L Fest 2012 - Lesbian Music and Art Festival Shropshire 13th -16th July

It’s L Fest this weekend so why not join in the celebration of live music, lesbian authors, workshops, lesbian cinema, comediennes, games, river cruises, speed dating, family entertainment, camping and more held at West Midlands Showground, Shrewsbury, in Shropshire. Music Line-up L Project, Jill Jackson, Horse, Heads Hearts, Barcode Zebra, Neon Choir, Christina Novelli, Eeek, Laura Catlow, Kenelis, Elliots Sleeping, Greymatter, Juey, Nicky Mitchell, Geek Girl, Charlotte Oram, JoanOVarc, Stacey Stockwell, Roses & Pirates, Faye Bagley, Elle Robertson, and Lucy Spraggon. Activities As well as music, there's workshops, comedy, cinema, arts and authors, and also sports, inflatables, climbing wall, archery and riverboat cruises are all on offer. Family/Children’s area Proudly sponsored by Pride Angel. The family and children’s area in situated in the same area as the main stage so the kids don’t need to get bored. There will be an inflatable castle, toys and games to keep the little ones entertained. At L Fest they want everyone to be part of the weekend that’s why they have introduced FREE under 16's tickets :-) The family area will be offering FREE workshops for children! These will be music, creative dance, sports and art a great way for them to get involved in workshops like their mums! Please note that they do not offer a childminding service and parents will be responsible for their children’s safety at all times. Tickets £95 for a weekend ticket. All of the activities are included in the ticket price. Children under 16 can attend for free. Just add a child ticket in the drop down menu when purchasing an adult ticket. To buy tickets, click here. Read more about gay and lesbian parenting at www.prideangel.com

Getting pregnant - Speculum, Supplements and Sperm!

Whilst defrosting the fridge-freezer yesterday, two things occurred to me. I firstly wondered whether my motivation to complete this magnanimous act was rooted hormones. To some extent, yes of course it was to do with the fact the freezer no longer really closed properly, due to the developing foetus of ice across the front of the top drawer. Nevertheless, was there a hint of the nesting mother there? My second reflection was that when I next defrosted the freezer, I might have a child. I remember the last time I set to with the scraper, two and a half years ago when we moved house, and that didn’t seem very long ago at all. But in two and a half years from now, my child could be walking and talking, and that’s a bewildering thought. In the meantime insemination is looming. The charts pile up but the patterns are elusive. A 5am visit to the loo throws leads to wild temperature changes. A friend, staying for six weeks happens to be what I believe is known as a ‘menstrual pace-setter’, and draws all three of us into synchronous menstruation; I have one unusually short cycle followed by an unusually long one. And then we do two Atlantic flights, affecting two cycles – how do you count days when you’re 8 hours out due to the time zone? Identifying an insemination date feels a bit like trying to make an accurate accusation in a game of Cluedo before you’ve fully investigated what Miss Scarlet was up to with the candlestick: how about Miss Inseminee, in the bedroom… with the speculum? On the subject of the speculum, one major advantage of all this charting is I did not recoil with horror on receiving an ‘invitation’ to go for a smear test. Whilst I would still generally prefer not to be naked from the waist down and prodded by a stranger (and I am aware that is something I am going to need to get used to in pregnancy), I’ve realised how these nurses have honed their technique: it’s far more painful when, daily, I insert the thing myself – mirror and torch in hand, as if I’m going on some kind of narcissistic pot-holing adventure. After speculum, the next ‘s’ is supplements. Three times a day I gulp down three capsules: Agnus Castus (to balance hormone levels), a pre-pregnancy multi-vitamin (because pre-pregnant is what I hopefully am) and flax seed oil (there was a reason, buried deep within the immense quantity of literature we’ve read on the subject – I no longer have any conceivable notion what it might have been). I feel like a strange combination of a fertile woman and a geriatric as I fumble to release my dose from the 7-day pill organiser box. I’ve no idea what good these things might be doing but there is definitely a placebo effect of taking 5455% of the Recommended Daily Allowance of Thiamin, one of the 35 ingredients that are crammed, incredibly into a tiny – well not exactly tiny – but swallowable capsule. I have no idea what Thiamin is or what it might do, but I already feel slightly dependent on it, and its companions in that little pill. And then there’s insemination itself. There’s a vague plan in my head and it’s all very straightforward. Donor arrives, bit of time alone, hands it over, donor leaves, inseminate. Too easy. Can it really be that simple? To put it rather dramatically, which tends to be my way, semen has wildly opposing properties: fertile, it gives life; infected, it takes it. And I’m going to put the stuff inside me. Probably repeatedly and frustratedly, over the next year or so. Which, I have to admit, makes me feel just a little apprehensive. But sperm and speculum issues aside, what I have realised is, that I’m ready for this. Prepared would be the wrong word. You can defrost the fridge-freezer, paint the nursery and read a parenting manual, but from watching friends who’ve done the baby thing, I don’t think you can ever really be prepared for the biggest change most people will ever experience in their lives. But you can be ready, and after thirty-four years in this world, I think for the first time, ready to get pregnant is what I am. Article: by Lindsey, West Yorkshire, United Kingdom 11th July 2012

Should women be able to have children later in life?

The telegraph has recently reported that women could remain fertile indefinitely, after successful ovarian transplants has lead to births delaying the menopause, doctors have told a conference. A technique to remove pieces of ovary, store it for decades and then replace it with delicate surgery could effectively put a woman's menopause 'on ice', doctors said. The only thing preventing them from having babies into their old age would be their physical ability to carry a pregnancy, they said. The controversial notion would allow career women peace of mind with a fertility insurance policy so they can find a partner, settle down and become financially secure before starting a family. By delaying the menopause they could also avoid the increased risk of osteoporosis and heart disease that come with the end of their fertile life but may raise the risk of breast and womb cancer. A conference heard how more than 20 babies have been born worldwide to patients who either had their own ovarian tissue removed before treatment that would have left them infertile, and replaced afterwards, or twins where one donated tissue to the other. Most of the children have been conceived naturally without the need for IVF for drugs. Dr Sherman Silber, an American surgeon, has been involved in transplants for 11 women at St Luke’s Hospital in St Louis, Missouri, US. He said: "A woman born today has a 50 per cent chance of living to 100. That means they are going to be spending half of their lives post-menopause. “But you could have grafts removed as a young woman and then have the first replaced as you approach menopausal age. You could then put a slice back every decade. “Some women might want to go through the menopause, but others might not.” That would mean women would not have to “watch their body clocks”, he said, and would only be physically limited by their ability to carry a baby and give birth. The telegraph undertook a poll to decide ‘Should women be able to have a baby in later life?’ The answers from their readers where as follows: No - the natural body clock exists for a reason and it is not fair on the child. 67.39% (1,833 votes) Yes - there is no reason why mature women would not be excellent mothers. 32.61% (887 votes) Total Votes: 2,720 Article extracts: 9th July 2012 www.telgraph.co.uk

Lesbian to sue government over right to choose her own sperm donor

A woman who wants a baby with her lesbian partner through artificial insemination is suing the government for the right to choose how she will get the sperm. The unidentified woman from California is taking on the Food and Drug Administration, which sets the standards for sperm banks. In a lawsuit, the woman argues she does not want to use a sperm bank as she wants to use the sperm of someone she knows, for free, without having to follow the government's regulations. The FDA sets standards for artificial insemination at sperm banks, such as testing sperm for sexually transmitted diseases. But the woman say the rules are an unconstitutional violation of her rights, as she should be able to start a family with whomever she wishes. 'When you are regulating private decisions between two individuals in a non-commercial context that have to do with something so intimate and personal as whether they want to have a child together, then the FDA regulations should not apply,' her lawyer Amber Abbasi told Fox News Abassi said the woman is in a relationship with another woman and wants a child, but does not want to go to a sperm bank as she wants to know the father. She also wants the child to have a relationship with the father and is concerned about the cost of using a sperm bank. The suit adds she 'does not want to be forced to engage in sexual intercourse with a male partner to conceive a child, even though such a male partner would not be subject to FDA-required screening and testing and other FDA-mandated donor-eligibility requirements'. The FDA rules come from a 1944 law passed by Congress instilling the regulations to prevent the spread of communicable diseases. The rules were later applied to sperm banks and donors in order to prevent infections. One donor in California is under investigation by the FDA for donating sperm privately, at no cost. Trent Arsenault, 36, has reportedly made 328 semen donations to 46 couples, fathering at least 14 children. His website includes details of his recent tests for sexually transmitted diseases, as well as other health information. 'It is helping people in need,' he told CBS. 'I don't make any money. I don't charge people anything. It's just helping childless couples have children.' Article: 5th July 2012 www.dailymail.co.uk

Eating avocados can triple chance of IVF success

Eating avocados and dressing salads with olive oil could help women trying to have a baby through IVF, researchers claim. Foods typically eaten as part of the Mediterranean diet may triple the chances of success for women having the fertility treatment. A study found monounsaturated fat – found in olive oil, sunflower oil, nuts and seeds – was better than any other kind of dietary fat for would-be mothers. Those who ate the highest amounts were 3.4 times more likely to have a child after IVF than those who ate the lowest amounts. In contrast, women who ate mostly saturated fat, found in butter and red meat, produced fewer good eggs for use in fertility treatment. US experts behind the study believe monounsaturated fats – which are already known to protect the heart – could improve fertility by lowering inflammation in the body. The study was presented at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Istanbul. It was carried out at Harvard School of Public Health, funded by the US National Institutes of Health. Study leader Professor Jorge Chavarro said: ‘The best kinds of food to eat are avocados, which have a lot of monounsaturated fat and low levels of other sorts of fat, and olive oil.’ He said the study was small, but the findings merited further investigation. ‘While these results are interesting, this is the first time to our knowledge that dietary fats have been linked to treatment outcome in IVF,’ he said. Prof Chavarro said higher levels of monounsaturated fat were linked to higher live birth rates, which ‘ultimately people are looking for’. The study took place among 147 women having IVF at the Massachusetts General Hospital Fertility Center. Their intake of different dietary fats was recorded and the outcome of fertility treatment compared between the highest and lowest third of intake in each category. Women eating the highest levels of all types of fat had fewer good eggs available for use in treatment. Prof Chavarro said the link was driven by saturated fat intake, while high levels of polyunsaturated fat consumption produced poorer quality embryos. Higher intakes of monounsaturated fat were linked to a 3.4 times higher live birth rate than those with the lowest intake. For those eating least, monounsaturated fat made up nine per cent of calories in their diet while it comprised a quarter for those eating the most. Prof Chavarro said ‘Different types of fat are known to have different effects on biological processes which may influence the outcome of assisted reproduction - such as underlying levels of inflammation or insulin sensitivity. ‘However, it is not clear at this moment which biological mechanisms underlie the associations we found.’ He said fish remained a source of ‘good’ omega 3 fatty acids, although the study was not able to pin down its contribution. Article: 4th July 2012 www.dailymail.co.uk

New Fertility programme, DuoFertility, is now available to American couples to help them get pregnant.

Over two million American couples are having problems getting pregnant.[1] The standard treatment which can help these couples conceive is in-vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF can change lives but can also be very emotionally, physically and financially draining. The DuoFertility programme is a highly effective method to help couples conceive. The programme is totally non-invasive and drug free, yet published studies have shown a pregnancy rate similar to that of a cycle of IVF after just six months of use[2]. It uses a revolutionary sensor to monitor a woman’s body 24 hours a day, indicating the couple’s most fertile days, giving couples the very best chance of getting pregnant. Fertility experts review the data with the couples regularly to provide feedback. Studies have shown that DuoFertility can help 8 out of 10 infertile couples, including half of all those seeking invasive clinical procedures such as IVF2. DuoFertility has helped hundreds of couples get pregnant in Europe. Now that same help is available to American couples for $795. In the US, a single cycle of IVF will cost on average $15,000 to the couple and is rarely covered by health insurance, leaving many American couples struggling to afford fertility treatment. At one-twentieth the cost of a single cycle of IVF, DuoFertility has the potential to help millions of American couples to turn their dreams of a family into reality. To find out if DuoFertility can help you get pregnant, you can use the DuoFertility suitability tool here. You can purchase DuoFertility, which is FDA cleared, from the US on the DuoFertility website or the Pride Angel website. [1] Centers for Disease Control and Preventio (CDC) :http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/fertile.htm [2] Chausiaux et al., “Pregnancy Prognosis in Infertile Couples on the DuoFertility Programme Compared with In Vitro Fertilisation/Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection”, European Obstetrics & Gynaecology 2011;6(2):92-4 online PDF: http://bit.ly/IfjFiY Article: 3rd July 2012 www.duofertility.com.us

Baby photo competition - Vote for your favourite picture

We started our Pride Angel baby photo competition at the beginning of March and we are delighted with the wonderful response we have received. The pictures of the babies are beautiful and a real credit to all the news mums and dads out there, please view our babies in our gallery. The competition is soon to come to an end and we thank all of those who have already voted. We would really like to see as many votes as possible before we make our final decision, so please send your votes to info@prideangel.com or simply just click contact us and enter the babies name and age. There will be a prize for the winning photo and the runner up: • 1st prize is a £50 mothercare voucher • Runner-up prize is a £20 mothercare voucher We also want to remind all our readers about our competition to receive £150 mothercare vouchers Having babies and toddlers can be expensive as they just keep on growing. Imagine what you could buy with £150 Mothercare vouchers, an endless supply of nappies, new baby clothes, a new pushchair, whatever you would buy, the choice is entirely yours! How to get your free vouchers? Pride Angel would love to hear about your experiences, whether you have: • Found a donor through Pride Angel? • Got pregnant using a Pride Angel insemination kit? • Starting the journey to parenthood and considering different options? • Co-parenting with a single person or gay couple? • Used a friend as a sperm donor? • Using IVF treatment or going through surrogacy? Are you willing to write a small blog/article about your personal experiences in the region of 200-500 words? Personal names do not need to be included if you prefer not to. The best article will be published on Pride Angel and will be rewarded with £150 mothercare vouchers. Any other articles which we may choose to add to Pride Angel will be rewarded £50 in mothercare vouchers. Speak to us for more information, just contact us. Enter your article by email: info@prideangel.com