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Over 55,000 women a year are diagnosed with breast cancer in the UK. In this post we are going to hear the amazing story of a women who won the battle against cancer and began her motherhood journey. Susana’s Story In 2007 IVI launched the ‘Becoming a mother after Cancer’ program and 7 years ago… View Article
IVI has been around for 30 years with one core principle in mind; achieving full-term pregnancies and therefore lead to the birth of a healthy baby. Philadelphia is holding the 75th ASRM Congress this year in which IVI are presenting several studies one of which looking into how woman or couples who obtain 3 normal… View Article
According to the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), one in seven heterosexual couples in the UK is affected by infertility. They also note that since their original guidelines on fertility were published in 2004, there has been an increase in fertility problems, and more people are seeking help and treatment. In Europe more widely, birth rate statistics have shown a fall for generations. While this may be due to social factors, it is also partly caused by infertility.
We should start with the good news straight away: ovarian cysts are quite common and most of them are not dangerous. They usually pass away of their own accord without presenting any adverse symptoms. However, in a minority of cases, an ovarian cyst can cause symptoms, may require treatment and may even be a threat to fertility. That’s why you need to know how to distinguish a harmless occurrence from a potential problem.
This year IVI have taken another step forward to do everything we can for mothers and babies. Every day we help thousands of people fulfil their dream of having a baby, but our job isn’t done once they leave the clinic. We want to help better the future of those babies we have helped bring… View Article
It’s easy to assume that we all know the early signs of pregnancy, and everyone has heard about missed periods and morning sickness. But when it occurs to you that you may be pregnant, whether you don’t want to be pregnant or very much do, your baseline of general knowledge is no longer enough. It’s only natural to monitor your body closely for those tell-tale signs and keep an eye out for every little twinge or alteration.
As people prepare to become parents, it’s all too easy to focus on the woman’s health and her ability to conceive and maintain a healthy pregnancy. But these days we have a growing awareness that fertility difficulties also have to do with the male partner, and that there’s plenty that men can do to maximise their fertility and prepare for the best start in life for their baby. In this article we look at the issue of preconception health for men. We propose a few simple dos and don’ts, as well as offering some male fertility tips and answering frequently asked questions about protecting the quality and quantity of sperm. We look at lifestyle issues and where to get help if low fertility, or even infertility, becomes an issue.
IVI has been helping to create families for almost 30 years with being an ambassador for sustainability and always placing the patient at the centre of all IVI activity. Under the title #acreationstory, IVI is committed to go beyond medicine, making our contribution to help improve the problems we face today in society and promise… View Article
We are used to hearing words and phrases like beta hCG wait and two-week wait for a beta hCG test, but do we really know what they mean?
This is considered to be one of the easier signs to detect of early pregnancy as bleeding can occur after implantation in approximately 3 out of every 10 women. However, this phenomenon doesn’t always happen because of the implantation and it’s not normally associated with any problem with the pregnancy. So why does it happen? … View Article
It’s well known that refraining from drinking and smoking during pregnancy is essential. What is less known and understood is the fact that during the preconception period, say three months before conceiving, your lifestyle can also have a big impact on your future unborn child. An outstanding example of this principle is the need for an adequate intake of folic acid. In this article we look at smoking before pregnancy and exactly how it can have a detrimental impact, as well as issues around other lifestyle choices, for example whether it’s OK to consume caffeine before pregnancy, and sensible precautions around the consumption of alcohol and other recreational drugs.
IVI London has been open since 2016 and what a great few years it has been. We’ve recently been able to publish our amazing success rates which have really been something to shout about. With a 60% result on fresh IVF/ICSI cycles compared to that of the national average at 33%. Another thing that has… View Article
For the fortunate majority of healthy young women, fertility is something to be taken for granted. For them, planning a family revolves more around social, economic and personal circumstances than their ability to conceive. For others, however, the experience of infertility can be heart breaking. One of the ways to bridge the divide between these two situations is egg donation. In our growing social awareness of the need for women to help other women, this is one of the most direct and powerful ways to do so.
Every man who has undergone a vasectomy in the UK is sure to have thought seriously about the decision, and to have been advised by his NHS or another medical practitioner that the procedure should be considered permanent. But the fact is that lives change, circumstances change, and a new social or personal dynamic can lead to a change of heart. In this article, we take a look at the realistic possibilities of pregnancy after vasectomy. We explain the broad principles of different courses of action and what you need to do if you or your partner should find yourselves in this situation. How to get pregnant after a vasectomy? There’s no 100% certain solution, but there is plenty of help available to give you a very good chance of success
When the time is right and you decide you want to increase your chances of getting pregnant, you may find that your hazy knowledge of that all-important fertile window is no longer enough. In this article, we look at how to identify your most fertile days and how long you can expect it to take to achieve your goal. We also consider the steps you could take if things don’t go according to plan, and when to seek medical advice.
With an action-packed agenda, the 8th International IVIRMA Congress took place in Mallorca in April 2019. Buzzing with excitement about new developments in reproductive medicine, the Congress gathered over 1,600 specialists representing 71 different nationalities to discuss the future of Assisted Reproduction. Delegates shared information about topics as far-ranging as ovarian rejuvenation, IVI’s sustainable development… View Article
The importance of progesterone during pregnancy is widely known, but what if we could establish a causal relationship between the levels of progesterone and pregnancy success rates? Over the last 3 years IVI have been investigating the impact of progesterone levels in the blood on the embryo transfer day in relation to pregnancy rates. The… View Article
The use of artificial intelligence has provided a massive step forward in the journey to perfecting embryo selection and as a result constantly improving pregnancy results. At the annual ESHRE meeting We were able to present two new studies both of which relating to analysis of embryo transfer. The first study carried out at IVI… View Article
One of the main questions a woman asks when told that she has polycystic ovaries is: will it affect my fertility? Although, not so common, there are some cases where this condition can cause problems when a woman wants to become pregnant. Do you know exactly what polycystic ovaries are and how they can affect… View Article
“We are aware of the need for environmental sustainability from a global perspective, as we have done so during the congress. All the initiatives implemented by us point in the same direction, one that governs our commitment to sustainability, towards balance on our planet and creating environmental legacy“, says Andreu Miquel, Global Head of… View Article
Research has just been published in the prestigious journal Human Reproduction that may set alarm bells ringing for those thirty-somethings hoping to start a family at some point but ‘not yet’. The woman heading IVI’s Cryobiology Unit, Dr. Ana Cobo, lead a medical research team which has confirmed in starkly revealing terms that ‘not yet’… View Article
Most of our preconceptions about infertility focus on an image of the childless couple or woman. But these are not the only people to suffer from this confidence-draining experience. Secondary infertility is when a woman has already given birth to one child but has difficulty conceiving a longed-for second child. It is to some extent… View Article
Like asking a friend whether they got dressed in the dark this morning, there are some questions that should simply never be asked. When it comes to a friend who is trying to conceive, direct comments about their fertility or lack of it, suggestions about lifestyle changes or treatments for infertility, or even a suggestion… View Article
Research carried out by IVI has shown that levels of male infertility have almost doubled in just over a decade. In a ground-breaking study led by Dr. Ashley Teigs, her team found that the proportion of men at risk of needing fertility treatment has risen from 12.4% in 2004 to 21.3% in 2017. This is a… View Article
Most progress in IVF comes about as a result of painstaking research, but sometimes a chance observation is all it takes to boost success rates. In 2012 I was lecturing at a conference in the USA and got chatting to a doctor who said his team had been concerned that some of their young couples… View Article
The thought of getting pregnant at 40 is, for some women, a scary thought. Although getting pregnant after 40 is possible without fertility treatment, your chances of conceiving are lower than they would have been in your 20s or 30s. This means, although it’s not impossible, it may take longer for you to conceive. While… View Article
Trying to conceive can be an emotional journey – especially when you are coping with infertility. The effects of infertility can have an impact on every area of your life, making it difficult to focus on anything else. It can cause conflicts in your relationship with your partner, communication with friends, mental health and your… View Article
Infertility is when a couple are struggling to conceive and cannot get pregnant, despite having regular unprotected sex. Infertility can affect both men and women, making it difficult for them to conceive. However, fertility isn’t something most people think much about before they are actively trying to have children and start having trouble. Infertility is… View Article
Whether you have wanted a baby for as long as you can remember, or you have recently made the decision to start trying for a family, not knowing how long it might take for you to conceive can be frustrating. Now that you are trying for a baby, it is possible pregnancy may not happen… View Article
Deciding to try for another child is exciting, and it’s only natural to want a brother or sister for your child. However, if conceiving your first child was easy, your next child might be more difficult. Secondary infertility could be a result of not being able to conceive the second time, not being able to… View Article
Trying to conceive is an exciting time for many couples. However, as pregnancy tests keep displaying negative results and as the months pass by, trying to conceive can be a nerve-racking and stressful time as couples realise they may be struggling with infertility. As a woman, finding out you are infertile can be heartbreaking. It can… View Article
