights and gay marriage. So, in keeping with the holiday, I've thought about some things that I am thankful for - in my personal parenting circumstance and also in our community. What are your experiences this holiday season? What specific gratitudes would you add to this list of things to be thankful for in the same-sex parenting community? 1. First and foremost, despite my struggles as the other mother in many respects, I am so thankful for my wife and her wondrous ability to co-parent. She graciously recognizes the privileges associated with being "primary" and sets them aside so that we can mother together--equally. Thank you. 2. I am so thankful that my children are close by. Long distance other-mothering from states away was narrowly avoided and I am so grateful to those who helped me help them stay close. Thus, even though I don't get to mother as equally as I would like for the kids from that former relationship, I get to see and spend time with them as often as I can. I can be involved in school and daily activities; I can attend events and grab a few hours for important milestones, share time on holidays, and even split Mother's Day....all things that would be impossible if they were further away. 3. I am so thankful that a certain county in Texas had a "loophole" in its policies that allowed me to legally adopt my own son at a time that same-sex families were not universally accepted. I question the fairness of having to adopt one's own child - planned, conceived, and born within a long-term relationship - but such is the case for now. I am glad I was able to secure the legal rights that have been essential in preserving my relationship with my child after the break up with my ex-partner. 4. I am thankful that we, as a community and as a society, are marching steadily toward marriage equality with of all of its rights, privileges and challenges. It will not be easy and I think we are more prepared for marriage than divorce, but that is an issue for another day. I am so grateful that I was able to legally and joyfully marry my wife in Canada--that we are recognized as a married couple federally after the end of DOMA. With each state that recognizes our union, our kids, our family, and our marriage is more secure. 5. Finally, I am thankful for this opportunity to discuss these and other issues via this blog so that you, the reader, can hear, bear witness, listen, challenge, and question the personal and community experiences I share. Together we will wrestle with all that can happen to mothers in lesbian relationships who are sidelined by their lack of biological connection to their children, and hopefully create a better understanding of what it really means to be a parent, period. As a result of our work, I hope that mental health counselors, psychologists, lawyers and judges can learn to help solidify families just like mine and maybe yours always holding the parent/child relationship above all else. I wish you and yours a wonderful holiday.

Fertility test to predict zero sperm viability for IVF

Scientists have developed a non-invasive test that can predict whether men with zero sperm counts are capable of fathering children through IVF. Current methods rely on surgery to find out if a man has viable sperm that can be retrieved for fertility treatment. The research, in Science Translational Medicine, suggests two biomarkers can identify who will benefit from surgery. A UK fertility expert said the test, which will take at least a year to bring to the clinic, was "encouraging". Male infertility is responsible for about half of cases of infertility. Men who produce no sperm can sometimes be helped to father a biological child through fertility treatment if they have normal sperm that can be extracted surgically. Others will never be able to father a child naturally and need to use donor sperm. With current technology, the only way to find out if a man has viable sperm is to carry out surgery to look for sperm in the testes. The new test, developed by scientists in Canada, has identified two biomarkers in sperm, which can be used to predict whether sperm retrieval will be successful. Dr Keith Jarvi of the Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto, Canada, said the holy grail of his research was to find a way to help men avoid unnecessary testicular biopsies. He told BBC News: "The benefit of this is that we can predict without surgery whether or not a man has sperm or does not have sperm in the testicles. "You could avoid unnecessary surgery for a number of these men." He said work was under way to adapt the test for use in fertility clinics. "Optimistically, it would be a year away," he added. "Pessimistically, two years - we're moving along really quickly." Dr Allan Pacey, senior lecturer in andrology at the University of Sheffield and chairman of the British Fertility Society, said the diagnosis of male infertility was tricky and it was hard to determine whether a man was producing sperm or not. The conventional method was to first examine semen under a microscope to see if sperm was there, he said. If no sperm was seen, the next step was to take tissue from a man's testicle and examine it with a microscope. "Quite understandably, many men would rather not undergo this procedure if they didn't have to," said Dr Pacey. "Therefore, having an accurate biochemical test which might help doctors advise men whether taking a piece of the testicle is worth doing or not, would be very useful. "It could help men make better decisions, avoid unnecessary surgical procedures and potentially help save money by not having to do surgical procedures that aren't needed. "The fact that two protein markers present in semen can be so well correlated with whether sperm are likely to be found is very encouraging indeed." Article: 21st November 2013 www.bbc.co.uk

'Generation Cyro' MTV reality series follows sperm donor kids

The MTV reality series Generation Cyro, premiering Monday, follows teenagers conceived via sperm donor searching for their half-siblings and donor parents. Marlow Stern spoke with several of the teens featured on the show, as well as the head of the Donor Sibling Registry (DSR), about life as donor children. Generation Cryo was green-lit two years ago in the wake of the great sperm donor craze of 2010, which saw films like The Kids Are All Right, The Switch, and The Backup Plan tackle the topic of donor insemination, which in turn led to a bevy of media coverage. And, as LGBT equality becomes increasingly the cultural norm, we’ll be seeing more and more families with same-sex parents, and more and more of these same-sex families turning to donor insemination. According to recent studies, 40 percent of same sex couples between the ages of 22 and 55 are raising children, but only about 5 percent of those kids are adopted. Generation Cryo doesn’t explore the larger issues, instead opting for a more personal approach. The show follows Breeanna—or Bree, for short—a 17-year-old native of Reno, Nevada. Bree’s a slightly introverted young woman with piercings. Through a combination of real-life scenes and Real World-esque testimonials, we learn that she was raised primarily by her two lesbian moms, and that she’s very eager to connect with not only her half-siblings, but find out who her donor was. So, Bree logs on to the DSR and discovers she has (at least) 15 half-siblings under donor #1096. The first half-siblings she connects with are a brother-sister combo in Atlanta, Georgia, who are both 17 as well. They go by the names Jonah and Hilit, and are very laid-back. They’re also practicing Jews, which comes as a bit of a shock to Bree. They get along famously, and welcome Bree into their home. After a few days, Bree even feels comfortable enough around them to come out as a lesbian, and admits she’s been too scared or unprepared to date a girl yet. The three seem, in the show, to share a bond with one another. They see physical similarities, as well. “We actually have cut-outs of eyes, noses, and mouths of different siblings, and we’ve been piecing them together to see whose look like one another’s,” Jonah tells The Daily Beast. According to Hilit, Bree and Jonah’s eyes are virtually identical. Article: 25th November 2013 www.thedailybeast.com Watch the trailer now at www.mtv.com

Egg timer fertility test in Australia may mislead women

A popular fertility test designed to tell a woman how long she has left to fall pregnant is providing inaccurate and misleading results, creating a wave of panic among women in their 30s and 40s, Australia's leading fertility expert, Dr Anne Clarke, said. Dr Clarke, medical director of Fertility First in Sydney, said a recent British study, plus anecdotal evidence, had found the simple blood test, known as the Egg Timer Test, was unreliable and becoming discredited worldwide. ''I have big concerns about its accuracy,'' she said. ''I'm seeing a lot of women turning up at my clinic in an incredibly distressed state and highly depressed because they've been told the test showed they had no chance of having a baby. It's wrong and misleading.'' Among them was a 40-year-old Sydney woman who was told by her GP in April last year that the test, which measures the level of anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) in the blood, showed her ovarian reserve was dangerously low. Further analysis revealed she was very fertile and well within the normal range, Dr Clarke said. The Egg Timer Test - which costs about $70 - was pioneered by Adelaide clinic Repromed in 2004, to measure the number of eggs a woman had and predict how many child-bearing years she had left. With thousands of women rushing to take the test, other companies entered the market, but Dr Kelton Tremellen, of Repromed, said they were not always reliable. ''[If it's not done properly] one person's blood test can be analysed and get two vastly different results,'' he said. Results could be compromised, for example, if a woman had been on the pill. Dr Clarke added that inaccurate readings also occurred when the blood was stored incorrectly or the hormone not analysed immediately. Article: 23rd November 2013 www.smh.com.au

A new trend for 'Fertility MOTs'

It's not breaking news that women are leaving starting a family until later. But it can be a bit of a gamble to assume you'll be able to have a baby when you choose to – especially if it's when you're a bit older. A new trend for 'Fertility MOTs' suggests couples are becoming less complacent and are keen to find out if everything is in working order, even before they have any intention of starting a family. Mrs Yasmin Sajjad, fertility consultant at Spire Liverpool Hospital, says: "The growing popularity of our fertility MOTs reflects a rising trend of young couples and singles seeking peace of mind on their fertility status." There is less complacency, as more and more couples suffer from infertility – almost 40,000 British women had IVF in 2011. Gone are the days when women think: "I'll be fine, I'm fit, I don't drink much, I don't smoke, I exercise..." In fact, women in their mid to late thirties are more likely to have a friend – or several – who have had problems conceiving and are less likely to assume they will have no problems. "At 25 to 27 years old a woman's fertility is already starting to decline", explains Yasmin. "Upon reaching 35, chances of conception have often halved. Women who take an early assessment of their fertility can make informed decisions about their options later down the line, including the possibility of having eggs frozen for a later date." The NHS will, in some cases, provide an assessment for free. But in most cases, women or couples will need to book into a private clinic or hospital. Clinics and hospitals offering the service, which costs in the region of £200-£400, include: Yasmin also adds that they have seen an increase in the use of the clinic by couples in the middle of trying for a family. "Many couples are leaving it later to try for children, which simply put means they can't afford to wait around. If they have been trying for a year with no success then they should visit a GP, but often taking this route can mean they end up on waiting lists for tests and to see a fertility expert. "This wait can mean the difference between having a child and not, as some couples have left it too close in terms of their fertility or accessing IVF on the NHS, where the cut off for funding is often around the age of 40. This means that the women should be referred for assisted conception treatment at least six months before their 40th birthday." So what sort of test do these MOTs actually include? Usually, the tests will just take an hour or so and you'll be asked to come back and discuss the results in a follow up appointment. A blood test for anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) is often carried out, to check egg reserve, an ultrasound scan is also sometimes done for the same reason and to check blood flow, ovulation, womb lining, blood flow to the womb and exclude any abnormalities (immediate result). Tubal patency tests are also sometimes included. For men, a semen analysis is usually offered. But what are the downsides of this kind of test? We asked Ffyona McKeating, creator of the non-profit website Fertility Fighters. "I think they can be a good idea, but there is a danger that someone will be lulled into a false sense of security of thinking that all is well, when it isn't. These tests won't show immune issues or many others that we come across on the forum – and a third of infertility is idiopathic anyway, meaning these tests wouldn't shed any light at all. "The biggest cause of infertility is egg quality – many women would do as well to have their eggs frozen as have a test like this, giving them all the time in the world. You freeze your eggs at 30, and you can have those children at 50 if you want with pretty much the same success rate as a 30 year old!" Erica, 34, and Ken Wilson, 35, have undergone a Fertility MOT to allow them to plan when to start trying to conceive. Erica Wilson used the fertility MOT to help make an informed decision on when she and her husband should start trying for children. She says: "I came to Spire a few years ago for a fertility MOT at the age of 31. I was keen to see if there were any issues, and help become better informed so myself and my husband Ken could find out when we should start trying for children. It ended up being a very good decision because we found out early on that there were problems and it has given us time to address this." Erica is now going through a treatment called ICSI, Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection. This involves injecting a single sperm into an egg in order to fertilise it. It's then transferred back to the woman's womb as an embryo. "So far we have undergone a few treatments of ICSI through the NHS", Erica says. "The treatment went smoothly but unfortunately it hasn't worked. It's now been diagnosed by Mrs Sajjad that I have certain cells, which identify the embryo being put back in my womb as a foreign body and I am now on a course of steroid treatment which should prevent this. "Ken and I are now really hopeful that we can start a family and having a fertility MOT has given us the time to solve the issues, and have a good chance at trying for a family before time and the odds are against us." Article: 21st November 2013 www.parentdish.co.uk Read more about checking your fertility at www.prideangel.com

Many delay having children without understanding fertility decline

Many people may be delaying having children without fully understanding how much fertility is impacted by age, a new study suggests. Researchers in Australia questioned college students about their plans to have children. They found that, on average, the students planned to start their families at the age of 29 and finish having children by the age of 34. However, they were then shown a simple online brochure that included facts about age-related fertility decline and IVF (in vitro fertilisation) success rates. When asked the same questions again, the students lowered the age they said intended to start having children, to 28, and also lowered the age they wanted to finish having children by, to 33. According to the researchers, this study shows that when it comes to fertility issues, a little knowledge can have a big impact on family planning. "This study suggests that many people may be delaying having children without fully understanding fertility decline, and with unrealistically optimistic views of the 'safety net' provided by reproductive technology," they commented. They added that increasing awareness of fertility issues ‘is essential for ensuring young women and men can make informed reproductive decisions and could ultimately have a big impact on society'. Details of these findings are published in the journal, Fertility and Sterility. Article: 19th November 2013 www.irishhealth.com Read more about sperm donation and co-parenting at www.prideangel.com

Chinese herbal medicine helped a third of infertile women conceive

Fifty childless women who sought fertility treatment at Baptist University's traditional Chinese medicine clinics are said to have been able to conceive naturally after six months' treatment. They account for more than 30 per cent of the 145 local and mainland women aged between 22 and 45 who were prescribed customised herbal medicine by the clinics in a bid to increase their chances of pregnancy. Some of their babies are now a year old. "The figure indicates that traditional Chinese medicine plays a key role in fertility medication," said Li Xiaoguang, a senior lecturer who specialises in gynaecology at the university's School of Chinese Medicine. "TCM helps to regulate the functional capacity of patients in terms of their liver, kidneys and ovaries," she added. Clinic records from October 2011 to February this year showed 50 women became pregnant after going on a course of herbal medicine for an average of six months. The other patients had either given up or treatment was still ongoing. Li said women aged 36 to 40 had the highest success rate, at 46.2 per cent. For those over 40, the success rate was 27.8 per cent. "Older patients may take longer to regulate how their body's function," added Li. "This group of patients is advised to be persistent in their medication once they have started the course." Most of the 50 women who did conceive had relied solely on Chinese medicine, while another five underwent Western therapies such as in vitro fertilisation at the same time. "There is no contradiction in adopting TCM along with Western medical procedures, as long as the patients make it known to their doctors," Li said. "TCM can be used to support and co-ordinate with these Western treatments." One in six couples in the city, or 16 per cent, are infertile, according to data from the Council on Human Reproductive Technology under the Department of Health. Infertility is diagnosed when a couple fail to have a baby after more than two years of regular sex without contraceptives. Li said most of the female cases were attributed to a decline in the functioning of the ovaries and "kidneys" - meaning the reproductive system - due to delaying attempts to start a family. The condition could also be aggravated by pressure, she said. Article: 17th November 2013 www.scmp.com

Asthma may increase risk of infertility in women study shows

The risk of delay is greater in women over the age of 30, and whose condition is untreated. Scientists believe the inflammation characteristic of asthma is likely to have an effect on fertility. Researchers studied data on 15,000 female twins from Denmark with an average age of 27 who filled in health and lifestyle questionnaires. All the women were asked if they had tried to get pregnant for more than a year without success. Twins were used in the study to take account of genetic and lifestyle factors that might affect pregnancy. A total of 995 participants had a history of asthma. Of this group, 27% experienced delayed pregnancy compared with 21.6% of non-asthma sufferers, a significant difference. Undergoing asthma treatment reduced the chances of waiting for pregnancy to 23.8% compared with 30.5% for women not receiving treatment. Women above the age of 30 had a stronger tendency towards taking longer to conceive. However, the overall results showed that women with asthma gave birth to the same average number of children as those without the condition. This was because they were more likely to try for a family at a younger age, when women are more fertile, said the researchers writing in the European Respiratory Journal. Lead scientist Dr Elisabeth Juul Gade, from Bispebjerg University Hospital in Denmark, said: “Our results shed light on the complex interactions between fertility and asthma. Although we observed women with asthma experiencing longer waiting times to pregnancy, our findings suggest that if women take their medication and control their asthma, they can reduce this delay. “As the negative effect of asthma on fertility is reduced by treatment, we can assume that the systemic inflammation characterised by asthma may account for the effect on delaying fertility. “Despite the delay, our overall results suggest that women with asthma had the same number of children, which is due to the fact that they tend to conceive at an earlier age compared to those without, getting a head start on their reproductive life.” Deborah Waddell, from the charity Asthma UK, said: “This study suggests that uncontrolled asthma might be associated with women taking longer to get pregnant, though reassuringly there is also evidence that getting the asthma under control can reduce this delay. “We know that good asthma management is vital for the health of both mother and baby, and mums-to-be should continue to use their asthma medication during pregnancy. Women who are looking to conceive and are worried about their asthma should speak to their GP or asthma nurse, and can also call our Asthma UK Helpline on 0800 121 62 44 to speak to a specialist asthma nurse.” Article: 14th November 2014 www.nursingtimes.net Read more about nutrition and fertility at www.prideangel.com

Pride Angel Journey | When a biro cross changes everything

At thirty-six weeks pregnant, I’d never been so grateful for the Easter holidays. We fitted the baby seat in the car, packed my hospital notes and went to visit my parents in Cumbria. On Easter Monday, determined not to let my depleted lung space and cumbersome bump hold me back, I joined the family (albeit slowly) climbing up Hoad Hill, near Ulverston. We watched children roll their ‘pace eggs’ – painted hard-boiled eggs – down the hill, a local Easter Monday tradition which I’d taken part in myself as a child. Another reminder of that distant world of childhood in which we were soon to be immersed: our little family – two lesbian mummies and baby. Two days later I was back at the hospital for my weekly scan. Amniotic fluid still low. Still under consultant care. Still down for induction at forty weeks. We e-mailed the sperm donor to update him: it had been a few months since we’d had contact and he was probably wondering how things were going. And I continued to drink pint after pint of water, just in case it might help. At thirty-eight weeks, I’d been away from work for thirteen days. Despite having waded through a large pile of A’ level coursework with my red pen, I was well-rested and I’d drunk enough water over the past week or so to fill a small lake. The radiographer handed me my notes and we shuffled through the paperwork to the fluid graph. A new biro cross, on the edge, but within the normal band. Excitement was starting to build. In the registrar’s office we could barely get the words out quickly enough: “Does this mean we can go to the birth centre?” That spa-like sanctuary, tucked away in the depths of the busy hospital. A little haven where I could crawl into a corner and give birth like a hunter-gatherer woman in the woods. “There’s no reason why not.” From what we’d read, it’s very difficult to take accurate readings of amniotic fluid levels. I don’t know whether I was once short of the stuff or whether the measurements were never actually reliable anyway. But we were back on track for our midwife-led intervention-free birth. Ecstatic, we almost skipped along the magnolia corridors to introduce ourselves at the birth centre. Article: 12th November 2013 by Lindsey, West Yorkshire Read more Lesbian parenting blogs at www.prideangel.com

Babies from donor sperm in USA are big business

Todd Whitehurst was a young grad student at Stanford when he began donating sperm to pay his way through school. “I went about 3.5 years, two or three times a week,” said Whitehurst, who estimated he’d raked in more than $12,000. Then six years ago, Whitehurst, 48, married with children and living in Los Gatos, Calif., was contacted by a 14-year-old girl who said she was his daughter and that she had obtained his information from the cryobank he’d visited. “My first reaction was just to be stunned,” Whitehurst said. “I would say I was kind of shocked at first but really happy about it overall.” With more than 300 sperm banks expected to rake in a third of $1 billion this year, sperm donation births are a big business in the United States. ABC News learned of at least five individuals who had fathered more than 100 children and one individual who had fathered nearly 200. “It’s the wild, wild west of regulation,” said Deborah Spar, president of Barnard College and author of “The Baby Business.” “There’s essentially no sheriff in town. There’s virtually no regulation in this area, which has become quite large, quite lucrative and is literally involved in the most intimate area of people’s lives.” Sperm banks test for about a half-dozen diseases, including HIV, but there are many more, such as diabetes, that they don’t. There is no genetic testing and there is no limit on the number of children a donor can father, Spar said. In other countries, however, there are legal limits on the number of children a sperm donor can have — in the U.K., it’s 10 — and children have a right to know who their biological fathers are and be able to obtain his health records. “In England and most of Europe, it’s illegal to have anonymous sperm donation,” Spar said. In the U.S. where there are more than 2 million children born from donated sperm, there are no official records that connect them to their biological fathers. The private Donor Sibling Registry allows them to connect to their fathers and to their half-siblings, with their permission. In 13 years, the registry says more than 10,000 donors and children or siblings have connected to one another. Article: 6th November 2013 www.abcnews.go.com Read more about known sperm donation in US, Canada, Europe, Australia and UK at www.prideangel.com

http://blogs.prideangel.com/post/2013/11/Chinas-pollution-blamed-for-infertility-and-low-sperm-counts.aspx

Pollution in China’s most populated city is being blamed for a fertility crisis as the incidence of low sperm counts among its men reaches record levels. Only a third of the semen at Shanghai's main sperm bank, run by Dr Li, currently meets World Health Organisation standards. And smog levels are rising. City authorities warned schools to cancel outdoor activities as Shanghai’s air quality levels were reported to be twice as bad as those in Beijing on Thursday. A 2012 study, coordinated by Dr Li, concluded that over the last ten years, worsening environmental conditions were keeping pace with the falling quality of sperm and aspermia, a condition that causes men to produce no semen at all. A year ago, China's infertility rate stood at 12.5 per cent of people of childbearing age, according to China state news agency Xinhua. Twenty years ago it was just three per cent. 'When the environment is bad, sperm becomes “ugly” and even stops swimming,' Dr Li told the Post. 'To find out whether an eco-system is stable or not, just examine the sperm.' The Chinese Academy of Social Sciences has announced a five-year study into the connection between female infertility and pollution. Meanwhile the Shanghai Morning Post urged its readers to lead greener lives in order to protect future generations. 'In the view of reproductive health experts, loving the earth means loving oneself and, what's more, loving the next generation.' Article: 7th November 2013 www.dailymail.co.uk Read more about testing your sperm count at www.prideangel.com

Single mum by choice achieves her dream of a family

Four years ago, Margaret Ambrose thought life couldn't get much worse. In the space of a year, she turned 40, her dog died and her long-term relationship broke down while she was preparing to start IVF. The Melbourne journalist who was yearning to be a mother thought she was facing a childless future. ''I thought there goes my dream of having kids,'' she said. ''I was 40 at the time so I thought, realistically, by the time I find someone, date them, decide to commit, how old will I be?'' Not content with her chances of finding a man in time to conceive, Ms Ambrose decided to join a growing band of single women who are using sperm donors to embark on motherhood alone. According to new figures from the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority, single women and lesbians are behind a huge rise in the number of Victorians using sperm donors to conceive children since a new law gave them access to IVF treatment in 2010. Before the change, women had to be deemed medically infertile to use IVF in Victoria - a rule that excluded women without male partners. The change has caused demand for sperm to soar in Victoria. Last financial year, the sperm of 445 men was available in clinics, up from 192 the year before. Newly recruited donors have also surged from 38 in 2011-12 to 64 last year. The number of women who used their sperm has increased from 452 in 2008-09 to 1901 last year, leading to 318 pregnancies. At first, Ms Ambrose said the list of potential donors at an IVF clinic was confronting. Instead of being overwhelmed by profiles of tall, dark, handsome professional men, she found just two out of about 20 who seemed suitable. ''I was so traumatised when I saw the list that I called a girlfriend to come over. She said let's start by you telling me what you don't want and I'll eliminate them. It was so funny, I remember her saying 'I assume you don't want one who can't fill out the form properly?''' But within months, Ms Ambrose had chosen a donor who shared her values and his sperm was being used to create embryos in a laboratory. It took just three IVF cycles for her to fall pregnant with her daughter Greta, who is now three. When Greta was one, she returned for a second baby and had Rori, who is now 15 months old. Ms Ambrose said although being a single mother was difficult in some ways, her mother and friends had helped her raise her two girls who are now ''the loves of my life''. ''In a way being single is harder, but it's also easier. You don't have someone else to factor into decisions and negotiate with. I never have to have conversations about whether we tell the girls about God or Santa. It's like I'm the dictator of my own little world,'' she said. However, Ms Ambrose said there had been some hard times and she still hoped to meet a man who would be a father to her girls. Read more ... Article: 6th November 2013 www.theage.com

IVF treatment by injecting sperm used too often by fertility clinics

A technique for injecting sperm directly into unfertilised eggs to increase the chances of a successful IVF pregnancy is being used too widely by some fertility clinics, the head of the Government's fertility watchdog has warned. Lisa Jardine, who chairs the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), said that some IVF clinics are using intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) simply because it is easier than standard IVF, rather than because it is in the best interests of patients. "We believe it is being used far too widely because it is procedurally easy," Professor Jardine said. "The scientists who advocate it already know that a boy born through ICSI is likely to have a low sperm count. So it is a little bit worrying that it is being rolled out so widely." She recently warned on BBC Radio 4 that success rates for couples, who typically spend around £15,000 for three cycles of treatment, are "discouragingly low". ICSI was first introduced about 20 years ago, since when its use has become widespread. In 2011, more than half of the nearly 62,000 cycles of fertility treatment, involving just over 48,000 women in Britain, were done with ICSI, rather than letting the sperm penetrate the egg naturally. In many other countries – in North America and Europe for instance – the figure is even higher, with ICSI being used in as many as 90 to 95 per cent of IVF cycles. Yet some studies suggest that IVF children born from ICSI may be at higher risk of medical problems as they grow older, including male infertility. "We know that babies born from ICSI have increased risk of some problems later in life and infertility is one of them," said Allan Pacey, chairman of the British Fertility Society and an IVF specialist at Sheffield University. "For these reasons we should be prudent over the use of ICSI. So let's use ICSI when it's needed, and not as some kind of guarantee against fertilisation failure, which is how some clinics approach it." Professor Jardine, who steps down as chair of the HFEA in the new year, said she shares the concerns of some experts, who believe that many fertility clinics are opting to use ICSI simply because it is easier to achieve rapid fertilisation of an egg, rather than using it specifically as a treatment for male infertility. About half of the couples given ICSI have male-related fertility problems, while about 12 per cent have joint male and female factors, and 10 per cent have specifically female fertility problems. In 20 per cent of cases, ICSI is used for "unexplained" reasons, according to data gathered by the HFEA. One of the pioneers of ICSI, André Van Steirteghem of the Brussels Free University Centre for Reproductive Medicine, warned in 2010 that IVF clinics are routinely overusing the treatment despite the risk of long-term health problems in the children conceived by the technique. "The health of children has to be considered the most important outcome of artificial reproductive technology treatment. It's fair to say that overall these children do well [but] there are a few more problems with these children," Dr Van Steirteghem said. "It doesn't mean that when you use ICSI there will be more problems, but it is important that we have to see what comes about in the future, so long-term monitoring is extremely important. ICSI has been overused," said Dr Van Steirteghem. He advises the HFEA on new developments in fertility treatment. However, Professor Pacey said that Britain is one country that is probably not overusing ICSI overall: "As a country overall we've got it about right, because about half of the fertility problems are male related and half are female related, and there is a 50:50 split between ICSI and conventional IVF." "But there may be some individual clinics that are doing it more than they should. They are frightened of fertilisation failing. The HFEA should be focusing on these individual clinics with high ICSI levels," he added. Article: 4th November 2013 www.independent.co.uk

The Fertility Show 2nd-3rd November 2013, Olympia, London

Whether you’re just thinking about starting a family or have been trying for ages, find out what you need to know at The Fertility Show. - 100 exhibitors with doctors, clinicians, practitioners and fertility experts available on their stands - 60 talks from from some of the world's leading fertility specialists - just £ 1 each! - Medical and complementary alternatives - Leading UK and overseas clinics - Fertility assessments and treatments - Advice for everyone including single women and same sex couples - Now in its 5th year - Admission price: £11 Pride Angel, the leading connection website for people wishing to find known sperm donors, egg donors or co-parents are exhibiting at stand 75. Come and speak to us about your fertility options whether you are gay, single or an infertile couple? Seminars Sunday 13.45-14.30 Lesbian family building and the legal aspects of Alternative Parenting. Natalie Gamble, prominent lesbian mother of two, campaigner and founder of leading fertility law firm Natalie Gamble Associates, talks through legal parenthood and parental responsibility, the options of known vs unknown donation (including recent court decisions on donor disputes), how the law has changed in the last 10 years, and her own experiences of building an alternative family. Sunday 15.45-16.30 Going solo: law and options for women starting a family on their own Natalie Gamble, leading UK fertility lawyer and prominent campaigner for alternative families, talks through how the law may impact on your choices for starting a family, including the options of known vs unknown donation, accessing treatment through a clinic in the UK or going abroad for treatment. Article: 2nd November 2013 www.fertilityshow.co.uk

Deciding upon Donor Conception: The Future of the Child

The decision to have a child is one of the most important decisions you will ever make. Having a child is a strong desire for most individuals, although some are unfortunately unable to do so on their own. If that is the case for you, then donor conception might be a concept that you have thought about or that you are highly considering. If so, you might be wondering how donor conception could affect your child later in life. This article will discuss some of the effects that donor conception might have on a child, as well as tips on how to prepare yourself for explaining donor conception to your child. What is donor conception? Donor conception is the use of donated sperm, embryos, or eggs in order to conceive a child. Common forms of donor conception include surrogacy, in vitro fertilization, and sperm donation. A surrogate mother is often used when a female cannot carry to term her own child, and she wants to have a child with her own genetics. In vitro fertilization occurs when the male’s sperm is not able to conceive a child; therefore the female is injected with the sperm of a donor. And lastly, sperm donation is also common among lesbian couples and single women who do not have a partner and would like to have a child. How will it affect my child? If you are planning to use donor conception, there are a few questions you will need to ask yourself beforehand, such as the following: Who will tell my child that they are a “donor” child? Will I share that information with family and friends or simply keep it private? How can I prepare myself to explain the situation to my child properly? Will I be open from the start with my child? There are many questions, but answering these few beforehand will prepare you for the process, as well as help you to make the decision in a more educated way. Another aspect to consider when considering donor conception is whether or not your child will want to know about his/her donor. If the child does want to know about the donor, it is important that you understand the process of recovering that information. When your child is 18, they will have access to the donor registry with information about their donor, as well as information about any donor siblings. This information is stored by HFEA, the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority. The information is separated into two categories: non identifying information and identifying information. Non identifying information will include the physical appearance, number of children, and ethnic group of that donor while the identifying information will include the last known address, name, and date of birth of the donor. It is important that you are aware of this information and this process, and also that you receive counseling and guidance before making the decision to conceive by donor conception. Article: 31st October 2013 by Tess Young About the Author Tess Young is a freelance writer and blogger. Some of the topics that she writes about include technology, home design, travel and health. She suggests looking at the information provided by California Cryobank regarding the effects of donor conception in order to learn more about the process.