Preconception health is now recognised as a vital factor in a healthy conception, pregnancy and birth. You could even re-think the duration of pregnancy as being one year long rather than a nine-month project. There’s plenty of information out there on the importance of avoiding the harm that tobacco, alcohol and illegal drugs can do, but not so much on the ‘softer’ aspects of preconception health care, revolving around exercise, sleep and stress.
It’s a sad fact of life that miscarriage, defined by the NHS as the loss of a pregnancy during the first 23 weeks, is quite a common occurrence. They estimate that around one in eight pregnancies end in miscarriage. This is among women who know that they are pregnant; many more happen before a woman is even aware she is pregnant. Obviously in the light of these figures, it’s fairly likely that this will happen to someone in your family or circle of friends and colleagues.
2019 #BreastCancerAwareness month has been another successful month for creating awareness of the disease and an opportunity to hear the amazing stories of those women who have won the battle. But what happens to those women afterwards, can they go on and lead a normal life? Or has their life plan had to change? A… View Article
Several recent reports have confirmed what many people have suspected for some time: that infertility rates in the UK are rising. This is not a new phenomenon, there has been a dramatic increase in infertility over the last 60 years or so. We are not alone in this, in fact the rise in infertility is reflected throughout the developed world.
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
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.
Any woman diagnosed with breast cancer is bound to be filled with worries about the impact of the disease on her life and her future. This is understandable and inevitable. Breast cancer is more common in post-menopausal women but far from rare in younger women and for them, the impact on fertility and any subsequent pregnancy could be a concern. Fears for the future can be intensified by some of the stories that circulate about infertility, how long you need to wait after treatment, or even the chances of passing on your illness to your child.
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
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.