Becky’s Blog

IVF treatment is tough – and the best people to tell you that are fertility patients themselves. The simple truth is, unless you’ve had IVF treatment, you can’t fully understand the emotional upheaval patients go through. It’s very real and very hard. Life-changing. Friends and family are generally well-meaning, but they can still say the wrong thing at the wrong time. So based on our experience, and that of our patients, here are five things NOT to say to IVF patients.

What is ICSI? Most fertility patients know the basics. Fertilisation of an egg cell using ICSI means injecting a sperm cell directly into it. The aim? Better IVF fertilisation rates. But there’s more to ICSI than that. Here are five key things to think about.

Female fertility is a hot topic. So why is male infertility never really talked about? In a fertility industry geared towards women, medical help for men also exists. Obviously. 1 in 50 men produce no sperm in their ejaculate, even though healthy sperm is stored in their testes. Since IVF requires a sperm sample via masturbation, this statistic is relevant. Surgical sperm retrieval (SSR) is an option for men with serious fertility issues. Read on to discover 10 facts you should know about surgical sperm retrieval.

IVF patients are now offered a bewildering array of ‘add-on’ treatments. And a growing number of fertility clinics now use a machine called the EmbryoScope. What is it and does it actually benefit IVF patients? Some clinics say yes. Others say maybe. Actually, the jury is out. No large-scale randomised trials have been done. But that doesn't mean you should write it off - so read on.

The 2016 Fertility Show weekend is almost upon us. Ben has been asked back as a guest speaker and is putting the finishing touches to his speech as we speak. His seminar will look at all the aspects of fertility treatment abroad, with an emphasis on European clinics. The talk starts at 1230 on Sunday 6 November. The venue is Olympia Exhibition Centre in London.