Welcome to another episode of The Fertility Podcast! This week is a special week as it is National Fertility Awareness week. 

Joining Kate are two incredible women, Jane and Toni, who are here to talk all about fertility and their new book, What Every Woman Needs to Know About Fertility.

This episode, Jane and Toni talk about what it is that they do. Jane, being a Fertility nurse specialist, taught Kate everything she knows about fertility awareness. And Toni, who specializes in sexual and reproductive health information.

Together, they have written a book that is somewhat a guide for a woman all about fertility. From the essentials like understanding your cycles to the bits of information that you might not know like what does IVF mean and how does it work?

They talk about how they have spent their entire professional lives talking to women who don’t have any knowledge around fertility or their body, and then are saddled with fertility issues that they weren’t aware of. 

When they wrote the book, they had the intention to deliver clear and honest information about fertility to the world, giving women the opportunity to find out more about their bodies, how they can plan or avoid pregnancy. The book is a guide, like a dictionary for those who are curious as to what a certain term means. It is there to dip into when you need it.

Lastly, they talk about going through fertility, what you can do to prepare your body for pregnancy, what menopause is like and what different terms mean in the fertility world.

OUR SPONSOR:

We are delighted that the current series is being sponsored by Proceive who are kindly offering all listeners to The Fertility Podcast 15% off any Procieve purchase, when you use the discount code FP15.

Socials:

Follow @YourFertilityNurse on Instagram

Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on Instagram

Follow Natalie Silverman she / her (@fertilitypoddy) • Instagram photos and videos on Instagram

Website for Fertility Network - https://www.fertilityuk.org/

Amazon link to book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Every-Woman-Needs-About-Fertility/dp/1399814591

FNUK - https://fertilitynetworkuk.org/national-fertility-awareness-week-2024

Hello again! This episode Kate is joined by the founders of the Swimmers Charity, Tara and Henry. 

In this episode, Kate talks with the couple about how this charity is the first and only charity for male factor infertility. Started as a result of their own fertility journey, this charity aims to provide support for those going through infertility and to restore sperm health. 

Before Kate and the couple dove into what the charity does and aims to do, Tara and Henry shared their own fertility story that led them to creating the charity. 

Back before Tara and Henry were to be married, they decided to check that everything was okay for them to hopefully have children in the future. Through doing all the tests, Tara found that she was perfectly healthy and that there was nothing that flagged concern. Unfortunately, Henry’s results didn’t have the same outcome. 

Henry’s results told him that he had low sperm, and that it was decreasing. However there was never an actual reason or explanation as to why this was the case. 

The couple decided to go through the IVF process but sadly, they had to abandon the cycle. Tara and Henry tried again, this time with 3 embryos, however, these embryos failed the transfer.

Through all of this, the couple were still trying to achieve their dream of one day having a family. So, after many talks with doctors they were pointed towards DNA fragmentation testing. This unfortunately, came back inconclusive, which Henry explained was incredibly frustrating. 

After this, they found out that Henry’s sperm was decreasing in numbers, so Henry made the decision to freeze his sperm, something which he recommends anyone does. Then, Henry made some lifestyle changes, like stopping drinking caffeine, taking cold diets and more.

They then started another IVF cycle and this time it was successful and now they have a baby boy. 

They both explain how through this journey, they didn’t tell their family or friends about what it was that they were going through. Although they are wanting to try IVF again, the two of them have said that they would tell their family and friends.

Kate asks about the reasons for setting up the charity and what their goals, and both Tara and Henry shared that they want to help others achieve their dreams of having children of their own. Henry tells Kate about all the exciting things that the charity is going to be doing over the next couple of months such as grants to help those fund their own fertility journey and funding research into finding out why so many people have unexplained infertility.

OUR SPONSOR:

We are delighted that the current series is being sponsored by Proceive who are kindly offering all listeners to The Fertility Podcast 15% off any Procieve purchase, when you use the discount code FP15.

Socials:

Follow @YourFertilityNurse on Instagram

Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on Instagram

Follow Natalie Silverman she / her (@fertilitypoddy) • Instagram photos and videos on Instagram

Follow Swimmers Charity (@swimmers_charity) • Instagram photos and videos on Instagram

Read more about Request a babyloss certificate here

Hello, this is a little bit of a special episode as The Fertility Podcast is sharing The F Word at Work!

We’re thrilled to have you here, and if this is your first time tuning in, we encourage you to explore our previous episodes.

They feature thought-provoking discussions about why fertility and family-building topics should be a priority on workplace wellbeing agendas. This fourth series focuses specifically on how to support colleagues through various family-building challenges.

In this episode, we’re delighted to welcome Katy Schnitzler, an esteemed trainer and founder of Mist. Katy is an academic whose work revolves around pregnancy loss, miscarriage, and the experiences of those who are childless not by choice, particularly their impact in the workplace.

She is also a lead trainer at the Miscarriage Association, and we're excited to delve into this vital conversation together.

Here’s a glimpse into our conversation:

• Katy emphasizes the holistic approach needed when discussing pregnancy loss, highlighting both the physical and emotional implications for those affected in the workplace.
• We explore common misconceptions surrounding pregnancy loss and the potential physical challenges that individuals face, which can significantly impact their work life.
• Katy offers practical advice for managers and HR professionals on how to compassionately support colleagues experiencing pregnancy loss. This includes the importance of using appropriate language and demonstrating genuine empathy.
• We discuss the emotional toll of pregnancy loss not only on the individual but also on their partner, stressing the importance of acknowledging their feelings and experiences as well.
• We talk about the need for workplace policies that address pregnancy loss and how to implement them, as well as the importance of peer support and training for colleagues
• Katy shares strategies for initiating open conversations about pregnancy loss, emphasising that it's crucial for workplaces to foster an environment where employees feel safe discussing their experiences.

As we approach Baby Loss Awareness Week, we encourage organisations to consider how they can acknowledge this sensitive topic thoughtfully and inclusively.

Thank you for joining us for this important discussion. We hope you find these insights helpful in fostering a supportive workplace culture.

Thank you to Apricity who are sponsoring this series of The F Word at Work. To find out more about how they can support your employees with inclusive fertility care please get in touch with its expert corporate team here. We'd love your support and feedback so please do hit follow and if possible leave a review in the app you are listening to.

StayConnected:

Follow The F Word at Work for access to our free resources:

• Download our guidance Ideal Policy Guidance - Fertility Matters at Work.
• You can book a call to speak with us Calendly - Fertility Matters at Work.
• Explore our services and subscribe to our newsletter Fertility Awareness & Support Training Workshop - Fertility Matters at Work
• Join our vibrant community on Instagram, X and LinkedIn - Becky, Claire & Natalie (@fertilitymattersatwork) • Instagram photos and videos, (1) Fertility Matters at Work: Overview | LinkedIn

Join the Conversation:

Don't miss out on the dialogue. Follow and engage with us to be part of the movement towards fertility-friendly workplaces.

OUR SPONSOR:

We are delighted that the current series is being sponsored by Proceive who are kindly offering all listeners to The Fertility Podcast 15% off any Procieve purchase when you use the discount code FP15.

This week on The Fertility Podcast, Kate is joined by a patient of hers, Alice, to talk about PCOS and how to live with it. This episode is a refreshing topic as Kate and Alice chat about looking after you first and trying to conceive second.

Alice, who has been trying to conceive for a while with her husband, came to Kate looking for a way to be able to live with PCOS. Together, they adopted the term ‘Project Alice’ which they both share is all about making sure that Alice is happy and healthy first.

In this ep, Alice talks about how her PCOS diagnosis turned her life around and has impacted almost every aspect of her life. She talks about how it took a toll on her not only physically but also emotionally. Alice explains how she struggled with the symptoms, the results of the diagnosis and the fear of the unknown.

Alice shares what her life was like before receiving the diagnosis and how she put her life on hold whilst she and her husband were trying to conceive. She talks about how she would put off holidays because she envisioned that she would be pregnant by then or weddings where she had hoped to be expecting. Alice then talks about how she felt when those events came and went and she wasn’t pregnant.

Together they talk about reaching out for help and support, how easy it was for Alice to find Kate, as well as what Alice wanted to achieve out of Kate’s consultations. She explains that she felt as though her future was uncertain and unclear but after a consultation with Kate, she found her future more clear and Alice was able to ask the right questions at her appointments and other things.

Coming to the end of this episode, they talk about PCOS weight loss injections and Alice’s journey with taking them. Although there is limited information and research upon these injections, as they are still a fairly new treatment, they seem to be having a positive effect on Alice. Kate and Alice go into a little more detail about these injections and what they are like.

Alice’s advice is to talk to everyone, to be open with not just those going through a similar journey to you, but also friends and family too. She shares that it can be quite lonely and that being able to share the burden can lessen the burden.

OUR SPONSOR:

We are delighted that the current series is being sponsored by Proceive who are kindly offering all listeners to The Fertility Podcast 15% off any Procieve purchase, when you use the discount code FP15.

Links to the article:

Carmina E, Longo RA. Semaglutide Treatment of Excessive Body Weight in Obese PCOS Patients Unresponsive to Lifestyle Programs. J Clin Med. 2023;12(18):5921. Published 2023 Sep 12. doi:10.3390/jcm12185921

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10531549

International PCOS guidelines - https://www.eshre.eu/Guidelines-and-Legal/Guidelines/Polycystic-Ovary-Syndrome

Vertity - https://www.verity-pcos.org.uk/

AskPCOS - https://www.askpcos.org/

Socials:

Follow @YourFertilityNurse on Instagram

Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on Instagram

Follow Natalie Silverman she / her (@fertilitypoddy) • Instagram photos and videos on Instagram

Hello, and welcome to the second episode of this series! This week is a very special week as it is World Childless Week, and what better way to start this week off than to listen to Kate talk to Hazel who is an award-winning highly regarded facilitator, advisor and executive coach to high profile private and public sector organizations.

Hazel joins Kate this week to talk about childlessness and her own fertility journey. She talks about how her experiences led her to making the decision to not have children. When Hazel was about to be married to her now husband, they decided that they would like to try to have children. And after many checks with doctors and gynecologists, they were told that if Hazel were to get pregnant, she would most likely be put into a vegetative state.

This was unfortunately due to a brain surgery that she underwent years ago. Hazel describes how she felt after being told the news, expressing her sadness and numbness after the appointment. 

Hazel then goes on to talk about how she and her husband found a way to live without children, how they have almost come up with their own terms for things, like a language that only they know. Hazel shares some of the terms they use like ‘Pram Count’ when deciding on a cafe.

She also talks about some of the things they have discovered while being childless, like creating little crafts or being a cat mum to her two cats. Hazel opens a new perspective on childlessness, and offers a way of living without children.

Kate and Hazel talk about how Hazel copes with social situations that might resurface feelings of sadness about childlessness. Hazel describes it as lifetime grief, she shares that it comes around again when in situations where someone might ask about grandchildren, she talks about she and her husband deal with those types of questions.

Lastly, Kate and Hazel talk about having to rewrite your own story, finding a new path without children and coming to terms with reality. Hazel reveals that her childlessness life is actually quite fun and she basks in the time she spends with her husband and her fur-babies.

Check out these episodes about childlessness:

• Kate Pleace & World Childless Week (thefertilitypodcast.com)
• What support is there for childless Men? • The Fertility Podcast
• How do I deal with the grief of not being able to get pregnant? • The Fertility Podcast
• How to answer that you don’t have kids, so they don’t ask again • The Fertility Podcast
• Why we need to talk about childless women differently • The Fertility Podcast
• Childless not by choice • The Fertility Podcast

OUR SPONSOR:

We are delighted that the current series is being sponsored by Proceive who are kindly offering all listeners to The Fertility Podcast 15% off any Procieve purchase, when you use the discount code FP15.

This episode is also sponsored by Ovom Care, who have partnered with GlycanAge, a testing company. Ovom Care are looking for participants to help with their research around knowing what your actual biological age is. So if you are interested in finding out more, email [email protected] or check out their website www.ovomcare.com

Socials:

Follow @YourFertilityNurse on Instagram

Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on Instagram

Follow Natalie Silverman she / her (@fertilitypoddy) • Instagram photos and videos on Instagram

Find Hazel on her website - justhazel.co.uk

Listen to Hazel's podcast  - https://justhazel.co.uk/podcasts/

Linkedin  - (41) Hazel Showell | LinkedIn

Welcome back to what is the very beginning of a new series, with new voices that bring new and different fertility information for your ears.

This episode is a special one, as Kate is joined by a very familiar voice, Natalie, the founder of the podcast and now Exec-producer. You might not know this but this year is The Fertility Podcast’s 10 year anniversary! In this episode, Natalie and Kate reflect on the last 10 years with laughter and a few tears…….

The two catch up with what they have been doing over the summer and Natalie gives an insight into the work that she is now doing with Fertility Matters at Work and The F Word Podcast. As well as this, Natalie talks about receiving the award for Best Fertility Podcast in Amsterdam. She explains that it was a surreal moment for her and the pod, which is now celebrating 10 years. 

Together they chat about the last decade and how much change the fertility world has seen, with things like the IVF add-ons and new treatments for those struggling with infertility. Natalie and Kate chat about the development of new drugs that are being tested to better fertility treatment.

The Fertility Podcast has helped so many people throughout the years, bringing patient stories and advice from experts to your ears. It has been a journey, from Natalie starting a decade ago in her booth, to Kate taking the reins solo 18 months or so ago. 

This podcast has been a way for voices to be heard and listened to, a way of letting you know that you aren’t alone and there is support out there for you. It has also helped you to advocate for yourself and both Kate and Nat feel honoured to have helped in just a small way.

Unfortunately, this episode also has an announcement that comes with a heavy heart. The Fertility Podcast will be taking a long hiatus at the end of this series. Kate is hanging up her headphones and turning off her mic and is on to pastures new. 

However, this is not the definite end of the podcast, Kate and Nat may well be popping on now and again and……..if you perhaps are thinking about starting podcasting or would like to give it a go, please do get in touch with Nat. Maybe you could be the next guest presenter of the podcast………

We are delighted that the current series is being sponsored by Proceive who are kindly offering all listeners to The Fertility Podcast 15% off any Procieve purchase, when you use the discount code FP15.

Welcome to another episode of The F Word at Work where we're sharing one of our original zoom conversations broadcast in 2022. An enlightening conversation with Mike Johnson-Ellis one half of Two Dads UK with his partner Wes and the pair have founded My Surrogacy Journey (MSJ) and the Modern Family Show. At Fertility Matters at Work we're delighted to be working in partnership with MSJ and you can find out more about what that looks like by having a listen.

What was discussed:

The lack of empathy that Mike expereinced when he talked to his work about his plans.

How they had no understanding of infertility or why he would want to attend appointments with his Surrogate

How Mike had no emotional support, nobody asked him what he needed or what he was going through

His colleagues were far to afraid of saying the wrong thing so they said nothing resulting in Mike not getting any support and feeling the pressure of doing his job as he was distracted by what he was going through. t

How everyone in his work environment couldn't believe he wanted a baby

The Toxic masculinity

Lack of awareness in organisations - 10 years on from when same sex marriages became legal. At that point in time businesses should have started thinking about what that would mean and what people would need and they didn't.

How a basic employment skill is knowing your business and your people and the importance of how we learn by our curiosity - asking people within an organisation what they need support with

Why surrogacy fills people with fear -it's not just for same-sex couples it is for women who can't carry

Explaination of Intended Parents (IP's)

How organisations who proudly say they support LBGT communications - need to ask themselves has the conversation has gone deep enough to find out what they really need

Lack of people talking about policies so we need there to be more conversations

Use staff networks, ideas captures, and forums involving different groups. to raise awareness of this and get the conversation started, you can do it anonymously

The issue with the use of word adoption being used when people are going through surrogacy, you aren't adopting it you are having a biological child

Policies are very heteronormative

Why surrogacy fills people with fear -it's not just for same-sex couples it is for women who can't carry

Thanks once again to our series sponsor Apricity.

Book a call to speak with us here 

Watch our FMAW 30-minute demo on our services to find out exactly how we'd support your organisation with our training and membership  

Find out more about our services here  

Follow us on Insta and hear what our community has to say  

Join us on Linked In  

Find us on Twitter 

Welcome to part three of this bumper podcast episode which is sharing our Diversity and Inclusion in Fertility Round Table conversation which was held on Zoom on 8th November 2022 with the aim to help you understand how many different people are impacted by fertility challenges in a number of different ways and also to give you a better understanding of the how these communities who are impacted. If you’ve not listened to Parts 1 & 2 yet, that's fine although we do suggest you give them a listen to give you a better context of the conversation. 

In this final section, we are starting to address some of the areas of intersectionality as Fertility is not one-dimensional but intersects with many of the other challenges that workplaces face when it comes to the Diversity and Inclusion agenda. One of the important nuances to consider is in relation to the impact cultural aspects have on people who are facing fertility challenges and in this final part of our conversation we spoke with  Dr Christine Ekechi, Co-Chair of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists’ Race Equality Taskforce and Noni Martins, a fertility patient and founder of Unfertility, supporting black women to break the silence, stigma & shame around unconventional fertility journeys.  

Watch our FMAW 30 minute demo on our services to find out exactly how we'd support your organisation with our training and membership  

Find out more about our services here  

Follow us on Insta and hear what our community has to say  

Join us on Linked In  

Find us on Twitter 

Welcome to Part Two of this bumper podcast episode which is sharing our Diversity and Inclusion in Fertility Round Table conversation which was held on Zoom on 8th November 2022 with the aim to help you understand how many different people are impacted by fertility challenges in a number of different ways and also to give you a better understanding of the how these communities who are impacted. 

We know that this affects 1 in 6 couples, 1 in 7 individuals and that the World Health Org defines infertility as a “disease of the reproductive system”. As you will hear, fertility treatment is also needed for social reasons, and as such is a necessary medical treatment to enable people to have a child, not a simple lifestyle choice as it is sometimes portrayed. Sometimes this is the only way for people to have a chance of a child, it’s also important to be aware that it isn’t a guarantee.

Here we discuss what employers need to know about being inclusive of other less commonly known paths to parenthood, such as solo parenthood, donor conception, adoption and then moving on to Surrogacy. The assumption when we think about fertility treatment is IVF – and normally with two people involved.  

You will hear conversations with Mel Johnson, HR Professional and Founder of The Stork and the UK’s first and only Solo Parenthood Coach and  Nicole Narracott, Adoptive Parent and Senior Business Change Manager. We also discuss how organisations can usualise, be inclusive of and supportive of LGBTQ+ family building with discussions with Wes Johnson Ellis, Co-founder of TwoDads UK, My Surrogacy Journey and the Modern Family Show and Laura-Rose Thorogood, founder of LGBT Mummies  

Watch our FMAW 30 minute demo on our services to find out exactly how we'd support your organisation with our training and membership  

Find out more about our services here  

Follow us on Insta and hear what our community has to say  

Join us on Linked In  

Find us on Twitter 

Welcome to this bumper podcast episode which is sharing our Diversity and Inclusion in Fertility Round Table conversation which was held on Zoom on 8th November 2022 with the aim to help you understand how many different people are impacted by fertility challenges in a number of different ways and also to give you a better understanding of the how these communities who are impacted. 

By inclusion we want you to start thinking about how you can ensure that any support you put in place for fertility is inclusive in both language and action. It’s about understanding your people and communities and how to create sustainable positive change that will represent and benefit those communities going forwards.  

In the first part of this conversation we’ll hear from  Emma Persand, Director of Lemur Health, qualified nurse and workplace health and wellbeing professional and Lina Chan, CEO and founder of Parla, a digital health company supporting people on their reproductive life journeys from periods to fertility and menopause with expert-led programmes and workshops discussing Reproductive Health and Wellbeing regarding Cis women and anyone with a uterus as it is this group that are predominantly the ones who have physical treatment and need to be present at all appointments, they’re affected by medication side effects and quite often can be all-consumed by the process.

We also spoke with Tom Webb, Director of The Easy Bit documentary Shaun Greenaway founder of Knackered Knackers, Male Support platform to discuss the importance of including and empowering men within the fertility conversation, with a focus on the cis-male experience of pressures from societal narratives leading to toxic masculinity and stigma. 

Thanks once again to our series sponsor Apricity.

Watch our FMAW 30 minute demo on our services to find out exactly how we'd support your organisation with our training and membership  

Find out more about our services here  

Follow us on Insta and hear what our community has to say  

Join us on Linked In  

Find us on Twitter 

Welcome to another episode of The F Word at Work in this episode we're talking about how a change can come about in support of fertility struggles, from employees driving the change. You'll hear two amazing examples. The first is Natalie Sutherland from Burgess Mee, who is the UK's first 'Fertility Officer' and has led the way for her firm to become the UK's first organisation to become 'fertility friendly' with our accreditation. Then you'll hear from Kelly-Anne Morris, an employee at Cadent Gas who we've just launched our services with.

What we discussed:   

• Kelly needed to have her fallopian tubes removed, so knew she was going to need treatment when she was ready to build her family.  
• Once she met her partner and was ready, she looked to see what policies what was available - she had a supportive manage yet nothing was written, so the approach wasn’t consistent 
• Women In Cadent - had leads on improvements within the workforce which is where Kelly got involved which was how she got involved in meetings.  
• Started speaking about IVF  - doing a survey to find out about other people’s experiences 
• First person she spoke to was in HR - at the time there was a lot of change happening in the company 
• Now at a point where all family provisions policies are being reviewed.  
• It takes time to find the right people 
• As Kelly was trying to put content together - she realised how much support she needed, such as regarding the LGBTQ communuty  
• How she came to FMAW for facts and figures  
• How it can be challenging at times, questioning whether she’s doing it right and has time to give it her full attention - when she doubts herself and then gets an email to thank her for what she’s been doing.  
• News articles from people sharing their stories have been mixed genders ( including Men in leadership )  
• Fertility Focus policy also cover partners - eg. if the Man works at Cadent and his partner doesn’t they hope to support the person wanting to accompany their partner.  

Watch our FMAW 30 minute demo on our services to find out exactly how we'd support your organisation with our training and membership 

Find out more about Natalie and Burgess Mee here

Listen to Infertility in the City here

Find out more about our services here

Follow us on Insta and hear what our community has to say

Join us on Linked In

Find us on Twitter