Will my fertility treatment work?
What determines whether IVF is successful or not? This is dependent on a number of factors. The age of the female is very important, largely due to the number of high quality eggs available which is age related. This is called the “ovarian reserve”....
Support for partners during fertility treatment, pregnancy and miscarriage.
Introduction When a woman is going though fertility investigations, pregnancy monitoring or the loss of a pregnancy, so much of the care and attention is aimed towards her. This is absolutely correct, however this can leave her partner feeling left out. It is so...
Cervical screening in pregnancy
Cervical screening – what is it and why is it so important? The cervix is the opening to the womb from your vagina. www.nhs.uk/conditions/cervical-screening Cervical screening is free NHS screening for women between the age of 25 – 64 years old, that can detect...
COVID 19 Vaccination and Pregnancy
Written by Dr Sarah Merritt MRCOG As from 16th April 2021 new guidance has been issued by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) stating that the COVID -19 vaccines should now be “Offered to pregnant women at the same time as the rest of the...
Male Fertility Tests
For men wishing to find out more about their fertility, a range of sperm tests are available. A routine sperm test will look at the volume of sperm, sperm count, shape and motility of the sperm. Sometimes more advanced tests are performed for certain indications or if...
The Fetal Heartbeat in the First Trimester.
Using transvaginal ultrasound, the fetal heartbeat can be seen flickering before the fetal pole is even identified. Towards the end of the 5th week after the first day of the last period (LMP), and just 3 weeks after conception, a tiny embryo can be seen as a thin...
Fertility – an overview of initial investigations
Introduction. Many couples I meet are hoping to conceive or may have taken many months to conceive their baby, and each of these situations brings with it a degree of anxiety. There are many statistics such as, 84% of women conceive in the 1st year, 1 in 6 couples...
Mental Health Awareness Week
You may have experienced a pregnancy loss or losses, recently; or a while ago. The pandemic may have added to your anxiety, compounding the feelings of shock ,helplessness, emptiness, grief, loss, fear and jealousy. For many it may have been and still is, trying to...