Increasing numbers of women in the UK are facing the stark choice of having to destroy their frozen eggs or become a mother before they are ready to do so because of an outdated and unscientific law.

If a woman wants to try to preserve her fertility, the best time to freeze her eggs is in her 20s but, under current UK law, women who freeze their eggs for non-medical reasons can only store them for 10 years. This means that, if a woman freezes her eggs when she is 28, she has to be ready to use them before she is 38.

If she isn’t ready, she faces a limited number of distressing and potentially financially-crippling options: to have her eggs destroyed, and with them perhaps her best or only chance of becoming a biological mother; to become a parent before she is ready to do so, either with a partner or as a solo mum via sperm donation, or to try to fund the transfer of her eggs to a fertility clinic overseas and have fertility treatment abroad at a later date.

Improving reproductive choices

Fertility and genetics charity, the Progress Educational Trust (PET), is aiming to change this harsh outlook and improve women’s reproductive options. PET’s director, Sarah Norcross, said: “PET’s #ExtendTheLimit campaign calls on the government to show compassion and extend the 10-year storage limit for social egg freezing. Just a minor amendment is necessary to remove this cruel and pointless legislation and will give so many women hope for a fertile future. After the general election, PET will launch an online petition asking the UK public to show their support by adding their signature to the #ExtendTheLimit petition. Gathering 100,000 signatures will mean government has to debate a change in the law at Westminster.”

A breach of human rights

Ms Norcross added: “Women deserve reproductive choice. The 10-year storage limit is a very clear breach of human rights: it limits women’s reproductive options, harms women’s chances of becoming biological mothers, does not have any scientific basis (eggs remain viable if frozen for longer than 10 years) and is discriminatory against women because of the decline in female fertility with age.

It is an arbitrary and outdated piece of legislation that does not reflect improvements in egg freezing techniques and changes in society that push women to have children later in life.”

Why change is needed now

The proportion of women affected is also increasing rapidly. In the UK, figures from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) reveal the number of women freezing their eggs more than tripled in the last five years. However, the current 10-year storage limit acts as a perverse incentive for women to delay freezing their eggs until their mid-to-late 30s when egg quality is declining and a woman’s chance of becoming a biological mother has reduced – latest HFEA data shows two-thirds of UK women freezing their eggs are over 35.

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The postcode lottery is cruel and unjust. Access to fertility treatment should be dependent on your medical need, not your postcode or pay packet.

The UK pioneered IVF over 40 years ago, but that achievement means nothing if only those who can afford to pay for private fertility treatment benefit from it. This is why, in September 2018, Fertility Network UK, together with IVF Babble, launched the #Scream4IVF campaign, to fight against the postcode lottery. In just two months, this petition was able to raise over 102,000 signatures, signifying the true depth of feeling and anguish against this unfair system.

Cross-party support for improving access to IVF

Now, Fertility Network UK are proud to support Dr Emily Scott’s petition #EndTheIVFPostcodeLottery, which is campaigning for fair access to IVF. This petition has cross-party support. The Early Day Motion for the #EndTheIVFPostcode petition has been signed by Liberal Democrat’s Layla Moran, Independent’s Ed Vaizey and Labour’s Steve McCabe, among many others.

Former Health Minister, Jackie Doyle-Price, has also written a letter to all clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), calling the postcode lottery a ‘disgrace’.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommend that all CCGs offer three rounds of IVF for women under 40 who have not conceived in two years. In reality, the situation is much more bleak.

Some CCGs are cutting IVF services due to financial restrictions

According to Fertility Fairness data, only 12.2% of CCGs in this country offer the recommended three cycles of IVF, and there are five CCGs who currently do not offer any fertility treatment for those living in the area.

The last few CCGs who have held consultations on IVF funding have all made decisions that have devastated those who need fertility treatment in that area. For example, in August of this year, after months of consultations, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough CCG decided to continue to cease funding until their financial situation improves. In September, Stockport CCG released a statement, saying they are considering reducing funding to one cycle or cutting fertility services altogether, also due to financial challenges.

Price isn’t everything

However, the cost impact of fertility services is majorly exaggerated. According to Fertility Fairness data, on average, CCGs that funded a single cycle spent 0.0089% of their total commissioning budget on fertility treatment. CCGs that funded the maximum three cycles spent 0.108% of their total budget on fertility services.

Both economically and emotionally, funding fertility treatment will only cause a positive impact on society. Every year our net population decreases. The small cost investment into IVF can save the NHS a huge amount. It is not only funding for those who are facing infertility, but it also creates future taxpayers who will eventually invest back into society and the NHS, more than the CCG spends on fertility services.

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Hysterosalpingography (HSG) was initially introduced as a diagnostic test, to evaluate the patency of the fallopian tubes in the fertility work-up patients presenting with infertility.

Debates on the therapeutic effects of tubal flushing during HSG started over six decades ago. Summarising the available evidence, the 2015 Cochrane systematic review showed a non-significant higher amount of ongoing pregnancies in favour of tubal flushing with oil-based contrast in infertile women (Mohiyiddeen et al., 2015).

The H2Oil study

In order to clarify the uncertainty around the use of oil- or water-based contrast for HSG, the H2Oil study, a large randomised trial, in which 1,119 infertile women participated, was conducted in the Netherlands. This landmark study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, showed significantly 10% more ongoing pregnancies as well as live births in the first six months following HSG with oil-based contrast, as compared to HSG with water-based contrast (Dreyer et al, 2017). Publication of the study generated a worldwide renewed interest in tubal flushing and the use of oil-based contrast for fertility enhancement. Two recent and updated systematic reviews confirmed these findings (Fang, et al, 2018, Wang, et al, 2019).

Flushing debris and mucus from the fallopian tubes

The principal theory is that tubal flushing with oil-based contrast flushes accumulated debris and mucous plugs from undamaged tubes, which will enhance tubal patency (openness). Several safety concerns on oil-based contrast have been raised. Firstly, venous intravasation occurs in approximately 2-7% of the cases in HSG, and occurs more frequently when using oil contrast. While intravasation can potentially result in pulmonary embolism, no cases of embolism were reported in the published trials, which is reassuring. Pelvic infection is another potential safety concern. However, data from the available trials are also reassuring showing that it is a rare event.

The cost-effectiveness of tubal-flushing

An economic analysis based on the data of the H2Oil study and 2017 US prices (using consumer price index data and considering a cost difference between oil-based and water-based contrast in the United States being globally the highest) showed a cost-effectiveness ratio for oil-based contrast compared to water-based contrast of $8,198 for an additional ongoing pregnancy (Rijswijk van et al., 2018). This is less than the cost of one IVF treatment (US$11,500). Moreover, it is less time consuming and burdensome for women. Thus, there is a strong argument to incorporate tubal flushing with oil-based contrast during HSG in clinical practice.

Limitations in older or higher-risk women

However, the data from the H2Oil study are limited to infertile women at a low risk of tubal pathology, who were younger than 39 years and without ovulation disorders. Therefore, a clear knowledge gap exists with respect to women who were not evaluated in the H2Oil study, i.e. women with ovulation disorders, women who are at high risk for tubal pathology, or women who are above 38 years of age, in whom infertility is driven by decreased ovarian reserve. Since the mechanism of infertility in these women is completely different, it is unknown if tubal flushing with oil-based contrast increases fertility chances in these women.

What’s next?

In 2019, two randomised trials started. The first trial will test the hypothesis that HSG with oil-based contrast will increase the pregnancy – and live birth rate as compared to HSG with water-based contrast in the above mentioned groups of infertile patients – and the second one will investigate cost-effectiveness of direct versus delayed (six months after fertility work-up) tubal flushing during HSG with oil contrast in infertile women. The hypothesis is that direct tubal flushing will lead to a shorter time to pregnancy and thus reduce the need for IVF and therefore also reduce the costs.

More info on www.H2Olie.nl

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One in seven women will experience fertility challenges. One in three women will experience miscarriage. There is not enough support for women going through their fertility journeys, and that’s something that must change. Our Q&A with Michelle Kennedy, Founder and CEO of Peanut, explores this disconnect.

Q: Is there enough support out there for women when considering fertility?

A: Simply put, no. There are still so many conversations on issues that typically impact women that are considered taboo. Sadly, and frustratingly, fertility still seems to be one, where women dealing with their fertility reality feel stifled and unable to ask for support or advice. But, we need – and deserve – a platform to have these conversations, and to share our anxieties, concerns, frustrations and experiences.

If you are going through a fertility treatment, for example, where can you find support? Or talk to someone who understands what it’s like to face the two-week wait after implantation? What it’s like to start on another hormone cycle? What it’s like to face infertility, and change your horizons? Being able to connect with women going through that same experience becomes critical; otherwise it feels deeply isolating.

Q: Why is there a need to connect these women?

A: One in seven women will experience fertility challenges. One in three women will experience miscarriage. Women going through fertility journeys need support outside of medical intervention. After all, the emotional impact of what women go through is, in many cases, all-consuming.

Frankly, it’s just not easy to find another woman who is on a TTC journey – it’s not obvious. There are no visual signals for a woman who has experienced loss or who is trying for a baby. Having a safe, private space to ask open and honest questions to other women who ‘get it’ is not just long overdue, it’s a critical part of any woman’s fertility experience.

Q: What is the value of women sharing their stories?

A: In this world of sharing our ‘real selves’, there are still some fertility stories that we don’t share. For example, women are told not to announce their pregnancy until they are 12 weeks in. Therefore, if a woman experiences loss during that period, she is silenced. This doesn’t make sense because it is still a loss and that woman is still in need of support. Sharing fertility stories is so important because it makes other women feel less alone.

Q: What advice would you offer to women considering their fertility journey?

A: People who haven’t had fertility difficulties may struggle to find the right words or know how to be there in times of pain, struggle and loss etc, so it’s important to surround yourself with other women who are on the same journey. Finding support through shared experience is crucial. You should never feel lonely, isolated or muted on such an important issue.

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Maintaining a relationship when living with infertility is not easy. Nothing prepares couples for the brutality of infertility, says Caro Townsend.

My husband will tell you that being a man without functioning sperm is not something he likes to dwell on but, unfortunately, we’ve very much had to do so.

Like many other couples, having a family did not come easily for us. Where we’d previously thought that birthing a child was the most natural task known to woman-and-mankind, we instead found ourselves on a daunting journey, which revolved around injections, procedures and a whole host of other people’s expertise.

The process of getting pregnant

Being infertile and attempting to create a much longed-for pregnancy in a sterile, clinical environment is not the stuff dreams are made of. Where joy and romance should have been rampant, grief and regimented organisation overtook, leaving our marriage with an ever-present and most unwelcome third wheel.

Trying to maintain a relationship when living with infertility is not easy, in fact it’s heart-shatteringly tough. There’s disbelief, shame and anger, and I remember being surprised at how quickly a future, filled with such promise and hope, could trickle away to be easily replaced by the brokenness we found in the reality we were forced to exist in.

We felt tricked, cheated and conned as other couples were readily bestowed with their bundles, whilst we were left empty. I sometimes feel an overwhelming sadness that so much of our newly-wedded bliss was spent wishing for a different life.

Discovering children weren’t going to appear naturally gave a very real meaning to the vow we’d made on our glorious wedding day, when we’d felt invincible, untouchable and certain of the happy ending which was sure to follow. However, weeks, months and then years on, we were still battling through the “worse”, ignorant, and losing confidence as to whether the, once taken for granted, “better” would deign to present itself to us.

Unprepared for the brutality of infertility

Nothing prepares couples for the brutality of infertility, or can fully warn of the all-consuming force of nature it is. We didn’t know how we were meant to act with others or, at times, even with each other. We kept on muddling through, learning lingo, navigating a sea of grief and attempting to make sense of what was happening, blindly putting one foot in front of the other as we tried to create a ‘normal’ life amidst the chaos of pain and rigid structure of treatments.

It took us over four years to hold our son, but during that time we discovered that strength can be found in vulnerability, that grief has no gender and that there can be no blame; infertility is a team event.

Infertility is known to affect 3.5 million people in the UK

But ours is just one story, one tale set in a world of devastation with no guarantees, a world which is currently known to affect 3.5 million people in the UK, and a world experienced by one in every six UK couples.

November 28^th sees the launch of the Health Awareness; ‘Your Fertility Journey’ campaign. Looking into both sides of the story, the campaign aims to increase knowledge and raise understanding around infertility and the treatment options available.

Working in association with organisations such as Fertility Network UK and The Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Your Fertility Journey will look to support those experiencing infertility, offering expert advice on many areas, including the process of thinking about IVF and, if embarking upon that route, how to prepare for it and find a good clinic.

Living with infertility can be a lonely and isolating time but please know you are never alone in your fertility journey.

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Like a well-planned trip, any fertility journey should start by pulling together any useful information that could help you to make decisions during the process.

Let’s face it: undergoing fertility treatment is stressful. Fluent communication with your treating doctor is a key step of the process. Individualised treatment based on your specific case is the best standard of care to offer to patients, as well as space and time for discussion where you can be involved in the decision-making process.

Like a well-planned trip, any fertility journey should start by pulling together any useful information that could help you to make decisions during the process. Here you have some tips that could make your fertility journey smoother.

The very basics to help you conceive

A healthy lifestyle, including a balanced and varied diet with very moderate to no alcohol consumption and frequent exercising, is highly recommendable. It is a fact that there is a link between obesity and poorer reproductive outcomes. Likewise, smoking and other habits that may impact your fertility should be abandoned, given the impact they can have on both egg and sperm quality.

When you might need an even more tailored approach

If you have already had several failed IVF attempts, you have a family history of a serious genetic condition or you are over a certain age, your consultant may recommend genetic testing to help provide you with the best chance of a successful pregnancy and healthy child.

Preimplantation genetic testing for chromosomal abnormalities (PGT-A) involves the biopsy of embryos during IVF to assess for chromosomal abnormalities before selection for transfer. Although some argue this treatment to be invasive, we have seen survival rates of over 96.7%.

If you have a euploid (normal) embryo to be transferred, your chances of getting pregnant are more than 70% every time you put an embryo back, regardless of your age. Don’t be confused: PGT-A will not increase your chances of getting pregnant per cycle, but it will decrease your chances of having a miscarriage or serious embryo chromosomal abnormality.

Assisted reproduction and twin pregnancies

Did you know that the most important cause of neonatal mortality and morbidity in the UK is prematurity? Did you know that the main cause of prematurity is multiple pregnancies? UK guidelines advise that a single embryo should be transferred whenever possible but, despite this, some clinics still put back more – sometimes because the patient wrongly thinks it improves their chances. Studies have shown that cumulative pregnancy rates are not different when compared to single embryo transfer versus double embryo transfer.

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Women considering fertility treatment should be aware of a simple procedure that may increase their chances of becoming pregnant without the need for expensive and involved IVF.

Women experiencing infertility problems may feel under pressure to start IVF (in vitro fertilisation) treatment immediately.

But there is a quick, minimally-invasive intervention they could explore first, potentially increasing their chance of becoming pregnant without the need for IVF. The procedure involves using iodised poppy seed oil, which probably flushes fertility-hindering debris from the fallopian tubes and appears to have a positive immuno-biological impact on fertility.

However, many patients are unaware this treatment exists — and that’s wrong, says Professor Neil Johnson, a fertility specialist based in Auckland, New Zealand, and President of the World Endometriosis Society.

“IVF is involved, expensive and carries the possibility of complications,” he notes. “This intervention, however, is low-invasive, cost-effective, carries a very low chance of complications and is very effective.”

What to expect during the procedure

The iodised poppy seed oil can be administered in a hysterosalpingogram (HSG). “The patient lies on an x-ray bed,” Professor Johnson explains. “A speculum is then inserted into the vagina and tubing is sent through the canal of the cervix. The solution is then gently instilled into the uterus, through the fallopian tubes and bathes the pelvic cavity.

Iodised poppy seed oil (instead of dye) doubled fertility within a trial group.

“Very occasionally, there may be some discomfort, but it is not usually painful, and the vast majority of patients tolerate it extremely well. Appointments take around half an hour, but the main part of the procedure usually takes just 10 minutes.”

Particular success for woman with endometriosis

An HSG was once a purely diagnostic intervention, where dye is injected into the cervical canal in order to investigate the shape of the womb and fallopian tubes.

However, between 1999 and 2004, Professor Johnson and his team recognised its remarkable therapeutic effects when iodised poppy seed oil doubled fertility within a trial group with unexplained infertility.

The procedure was particularly beneficial to women with a history of endometriosis, an inflammatory disease where tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus is also found outside of the uterus.

“Endometriosis is a benign condition that can cause abdominal pain, pelvic pain and infertility,” he says.

“In New Zealand, we’ve discovered that this procedure has increased the fertility of women with endometriosis, which can have a substantial negative fertility impact even when the disease itself is not extensive.

“Indeed, we found that those with a history of endometriosis in our trial group experienced around a four-fold improvement in fertility. We thought it was amazing and have been offering it as a routine treatment for infertility since 2004.”

Patients who are unsuitable for treatment

Nevertheless, there are women who are unsuitable for the intervention. “For example, if a patient’s fallopian tubes are blocked or damaged, then the treatment is not going to work, and they should proceed to IVF,” says Professor Johnson.

“Other patients who won’t find it beneficial include women who don’t release an egg — they will need ovulation induction instead — and those whose partners have a low sperm count.

“However, it is absolutely appropriate for the majority of women who have relatively mild endometriosis-related infertility that hasn’t damaged their fallopian tubes. In fact, it’s probably their best first-line treatment because it’s so effective.”

There’s now growing interest in the procedure around the world. “That’s very exciting,” says Professor Johnson. “I think every woman visiting a fertility service should have the opportunity to explore this treatment as a first option, instead of moving straight to IVF.”

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In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a fertility treatment that more people in the UK are using than ever before, with over 250,000 babies born as a result and success rates are continually rising. 

IVF involves eggs being removed from a woman’s ovaries before being fertilised with sperm in a laboratory. A fertilised egg (embryo) is then placed into the womb to grow. Whilst this technique can appear quite straightforward, it can be physically, emotionally and financially challenging for women and their partners. It’s important to understand the process, success rate and possible complications, so women and their partners can make the best decision for them. 

An important part in the process of an IVF journey is finding a clinic that makes you feel comfortable, has compassionate staff, good success rates and clear pricing structures.

The funding and costs of IVF

In the UK, national guidance recommends that up to three cycles of IVF are offered to women under the age of 40, and one cycle offered to women between 40-42 without evidence of reduced ovarian function; but, funding is at the discretion of local clinical commissioning groups. This means that NHS funded IVF is rationed according to certain criteria, or may be unavailable in many areas. Your GP will be the best person to advise on what is available for you. For those having self-funded treatment, it is important to be aware that the average cost of a cycle is £5,000, though this can vary significantly depending on the clinic. 

Choosing an IVF clinic

An important part in the process of an IVF journey is finding a clinic that makes you feel comfortable, has compassionate staff, good success rates and clear pricing structures. Women having fertility treatment on the NHS may not have the option to choose their clinic but, it is an essential consideration for those paying for the services themselves.

It can be easy to get caught up in success rates when making this decision, but most are generally as good as each other with variation generally down to the types of patients treated. It is worth paying special attention to the location of the clinic, ratings from other patients and inspectors, mental health support and waiting times for donor eggs and sperm (if applicable).

Support for women and partners

Fertility treatment can be emotionally challenging, with many ups and downs, hopes and disappointments.  It is very important that those going through IVF have people around them who can relate to, and understand, what they are experiencing.

NICE recommends that counselling should be offered before, during and after IVF treatment and many clinics will provide these services. For those seeking a more established and long-term programme of counselling, the British Infertility Counselling Association have a list of accredited specialist counsellors.

Beyond structured support, there are also forums where people can talk to others who have experienced the same issues, Fertility Network UK and Fertility Friends both have these. The RCOG also has a list full of resources and guidance for women and their partners navigating their fertility journey.

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What it is, what it does and why this can be a test for everyone. We’re dispelling the myths and explaining the benefits for natural fertility.

A hysterosalpingogram (HSG), is an X-ray to look for abnormalities in the womb, or blockages in the fallopian tubes, which may explain why a woman is unable to get pregnant or is suffering miscarriages. Sometimes we undertake the investigation in women who have had surgery to their womb or tubes to check all is well before they try to conceive.

Who should have an HSG test?

A woman will be referred for an HSG by her fertility team. The HSG, together with ultrasound (which looks at the ovaries, the lining and wall of the womb), blood tests (which check how the ovaries are working) and her partner’s sperm test, give the fertility team a picture of what is causing subfertility and informs them how best to treat the couple.

How is an HSG performed?

The examination is undertaken in the first half of the woman’s menstrual cycle, after she has stopped bleeding. She is asked not to have intercourse from the first day of the period and until after the test to ensure she is not pregnant at the time of the examination.

It is important to remember that, for these couples, the infertility journey can be a stressful time. We should recognise that and treat them with dignity, respect and empathy.

Our emphasis is to be kind, gentle and not to rush

On arrival, the woman will be asked to change into a gown and brought to the X-ray room. After taking a brief history, the procedure is fully explained, and the woman is given time for questions and is asked to give her consent to proceed. She then lies on the X-ray table in a similar position to having a smear.

A speculum is very gently inserted into the vagina. A very soft tube or catheter is then passed into the canal that leads from the cervix to the womb. A clear liquid (called ‘contrast’) is then gently passed into the womb. It contains iodine, which can be seen on X-ray images. Using an X-ray camera the doctor watches on a TV screen as the fluid passes into the womb and the tubes. Four or five pictures are taken to make a record of what is seen.

The X-ray table may be tilted, or the patient asked to roll from side to side to help the tubes to fill. Coughing and laughter are great aids to tubal filling!

What are the risks?

Risks are few and should be discussed in detail with the doctor undertaking the procedure.

Discomfort – patients’ pain thresholds vary. Some women don’t feel a thing, some find it uncomfortable a bit like period cramps. Only a very few, in our experience, find it very painful.

Infection – this is uncommon and most likely to occur in women who have had an infection before. In our practice all ladies are given a single dose of antibiotics to minimise this risk.

Reaction to fluid (contrast) – this is very unusual with modern contrast, we check beforehand if women have any significant allergies.

Radiation – radiologists work within very strict regulations regarding about the amount of radiation that can used and there are national guidelines to minimise any risk from radiation.

The benefits of an HSG

There are two types of fluid (contrast) we can use for an HSG – one is water soluble the other is oil soluble. There have been many anecdotal reports of enhanced natural pregnancy rates after an HSG. In 2017, a detailed study undertaken in the Netherlands proved conclusively that, in women under 38 with unexplained subfertility, an HSG with oil-based contrast resulted in higher ongoing pregnancy and live birth rates than an HSG with water soluble contrast.

So, in couples with unexplained infertility the HSG is not only diagnostic but may also offer them an increase chance of natural conception.

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IVF is undoubtedly a miracle of modern science. Pioneered in this country some 40 years ago, it has created over six million babies worldwide. But, the worst part of treatment is not what’s being done to your body – the drugs, the injections, the operating table – it’s what’s going on in your head.

The World Health Organization classifies infertility as a ‘disease’ of the reproductive system defined by failure to achieve pregnancy after 12 months of trying. IVF has become the ubiquitous treatment for that disease.

I want infertility reclassified as a disease of the mind as well as the body. Nor should it be seen as a condition that is the prevail of heterosexual couples, as it is increasingly affecting same sex couples and single people who are turning to medical intervention to achieve their dreams of a family.

IVF isn’t a magic bullet

IVF doesn’t work every time for everyone. In fact, according to HFEA statistics, on average, roughly only a quarter of all cycles work. This means that many people find themselves on the fertility rollercoaster for years and it is likely to be one of the biggest struggles of their life.

Feelings of inadequacy and shame that you cannot do what everyone else finds so easy to do are common in both women and men.

I urge anyone going through IVF to make sure they get help – whether that’s in the form of counselling and complementary therapies or social media communities, support groups and events.

Social isolation from family, friends and colleagues who have achieved parenthood status can make you feel extremely lonely. It puts intense pressure on your relationship and decimates your self-esteem.

Perhaps the hardest thing is not knowing how your fertility story is going to end; living life in limbo wondering if you’ll ever be pregnant. The mental health impact of all of this is nothing short of devastating.

Get some emotional support

That’s why I always say that the worst part of treatment is not what’s being done to your body – the drugs, the injections, the operating table – it’s what’s going on in your head.

I urge anyone going through IVF to make sure they get help – whether that’s in the form of counselling and complementary therapies or social media communities, support groups and events.

I also want all fertility clinics to make sure they prioritise patient psychosocial care alongside clinical treatment. These things might not influence the outcome of IVF, but they will make people more equipped to face whatever is ahead.

From pond to peak to raise awareness of fertility struggles

I went through eleven rounds of unsuccessful IVF and lost a decade of my life to ‘Project Baby’. I then started writing about it and set up an arts festival that explores the emotional and societal aspects of the science of making babies.

I have also been taking on some of the world’s most iconic physical and mental endurance challenges to raise awareness of the toll that fertility problems have on your mind as well as your body.

I’ve swum the English Channel, run the London Marathon and next year will attempt to climb Mount Everest. If I get to the summit, I will become the first ever woman to achieve the ‘Pond to Peak Challenge’.

Not bad for a middle-aged woman who is terrible at sport, hates the cold and didn’t know what a crampon was a few years ago. But, hey, I went through eleven gruelling rounds of IVF and it was very good training.

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