Fertility Road Issue 13

THE WORLD'S NO.1 FERTILITY MAGAZINE 

ISSUE 13 | WINTER 2012/2013 £3.95/€4.95 

YOUR PATH TO PARENTHOOD 

WWW.FERTILITYROAD.COM 

T R AV E L 

WIN 

AN IVF 

HOLIDAY! 

F O R 

T R E AT M E N T 

N• LIFE-CHANGING COMPETITIO 

• 

LETTER 

FROM THE 

HEART 

Josh Cintron 

shares a journey 

with infertility 

through his eyes 

WINNER 

ANNOUNCED 

Valentines 

Day!! 

UNEXPLAINED 

INFERTILITY 

Prof. Sheena Lewis 

on how unexplained 

infertility may now be 

a thing of the past 

ISSUE 13 WWW.FERTILITYROAD.COM 

Hugh Jackman 

A-List Adoptions 

ALPINE RETREATS FERTILITY MONITORS REVIEW BABIES IN BARBADOS

Know which ones will grow. 

Meet Eeva – the new Early Embryo Viability Assessment Test. 

Clinically proven to help your IVF team select the best embryo(s). 

Visit eevaivf.com/fr to find a clinic near you. 

Eeva is currently approved and available for use only in the EU. MKT 2159A

F E R T I L I T Y R O A D W I N T E R 2 0 1 2 / 2 0 1 3 

ISSUE 13 CONTENTS 

12 

WIN 

AN IVF 

HOLIDAY! 

20 

13 

26 

37 

13 A GIFT FROM GREECE 

Thessaloniki based fertility clinic, Embryolab is offering one lucky 

couple the chance to win a free round of IVF and a Grecian holiday. 

Be sure to enter for your chance to win. 

16 INFERTILITY EXPLAINED 

Prof. Sheena Lewis from Lewis Fertility discusses how unexplained 

infertility in both men and women may now be a thing of the past. 

20 HOLLYWOOD, HEARTACHE & HAPPINESS 

Hollywood star and father of two, Hugh Jackman chats with Fertility 

Road about fate, IVF and his own personal journey to becoming a 

proud Dad to Oscar and Ava. 

32 BABIES IN BARBADOS 

Fancy a holiday in the sun? With good weather, shorter waiting times 

and fewer restrictions, is travelling for treatment right for you? 

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: 

ALPINE RETREATS 

Winter Blues? Take time-out at one of our Winter Wonderlands, 

all in Europe, a short plane ride away and guaranteed to have snow. 

NUTRITION 

Nutritional Guru Annabel Karmel shares a few of her own delicious 

'fertility superfood' recipes aimed to boost your chances of conceiving. 

TRIED AND TESTED 

With so many fertility products on the market, which one is the best? 

Fertility Road compares the differences between the top products 

out there and what is right for you. 

LETTER FROM THE HEART 

We hear from Josh in California who shares a journey with infertility 

through his eyes, which ultimately led to becoming a dad to twins. 

WINTER 2012/2013 | WWW.FERTILITYROAD.COM | 

03

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• 


F E R T I L I T Y R O A D 

C O N T R I B U T O R S 

ISSUE 13 WINTER 2012/13 

CHECK OUT OUR NEW YOU TUBE 

CHANNEL FOR GREAT FERTILITY 

RELATED VIDEOS & INTERVIEWS 

YOUTUBE.COM/FERTILITYROAD » 

FERTILITY ROAD 

ISSUE 13 WINTER 2012/2013 




WIN 

AN IVF 

HOLIDAY! 

T R AV E L 

F O R 


WINNER 

ANNOUNCED 

Valentines 

Day!! 

UNEXPLAINED 

INFERTILITY 


on how unexplained 

infertility may now be 


GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR: 

PJ Mack 

CONTRIBUTING PUBLISHER: 

Jeff Crockett 

CONTRIBUTING MANAGING EDITOR: 

Giorgio Severi 

IT DIRECTOR: 

Tone Jarvis 

ART EDITOR: 

Damian Browning 

CONTRIBUTORS: 

Emma Cannon, Josh Cintron, Frank 

Grice, Annabel Karmel, Prof. Sheena 

Lewis, Veronica Montgomery 

WEBSITE & ONLINE PRESENCE: 

Giraffic Media Ltd 

www.girafficmedia.co.uk 

EUROPEAN SALES: 

Susan Calatayud, Pier Minole 

ACCOUNTS MANAGER: 

Jennifer Gardner 

LEGAL ADVISOR: 

Buckworth Solicitors 

Berkeley Square House, Berkeley 

Square, Mayfair, London, UK W1J 6BD 

PRINTED IN THE UK BY: 

The Magazine Printing Company using 

only paper from FSC/PEFC suppliers 

www.magprint.co.uk 

ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES: 

sales@fertilityroad.com 


LETTER 

FROM THE 

HEART 

Josh Cintron 

shares a journey 



Hugh Jackman 

A-List Adoptions 

ALPINE RETREATS FERTILITY MONITORS REVIEW BABIES IN BARBADOS 

CONTACT DETAILS: 

Mack Media Group 

Suite 27, Westcroft Court, New Road, 

Broxbourne, Herts EN10 7LT 

Tel: 0843 2895337 

Email: info@fertilityroad.com 

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER 

TWITTER.COM/FERTILITYROAD 



Welcome to Issue 13 of Fertility Road. 

For some 13 can be thought of as an unlucky number, 

but we at Fertility Road think otherwise, as we have 

bagged an exclusive interview with Hollywood hunk, 

Hugh Jackman, who chats with us about the love for 

his wife, how he coped with infertility, and what being a dad means to him. 

Also in this issue we hear from the Barbados Fertility Centre who 

explains how treatment abroad could be right for you, and Professor 

Sheena Lewis of Lewis Fertility discusses how unexplained infertility 

in both men and women may now be a thing of the past. 

Nutritional expert, Annabel Karmel, once again lends us some of her 

own delicious recipes full of fertility superfoods aimed at helping you on 

your path to parenthood, and we hear Josh’s story of his rocky road to 

fatherhood, failed IVF cycles and ultimately becoming a proud dad to twins. 

And finally, be sure to enter Embryolab’s fantastic competition for a 

chance to fly to Thessaloniki, Greece for free IVF treatment combined 

with a relaxing holiday. It’s free to enter and the winning couple will be 

announced on Valentine’s Day 2013.... Good luck!! 

So until next time – stay warm, relax and enjoy our magazine… Giorgio 

OUR WRITERS... 

OUR PREGNACY EXPERT... 

Emma Cannon practises complementary therapies and acupuncture 

and specialises in fertility and women’s health; gynaecology, IVF support, 

conception, pregnancy and postnatal care. She is Director of Emma 

Cannon Ltd and author of The Baby-Making Bible and You and Your Bump. 

www.emmacannon.co.uk 

OUR FERTILITY EXPERT... 

Professor Sheena Lewis, has been at the forefront of research in male fertility 

for the past 25 years. She has led the reproductive research team at Queens 

University Belfast since 1995 and developed the novel SpermComet DNA test. 

She is regularly invited to speak on the clinical role of sperm DNA testing 

at medical and scientific conferences around the world. 

Annabel Karmel is a nutritional expert, author and mum-of-three who works 

tirelessly to promote better education and greater awareness of what foods can 

help with a successful conception and pregnancy, and is on a mission to help women 

better prepare themselves for motherhood simply by watching what they eat. 

Joshua Cintron lives with his wife Veronica and twins Jude and Gianna in 

Mission Viejo in California. Working as a creative writer, Josh is currently penning 

a book, A Journey Through In Vitro Fertilization From The Eyes Of A Husband, 

which is set for publication in the summer of 2013. 

FERTILITY ROAD IS NOW AVAILABLE TO READ 

ACRoSS ALL TABLETS AND MOBILE DEVICES 

WWW.FERTILITYROAD.COM/DIGITAL 


05


N E W S , V I E W S & R E V I E W S 

EMBRYO 

MONITORING 

DESIGNED TO 

IMPROVE IVF 

OUTCOMES 

Revolutionary new non-invasive 

test that uses intelligent imaging 

software to measure and predict 

with more accuracy which embryos 

will likely grow to the blastocyst 

stage (day 5-6), a critical milestone 

in embryo development. 

or couples who find they are unable to conceive 

naturally, undergoing a cycle of IVF is often the 

next step on their path to parenthood, but with only 

one third of IVF cycles resulting in a live birth, and 

at a cost of around £5,000, the struggle to become 

parents, both emotionally and financially, can be a real nightmare. 

Embryo Evaluation 

Over the past 30 years, fertility researchers have worked tirelessly in 

an effort to identify which embryo(s) to implant that will ultimately 

result in a healthy live birth. Unfortunately, human reproduction is 

not an efficient process and only 15 percent of embryos transferred 

result in a pregnancy. To achieve high pregnancy rates, multiple embryos 

are transferred in each cycle to improve the odds of success. 

Until now a process known as embryo grading is used to visually 

determine the quality of embryos during development. Embryo 

grading is traditionally performed using microscopic observation at 

set times. This will usually occur once or twice a day so as to minimise 

the time embryos spend outside of the controlled environment of 

an incubator. The assessment is based on visual appearance of the 

embryos such as the number of cells, symmetry of cells and degree of 

cell fragments. However, embryo grading by nature is subjective and is 

based on snap-shots of the embryo at selected times. 

Once the embryos are graded and selected, the embryo or 

embryos are loaded in a soft catheter and transferred back into the 

womb, with embryos being able to be transferred at different stages 

of their development. 

The future of IVF 

However, a brand new non-invasive test has just been launched in 

the UK, called Eeva (Early Embryo Viability Assessment) and has been 

designed by Auxogyn, based on research discovered at Stanford 

University, to significantly improve positive IVF outcomes by 

providing clinicians and their patients with objective information 

that will enable them to predict embryo viability at a higher level of 

accuracy than ever before. Using intelligent computer vision 

software, Eeva is able to analyse embryo development against 

scientifically and clinically validated cell-division parameters from 

video images and has the ability to then predict which embryos will 

most likely grow to the blastocyst stage, optimising the chances for 

a successful pregnancy. 

Eeva consists of a special microscope that fits inside a standard 

incubator, integrating into an existing IVF lab environment and takes 

video images of the embryos, which are analysed by proprietary, 

intelligent software. Cultured within a specially-designed petri dish, the 

embryos are monitored closely by Eeva over a certain period of time. 

Science and Success 

CRM London is the first fertility clinic in the capital to offer the Eeva 

Test to patients undergoing IVF, but Auxogyn have also announced 

that Eeva will be made available to IVF patients at London’s King’s 

College Hospital, and in the East of England through Bourn Hall Clinic. 

Outside of London, other clinics offering Eeva are GCRM in Glasgow 

and Liverpool’s Hewitt Fertility Centre. On the subject of IVF and its 

new advancement, Charles Kingsland, lead consultant at the Hewitt 

Fertility Centre, the first to offer Eeva in Europe, said; 

“At the Hewitt Fertility Centre, we are committed to doing 

everything we can, including adopting breakthrough technologies, to 

improve embryo selection in order to increase a patient’s success of 

pregnancy while reducing the risks associated with multiple births. By 

using Eeva, we will be able to help our patients make more informed 

personal decisions and provide them with the best care possible.” 

For more information about Eeva, please visit Eevaivf.com/fr 

06 | WWW.FERTILITYROAD.COM | WINTER 2012/2013



WINDY 

WONDERS 

LOVE THEM OR LOATHE THEM, BRUSSELS SPROUTS 

are a key ingredient to a quintessential festive dinner. 

However did you know that these mini green cabbages 

are also a great dietary source of folic acid, the fertility 

boosting nutrient that assists with healthy sperm 

in men and egg maturation in women. Like other 

cruciferous veggies (think broccoli or cabbage) these 

fertility friendly greens also contain phytonutrient 

called di-indolylmethane (or DIM), which can help 

women metabolise oestrogen better, which is especially 

important for those struggling with conditions related 

to too much oestrogen. 

It was reported that William and Kate requested 

that their honeymoon suite in the Seychelles be stocked 

with their favourite snack, Brussels Sprouts with cream 

cheese, in an effort not to break the 200 year royal 

tradition of conceiving within the first year of marriage. 

Over 1,000 babies have now been born following 

NHS-funded IVF treatment at Bourn Hall Clinic 

since May 2009, the clinic achieves pregnancies 

for 70 per cent of its patients within two cycles. 

BOURN HALL CLINIC CELEBRATE ONE THOUSAND BABIES BORN AS A RESULT OF NHS-FUNDED IVF 

BOOK REVIEW 

A DAD FOR 

ALL SEASON 

How My Sons 

Raised Me. 

by Ian Mucklejohn 

THEY SAY YOUR FIRST CHILD WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE, BUT 

what if you have three at the same time! Eleven years ago, 

Ian Mucklejohn had triplet sons as a single father via 

surrogacy and had to do it all by himself: juggle, organise, 

cook, keep sane, stay calm, and handle every obstacle. There 

was always one hand short, one child who felt left out or 

needed an extra hug. Over the years Ian has gathered 

together his sons’ funniest stories: the hilarious moments, 

the fights and crocodile tears, the tough questions to which 

there is no right answer. You may well recognise yourself 

just multiply by three and deduct one parent! 

Available from Amazon.co.uk 

SARAH’S 

FERTILITY 

STORY 

STRIKES 

A CHORD! 

FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO READ 

the last issue of Fertility Road, 

you will remember Sarah’s story 

about her struggle with infertility 

and her current campaign to change the laws surrounding the IVF 

postcode lottery, giving everyone equal and fare access to IVF on the NHS. 

On reading her story, Dr. Nikos Christoforidis from Embryolab in Greece, 

who is offering one lucky couple the chance at an IVF Holiday (see p.13) 

felt so moved by her and husband Levi’s situation that he has offered 

them both an IVF holiday of their very own. Happy Christmas Sarah!! 

To sign Sarah’s petition please visit gopetition.com/petition/43913.html 


The Zita West 

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e. info@crgh.co.uk 

men with pre-existing fertility problems which should this study 

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and LIKE our Facebook page 

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A RECENT STUDY REVEALING A SIGNIFICANT DECLINE IN 

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A-LIST 

FAMILY 

MATTERS 

ON THE 21ST NOVEMBER 2012, HOLLYWOOD STAR, ELIZABETH 

Banks, who is already mum to 20 month old Felix, announced the birth 

of her second son Magnus Mitchell with husband Max Handelman. 

The 38-year-old Hunger Games actress wrote: “As 2012 winds 

down, I have much for which to be thankful - personal, professional, 

and Presidential. However, nothing can match the joy and excitement 

my husband and I felt when we recently welcomed our second baby 

boy. Like Felix, Magnus was born via gestational surrogacy. This 

experience has exceeded all our expectations, taught us a great deal 

about generosity and gratitude, and established a relationship that will 

last for a lifetime and I am so very thankful to the Centre for Surrogate 

Parenting for helping make all this possible” 

DOCTORS MAY HAVE 

UNLOCKED SECRET 

OF IVF SUCCESS FOR 

OLDER MOTHERS 

DOCTORS BELIEVE THEY HAVE UNLOCKED THE SECRET OF HOW TO GIVE WOMEN 

in their early 40s a similar chance of having a child through IVF as those 10 years younger. 

Official figures show women in this age bracket have only a 13 per cent chance of conceiving 

per cycle, the new procedure will give 40-year-olds a 6 in 10 chance of becoming mothers 

with a single round of IVF and involves testing embryos for major genetic abnormalities, 

which is the main reason why middle-aged women often struggle to fall pregnant. 

SPERM LENGTH ALSO 

DETERMINES FERTILITY 

IT IS SAID THAT MEN HAVE A BETTER CHANCE 

of reproducing if they have semen packed with 

strong-swimmers, but fertility experts are now 

claiming that sperm that have tails of a similar 

length are better able to travel than those with tails 

of varying lengths. 

Researchers from Brown University in Rhode 

Island, led by James Mossmon, were surprised to 

find that tail consistency surpassed average length. 

examined the semen of 103 men attending an 

infertility clinic at Sheffield Teaching Hospital 

NHS Foundation Trust and from their research, 

found that the wider the variation of sperm length 

in samples, the lower the concentration of motile 

sperm and the variation in tail length was found to 

be the most crucial factor. 


C 

M 

Y 

CM 

MY 

CY 

CMY 

K


T R A V E L F O R T R E A T M E N T 

a gift 

from 

Greece 

WIN 

AN IVF 

HOLIDAY! 

'Travelling for Treatment' is now a 

viable option for couples with fertility 

issues, here Dr. Nikos Christoforidis, 

Lead Gynaecologist at Embryolab, 

explains why couples are travelling 

abroad for procedures and why he is 

offering free IVF to one lucky couple. 

ver the last few years 'Medical tourism' has 

become a global industry, fuelled by the popularity 

of the internet, ease of travel, shorter waiting times 

for appointments and greater international sharing 

of medical advancements and innovations. Many 

couples are now opting to travel abroad for fertility treatments that 

may not be available to them in their own countries, either 

financially or legally. 

As Lead Gynaecologist at Embryolab I have met many couples 

from all over the world, whose lives have been changed by having 

fertility treatment and effectively giving them the gift of life, and 

have seen the joy that it brings. As well as the joy I have also seen 

the pain, as there are so many couples in need of help to conceive, 

and every one of them has a unique and compelling story. I was 

reading an article recently in Fertility Road where a couple in the 

UK could not afford IVF and were not eligible for NHS treatment 

and were left with very few options, this really pulled on my 

heart-strings. 

If you do not meet the criteria of your local Primary Care Trust, 

then the only option is to go private, and these out of pocket 

expenses for fertility treatments make it very difficult, if not 

impossible, for couples to achieve their dreams of expanding their 

family in their home country. 

» 


13



GET 20% 

DISCOUNT 

JUST BY 

ENTERING! 

ENTER AT 

FERTILITY 

ROAD.COM 

/WINIVF 

» 

Because of these compelling stories, here at Embryolab we 

have decided to make the dream of having a family come true for 

one lucky couple, by offering a full round of IVF, combined with 

a relaxing Grecian holiday in our life changing competition. 

About us: 

Here at Embryolab, we pride ourselves in looking after couples 

who are experiencing fertility disorders, providing them with an 

accurate diagnosis and then offering immediate and tailor made 

treatment to meet each patient’s needs in order to help the couple 

conceive. We strongly believe that customized care is crucial in 

order to serve the individual needs of our patients. 

Since the conditions under which oocytes and embryos 

develop is imperative to a successful treatment outcome our lab 

has developed a highly successful vitrification protocol which 

guarantees high survival rates for both oocytes and embryos. 

We ensure our laboratory is an industry leader, by a continuous 

updating of assisted reproduction systems coupled with the 

support provided by our state-of-the-art equipment thus achieving 

our high success rates we have enjoyed so far. 

We also have a fantastic team here, from our experts in the 

fertility field, right down to our receptionists. We all spend time 

getting to know each and every couple, understanding their 

needs, answering their questions, and supporting them every 

step of the way on their path to parenthood. 

Our clinic is situated in Thessaloniki, the second-largest city 

in Greece. Also known as Salonika or Saloniki, which has given 

Greece some of its greatest musicians, artists, poets and thinkers. 

It also has some of the most beautiful beaches and some of the 

finest hotels and best restaurants in northern Greece. Built 

near the sea, at the back of the Thermaïkos Gulf, it is a 

modern metropolis bearing the marks of its stormy past and 

cosmopolitan character, giving it a special beauty and charm. 

Gastronomy, world-class heritage sites and fantastic shopping 

are some of the things that visitors can indulge in. For more 

information on Embryolab please visit www.embryolab.co.uk 

How to enter: 

For your chance at winning a full IVF treatment here at 

Embryolab all you have to do is visit www.fertilityroad.com/ 

winIVF. Where you simply have to complete a form for the 

chance of winning this amazing opportunity. 

The winning couple will receive: 

• Flights from their home town to Thessaloniki. 

• Accommodation at the Hyatt Regency in Thessaloniki. 

www.thessaloniki.regency.hyatt.com 

• All transfers from airport to hotel and Embryolab clinic. 

• Full round of IVF treatment. 

• Dinner at a top restaurant on the first night. 

• Complimentary acupuncture treatment. 

Competition closes on 13/02/13 and the winning couples' names 

will be randomly selected on the 14/02/13 and announced on 

the Fertility Road website, Facebook and Twitter accounts. 

• Preliminary tests of suitability may be required. 

Please see www.fertilityroad.com/winIVF for full terms and conditions. 

COMPETITION TERMS & CONDITIONS: 1) Information on how to enter forms part of the terms of entry. Entry into this competition is deemed acceptance of these terms and conditions set out by 

Embryolab. 2) By entering this competition, entrants agree to be bound by these Terms & Conditions. (and by any other requirements set out in the promotional material) which may be amended 

or varied at any time by Embryolab. 3) Entry can be made online via www.fertilityroad.com/winIVF 4) Embryolab is the promoter of this competition. For more information on this clinic please visit 

www.embryolab.co.uk 5) Entrants must enter their own name. Embryolab reserves the right request the winner to provide proof of identity in order to claim the treatment. In the event that a winner 

cannot provide suitable proof, the winner will forfeit the prize in whole and no substitute will be offered. 6) The competition closes on 13/02/13 at midnight. 7) Entry is open to any couple older than 

18 and fall within the categories stated in the criteria for entry. 8) The winning couple will receive a full IVF treatment. 9) The winning couple will receive accommodation during this time. 10) The 

winning couple will receive return fl ights from Thessaloniki. 11) The winning couple will receive transfers from airport to Hotel and vice versa. 12) All food and incidentals will be covered by the winning 

couple. 13) To submit a complete and valid online entry, entrants will be required to provide various personal details including full name, email address, residential address, contact phone number/s, 

age, and date of birth for the purpose of verifying eligibility. Any contact details entered incorrectly shall invalidate the entry. Online entry is free, however internet connection rates apply. 14) The 

winning couple will be drawn on 14/02/13 and will be contacted via telephone on 14/02/13. 15) The winning couple will be announced publicly through Fertility Road’s Twitter and Facebook networks 

and on www.fertilityroad.com, in any publicity relating to the competition and will feature in future issues of Fertility Road. magazine 16) The prize is as stated and is non-transferable or exchangeable. 

No cash alternatives will be offered. 17) Privacy statement: We will only use and store your personal information for the purpose disclosed to you in this competition. Full T&C's available at fertilityroad.com 



I N F E R T I L I T Y E X P L A I N E D 

UNEXPLAINED 

INFERTILITY IS 

UNEXPLAINED 

NO MORE! 

Unexplained infertility can be a very frustrating ‘diagnosis’ for 

so many couples to hear. On the one hand, they are happy that 

there is nothing obviously broken in either of them, but on the 

other hand it just makes it all the more frustrating that there is 

anything they can fix! 

WORDS BY 

PROF. SHEENA LEWIS 

or the third of couples diagnosed with unexplained 

infertility - we have found a cause! Our sensitive 

SpermComet test has been developed to guide these 

couples to better fertility treatment for them. 

Some of your unexplained infertility experiences: 

“I have unexplained infertility, in perfect health, all my tests have all been 

perfect. I am 34 years old. Doctors tell me I am a picture of health. I have 

regular cycles. I have never had a missed period, been pregnant or been on 

the pill. My husband's tests all came back normal too. He is 39.” 

“I am so heartbroken. I am recovering from the shock of my failed IVF cycle 

and feel like there is an emptiness within me. My partner and I have no 

children and have unexplained infertility - we both have 'nothing' wrong and 

had all the tests etc done. We only got 2 eggs and neither fertilized. I feel so 

robbed. We were not given any reason why it didn’t work this time. I feel so sad 

- as if my life is on pause and I have no interest in anything else.” 

Unexplained infertility can feel like you don’t know where to turn, what 

treatment to seek or if you will ever have a baby. 

» 



17


I N F E R T I L I T Y E X P L A I N E D 

» Male Infertility 

When we think about infertility, very often we focus on the female 

but in fact male infertility contributes to nearly 50% of all 

infertility cases. Sperm DNA damage has been identified as a major 

contributor to male infertility and linked to problems with the 

embryo and even to the short and long term health of the baby. 

» What is sperm DNA damage? 

Research shows that sperm quality is not as good as it was. This 

is one of the reasons for increasing numbers of couples seeking 

fertility treatment all around Europe. There are many lifestyle 

causes for this like smoking, poor diet and environmental 

pollutants. All of these produce free radicals that can damage 

the DNA of your sperm. 

Sperm DNA damage can lead to: 

• Fewer eggs being fertilized 

• Embryos not developing as well as they should 

• Lower pregnancy rates 

• More miscarriages 

» What if the semen analysis is normal? 

Can testing for sperm DNA damage help 

decide what treatment is best for you? 

Recent research shows that that there is little connection between 

a traditional semen analysis result and the DNA damage in your 

sperm. So, even if your sperm count is normal, DNA damage may 

mean you are unable to get pregnant. Measuring sperm DNA 

quality is much more sensitive than a semen analysis test at 

picking up problems. 

» How Sperm DNA testing can guide to the 

right diagnosis and treatment choice. 

• If less than 25% of sperm are damaged: The problem is not 

your sperm DNA. 

• If 25% or more are damaged: there is a high risk of infertility 

and very little chance of natural pregnancy. 

In both these circumstances inseminating you with your partner’s 

sperm (IUI) is unlikely to work. 

• If the damage in your sperm is only between 25% & 50%: there 

is a very good chance that you will be successful with IVF. 

• If the damage is over 50%: IVF is unlikely to succeed. If treatment is 

planned, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is more likely 

to be successful. This is when a single sperm is injected directly 

into the egg. We think this works better because ICSI gives the 

egg a better chance to repair the damaged DNA in the sperm. 

• If ICSI has been attempted and has not worked for you, then you 

may wish to talk to your fertility specialist about ICSI with 

surgically retrieved sperm. For those who don’t wish to undergo 

this simple but invasive procedure then donor sperm is the 

alternative choice. 

Our group has recently published a paper on a very large study 

that we performed within our university. Part of the study 

looked at couples with unexplained infertility. We wanted to 

see if any of the men who had been diagnosed with unexplained 

infertility had sperm DNA damage. We found that a staggering 

49% of these men had sperm DNA damage. So their ‘unexplained 

infertility’ is unexplained no more! The good news is 

that now we have a diagnosis, we can choose fertility treatment 

more suited to their needs. 

When we use the SpermComet test, we can check how much 

damage is in each sperm. If your partner has a lot of DNA damage 

then you can decide to go forward using ICSI and hope for a greater 

chance of a successful birth. 

» About the SpermComet DNA test 

The SpermComet looks just like a ‘comet’ in the sky. Here the tail 

of the SpermComet is the damaged DNA. We can look at your 

sperm individually and measure any damage. This gives you a 

much more detailed result than other tests. 

» Sperm DNA as a diagnostic test 

Since DNA damage is a more reliable indicator of male infertility 

than for example a low sperm count, then the SpermComet test 

is needed for a suitable diagnosis. 

Just to sum up, male infertility research is currently a very 

exciting and rapidly moving area. The sooner fertility clinics start 

to use the SpermComet routinely instead of sticking with the 

older and less reliable tests to diagnose the type of infertility the 

man may have, then the sooner we can look forward to better 

reproductive outcomes in fertility treatment. 

With the acceptance of new tests, couples will be better 

informed and clinics will have additional information on which to 

base their choice of treatment. 

There are an increasing number of fertility clinics in the UK and 

Ireland offering the SpermComet test already and many more 

planning to use it in the future. To find out all about the test please 

email info@lewisfertilitytesting.com of visit the Lewis Fertility 

website at www.lewisfertilitytesting.com 


es 

ple 

ort 

in 

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ing 

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The human desire to have children is at 

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9/24/12 11:34 PM


C E L E B R I T Y S P O T L I G H T 

While cultivating a successful Hollywood hard-man image thanks 

to buffed up performances in Australia, ‘Swordfish’ and his 

calling card trademark, the X-Men character Wolverine, Hugh 

Jackman makes no attempt to maintain a strong, silent personal 

guise away from the spotlight as a devoted husband and father. 

HOLLY WOOD, 

HEARTACHE 

& HAPPINESS 

nlike many in Hollywood, 

Australian Hugh Jackman 

is refreshingly frank, and 

has been since his breakout 

in X-Men nearly 12 

years ago. Indeed, his openness surrounding 

his and wife Deborra-Lee Furness’s 

difficulties in having a family remains 

nothing short of admirable. 

Married for 16 years, the couple endured 

long periods of anguish in their hopes to 

have children, blighted by a succession of 

emotionally draining miscarriages. Hugh 

has been quoted over the years, often 

labelling the journey as the most painful 

thing he has been through. 

But wind forward, and having turned 

their sights towards adoption, the couple 

are now the proud parents of children 

Oscar, 12, and Ava, 7. The actor calls them 

“part of his destiny”. 

“You go through this journey for years, through so 

WORDS BY 

FRANK GRICE 

much emotion, an emotional rollercoaster - and 

arrive at a personal place where you sit back and 

realise, after all that, it was all part of your destiny,” 

he explains to Fertility Road. 

“I’m a firm believer in the idea that what’s meant for you is 

what’s meant for you, and both Deb and I believe things happened 

the way they were meant to. Oscar and Ava were our destiny; it 

was how it was all planned. Having children biologically was not 

our intended path. 

“Now, as we go through life together, of course there are always 

going to be challenges and obstacles in our path but everyone’s in 

the right place with the right people. It sounds all up in the air, sunshine 

and rainbows, but it’s something we feel very deeply about.” 

Now based in Manhattan, Hugh and Deborra-Lee underwent 

IVF in their attempts to have a family and he reveals the difficult 

process, and ultimate failure to conceive, understandably ened their anxiety. 

“Anyone who’s been through IVF knows how draining the whole 

process is - it’s tough on everyone. It pulls on every emotion. But 

we had an idea in our head of where we wanted to go. height- 

» 


“ 

On screen Hugh Jackman 

may be the all-action acting 

heavyweight, but on home 

turf he’s a devoted dad to 

children Oscar and Ava. ” 


21



Hugh takes on the role of protagonist Jean Valjean in 

the big-screen adaptation of book and mega-musical 

Les Miserables alongside fellow Aussie Russell Crowe. 

“ 

There used to be such shame surrounding 

adoption - parents would wait for years 

to tell their children, and would sometimes 

never tell them at all. So what I think is 

amazing now is that the focus is switching 

to the care of the child. ” 

“We thought we’d have a kid or two biologically and then adopt. 

We went through what we went through with IVF, until the decision 

came to stop. We’d had enough - Deb’s body had enough. It 

was too much and something had to give. So we went ahead 

with adoption.” 

But while Hugh admits the IVF experiment for he and his 

wife was ultimately a fruitless one, he stands by the science. 

“When it works, it must be one of the most wonderful things 

in the world. For us, it wasn’t to be, and while our own experiences 

are negative, I am fully behind the science and the journey, 

because for so many other couples it does work. We had a look 

into that side and maybe we were close to being successful, but I 

guess ours is a lesson in accepting that things don’t always turn 

out the way you think they might. I guess we can be there as a 

reason to temper some of the positivity and excitement with the 

fact that it doesn’t always work out the way that you hope. But if 

that’s the reality, then there is always another step. For us, it was 

perfect – adoption. So my message is to never give up. 

“It was incredibly difficult to make the decision to end IVF 

treatment, but from the first second we went down the adoption 

route, all the anxiety just disappeared and went away.” 

Hugh, who’ll soon be seen as Jean Valjean in the hotly anticipated 

big screen version of Les Misérables, lovingly admits his 

relationship with Oscar and Ava is something he’d never experienced, 

bringing to the fore a range of new emotions. 

“My love for my children is so incredible,” he says. “It’s incomparable 

from the love for my wife. It’s like different oxygen - 

you find this new superpower within and you can’t believe you 

were capable of such love. I would do anything, anything for my 

children, without a moment’s thought. It’s just engrained now.” 

The couple has publically lent their support raising adoption 

awareness throughout the world and Hugh is determined to see 

the stigma surrounding the issue fade away. 

“There used to be such shame surrounding adoption - parents 

would wait for years to tell their children, and would sometimes 

never tell them at all. So what I think is amazing now is that the 

focus is switching to the care of the child. We are incredibly 

open with our kids about where they came from; we made sure 

of that from the moment they could understand and, I hope, in 

time, any stigma will simply vanish.” 

While he’s clearly a devoted family man, it’s not all about clan 

for the Sydney born star, 44, who’s experiencing a grueling filming 

schedule. Currently dividing his time between Japan and 

Australia shooting James Mangold’s The Wolverine - a spin-off 

from the phenomenally successful X-Men franchise - he’ll fly 

out to Boston afterwards to record thriller Prisoners with Jake 

Gyllenhaal. And straight afterwards, he’ll head down south to 

Louisiana where he’s taking on the role of circus legend PT Barnum 

in biopic The Greatest Showman on Earth. 

And fans will soon be able to catch the star in what’s he’s describing 

as his most challenging role to date as Jean Valjean in 

Les Misérables, with early reviews already creating ‘Oscar buzz’ 

for the actor. “It’s been incredible” he gushes. ”It’s an incredible 

film and project, I feel proud to be part of it. I don’t know if I ever 

worked as hard on a film to be honest. And if it gets recognised 

come awards season, then all the better. Bring it on!” 

Hugh undergoes a dramatic physical transformation in the 

movie, losing a reported three stone for the demanding role. 

“You see Valjean when he is aged 39 or whatever it is, as he 

gets released from prison after being essentially in a labour 


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“ 

I’m a blessed man, and I feel so 

lucky in my lifetime, I just want 

everything to continue on as is. My 

kids are happy, my wife is happy, 

I can happily say I’m happy. I’m 

excited for the future, to see what’s 

coming and what’s ahead, but I’m 

more than happy in the present. ” 

Hugh’s antipodean 

Easter Bunny with 

Alec Baldwins Nicholas 

St. North (Santa Claus), 

Another of Hugh’s diverse 

roles is as the voice of 

E. Aster Bunnymund 

(Easter Bunny) in the 

2012 DreamWorks 3D 

animataion Rise of 

the Guardians 

camp for 19 years, and we needed to see that in part of his every 

being - mentally and physically. But then I had to put the weight 

back on slowly to represent his rebirth to life, but in a very gradual 

way. And considering I’ve done this kind of transformation 

before on other movies, I still see Les Mis as probably the most 

demanding, not helped by the vocal challenges we faced.” 

It’s not the typical process for a Hollywood musical, given that 

Kings Speech director Tom Hooper insisted his A-list cast - including 

Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway and Amanda Seyfried - sing the 

legendary score live on set, rather than record the vocals in a studio. 

And even for a stage veteran like Jackman, it was a daunting prospect. 

“When I initially got the part, the excitement and anticipation 

was insane; I was like a little kid at Christmas. But then I got the 

news that we’d be singing live on set. Firstly I wasn’t even sure if 

that was possible but Tom [Hooper] was insistent and mined in his vision. And it’s been an amazing experience. 

“And yes, I know I have familiarity from working on the stage - 

I’m not a complete novice - but it was an entirely different 

project. To start singing at eight o’clock in the morning, continuing 

until eight o’clock at night, I never got used to it, but that lent 

deteritself 

to the production. I’m excited for everyone to see it.” 

Given the intensity of the workload, it has been a relief for 

Hugh to return to Australia for a festive break. 

“We’ve celebrated Christmas previously in New York but it 

has been nice to have some sunshine to enjoy. On actual Christmas 

Day itself, it’s always been ‘go, go, go’, and having that experience 

with kids just makes it all the better. We’ll usually have gone to a 

midnight mass the night before, and on the day, we have a hot 

lunch and ham and all that sort of thing. Even though it’s crazy 

sometimes in the Australian climate to have the traditional dinner, 

we insist on having the Christmas pudding and going the 

whole hog. 

“We do presents in the morning and leave stockings out and 

obviously the reindeers and Santa would come and there’s evidence 

of that. We have family over and my wife’s family has a 

tradition of having all the Christmas orphans come around so 

there are usually about 60 people at our place Essentially, if 

there’s anyone that we vaguely know without their family, they 

end up coming to our place.” 

It must be difficult to plan Christmas for the kids when he’s 

so busy with work commitments? Does Hugh ‘do a Hollywood’ 

and have some underling assistant buy his presents? 

“No, not at all, I still buy presents – for Christmas, for birthdays, 

the lot,” he laughs. “Well, let me be honest, my wife does the 

lion’s share of that. But I do shopping for the stocking - I don’t 

know why, I like all that stuff, just the little bits and pieces. It’s 

important to me - Christmas is important to me, and when you 

have kids it takes on that whole new meaning. It’s reliving the 

magic that you felt yourself as a little kid.” 

And what about his plans for 2013? 

“I think the place I’m at right now it’s all about everyone being 

happy and healthy. What more can you ask for after that? I’m a 

blessed man, and I feel so lucky in my lifetime, I just want everything 

to continue on as is. My kids are happy, my wife is happy, I 

can happily say I’m happy. I’m excited for the future, to see what’s 

coming and what’s ahead, but I’m more than happy in the present. 

And I guess I’m evidence that through all the emotion and heartache, 

things do work out okay if you keep your vision and belief.” 



T I M E A W A Y F O R T W O 

Alpine 

Retreats 

» 


Taking time out of a hectic lifestyle 

can do miracles, not only for your 

fertility, but also for your well being. 

With that in mind, we have found 

some fabulous alpine retreats where 

you can unwind, de-stress and even 

ski with your partner, and who knows, 

you might just come home pregnant. 

THE CAMBRIAN 

» Adelboden, Switzerland 

Offering breath taking views of the Swiss Alps, the Cambrian is located in 

the centre of Adelboden, offering an authentic slice of Alpine living. The 

71- room hotel features a massive spa area and a heated outdoor pool 

overlooking the mountains and also includes an indoor pool, 2 saunas, a 

Jacuzzi, and a modern gym, and if you fancy it, there are masseurs 

available to rub out all that tension in your neck and shoulders. 

Why not sit back and enjoy the unique vista of mountains and 

waterfalls from the sun terrace and the lounge, which features a 

beautiful grand fireplace. Modern Swiss cuisine is made from seasonal 

and regional products and Scott’s bar offers a wide range of drinks and 

snacks. There are also five ski fields for all levels on your doorstep if 

you fancy a bit of skiing. 

LEARN MORE: www.thecambrianadelboden.com 


27



ALPINA DOLOMITES 

GARDENA HEALTH LODGE & SPA 

» South Tyrol, Italy 

Just opened in an unbeatable location on the Alpe di Suisi, Europe’s 

largest high-altitude plateau, this 56 room wellness hotel sits right 

next to the Dolomiti Superski circuit, which is home to 760 miles of 

pristine slopes for all levels of skier. The hotel has eight levels of 

accommodation, indoor and outdoor pools and the Alpina Spa, which 

has tepidarium-style herbal bio-saunas, aromatic steam baths and 

products and treatments by Sothys Paris and Aveda. 

Stylish rooms range from spacious doubles to suites sleeping 

four, with their own living-rooms, massage tables, cooking 

areas, ethanol-burning fireplaces and private balconies. All have 

been designed to maximise the views of the hotel’s beautiful 

surroundings. There are also four restaurants and bars including 

the organic Mountain Restaurant and Stube (South Tyrolean 

living-room-style), the Mountain Lodge & Bar and a cigar lounge. 

LEARN MORE: www.alpinadolomites.it 

GRAND HOTEL KRONENHOF 

» Pontresina, Switzerland 

The 5-star superior Grand Hotel Kronenhof in Pontresina is one of the 

most architecturally significant Grand Hotels in the Alps since the 19th 

century. Many of the luxurious rooms are lavishly furnished to pamper 

with the latest technology to provide a luxurious home away from home. 

The Kronenhof Spa stretching over 2,000 square metres is in a class by 

itself, offering a new dimension in relaxation and wellness for all those 

wanting to stay naturally healthy. 

The stunning views to the glaciers of Bernina, Val Roseg with its 

marvellous glacier and the magnificent Swiss stone pine and larch forests 

are simply breathtaking. The art of cuisine at the Grand Hotel Kronenhof 

is celebrated by an array of spectacular culinary experiences and a 

variety that is as exclusive as the unique mountains cape and all guests 

are welcome to dine in one of the most beautiful neo-baroque Grand 

Restaurants in the Alps. 

LEARN MORE: www.kronenhof.com 


29



HOTEL DAS KRANZBACH 

» Bavaria, Germany 

This delightfully original spa hotel in a beautiful valley in the 

Bavarian was built in 1918 by the architect Detmar Blow for Mary 

Portman, a renegade aristocrat who fled Edwardian Britain to 

connect with nature in the mountains, it re-opened as a 90 room 

hotel and spa in 2007m creating a hotel that feels more like an 

inviting home, with open fires in every public room; a vibrant 

colour scheme; tactile, buttoned armchairs; communal dining tables 

and bespoke butterfly wallpaper. Elegant bedrooms are shared 

between the original building and a new south-facing annexe. 

There’s also a spring-fed, 25 treatment room spa with five 

heated pools, six saunas and steam baths and beauty products by 

Thalgo and Pharmos Natur. Food is healthy and locally sourced but 

the buffet breakfast of homemade breads, jams, yogurts and cakes 

will set you up for a day of cross-country skiing. 

LEARN MORE: www.daskranzbach.de 

AU COIN DU FEU 

» Megève, France 

Nicknamed the ‘21st arrondissement of Paris’ in the 1950s by Jean Cocteau 

because of its chic social scene, the pretty alpine village of Megève, built just 

after the First World War, has always had that ‘sprinkled with fairy dust’ 

feel about it. Set just few steps from the village of Megève and the 

Rochebrune cable-car, this Au Coin Du Feu welcomes you into its warm 

and inviting atmosphere blending the art of living and French tradition. 

The elegant Hotel offers an authentic chalet-type setting and 

tastefully decorated guest rooms that provide a view of the mountains. 

They are all elegantly furnished and equipped with modern amenities 

and facilities. The hotels lounge is the ideal place to unwind and relax. Sit 

near the fireplace and enjoy the warmth after a long day on the slopes 

while sipping a warm drink. There is also a relaxation area to fully 

recharge your batteries with Jacuzzi, saunas and deep tissue massages. 

LEARN MORE: www.coindufeu.com 


Porter Dodson’s Fertility and Parenting Law team provides 

bespoke cutting edge legal help and solutions to people 

across the UK and abroad. We can help create, support 

and protect your much wanted family no matter where in 

the world you are based. 

We offer the latest 

testing for male 

infertility 

The Team is headed by Louisa Ghevaert. 

Internationally recognised as a leading 

expert in UK fertility, surrogacy, parenting 

and children law, Louisa has pioneered the 

practice of fertility and parenting law in the 

UK. Her expertise covers international and UK 

surrogacy, donor conception, co-parenting, 

embryo storage, children and parenting, and 

gay and lesbian parenting. 

Contact Louisa Ghevaert 

Telephone: +44 (0)207 222 1244 

Email: louisa.ghevaert@porterdodson.co.uk 

@LouisaGhevaert 

www.porterdodsonfertility.com 

The human desire to have children is at 

the heart of our being. If couples find it 

hard to get pregnant, it can be one of the 

most distressing times of their lives. 

www.lewisfertilitytesting.com 

info@lewisfertilitytesting.com Tel: +44 (0)28 9063 3987 

 

 

The UK’s Leading Private 

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Based in the heart of London, the CRGH consistently delivers 

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• Natural Cycle IVF 

• Embryoscope TM Imaging 

• Egg Freezing 

• Private and NHS Patients 

Open 7 days per week 0207 837 2905 

HalfPageHoriz.indd 1 

9/24/12 11:34 PM



Many couples who are struggling to conceive may be advised that 

their best chance of success is to seek treatment abroad. With the 

promise of hot sunny weather, white sandy beaches, shorter waiting 

times and no anonymity laws for egg donation, Veronica Montgomery 

at the Barbados Fertility Centre explains why travelling for treatment 

might be right for you. 

Babies in 

Barbados 

nfertility is a very difficult subject for couples 

to talk about openly, and can put a huge strain 

on a relationship. All too often, after making 

the happy decision to start a family, the telltale 

cracks start to appear as month after 

month no pregnancy occurs. If you have been trying 

for 12 months or more then this is classed as infertility 

and further investigations must be carried out. It is 

important to remember that a woman is born with all of 

her eggs, but by the time she reaches 35, her ovulation 

will decrease by almost half. 

Choices to be made 

Only once all the tests have been carried out, then a 

course of action can be determined, but treatment costs 

are not always covered. The criteria for an IVF cycle on 

the NHS are determined by many factors and each Trust 

has its own individual policy on their criteria for funded 

treatment. 

So do you meet the criteria for an IVF cycle in your 

area? If so, how long will you have to wait for treatment? 

Some couples have been known to wait as long as 18 

months to get an IVF cycle, only to be informed that 

funding in their area has run out, with the only option 

left, to go private. 

On average, the cost of private IVF treatment in the 

UK is around £7000, and in the current economic 

climate, couples have gone to extreme measures to fund 

their treatment only to be told that because they are over 

40, and that the best chance of becoming pregnant is 

with donor eggs. 

“ 

There are many reasons 

why women might need egg 

donation. Perhaps she has 

poor quality eggs, survived 

cancer, or her biological 

clock has simply run out. ” 

Egg Donation 

Dionne Holmes, from BFC has a wide knowledge of 

international egg donation and has worked with Donors 

and Recipients for the last 4 years. 

“There are many reasons why women might need egg 

donation. Perhaps she has poor quality eggs, survived 

cancer, or her biological clock has simply run out. Many 

emotions and logistical challenges can arise during 

fertility treatment and it my job to see couple’s through 

the maze by being their primary point of contact 

throughout the process.” 

For some couples, using an egg donor can be a 

difficult reality to digest and is a very emotional time for 

all concerned. But to understand fully that by using an 

egg donor, will not take away any part of you being a 

mother. If your treatment is successful, you will enjoy 

everything pregnancy has to offer, feel the baby’s first 

movements, carry the child to term and roughly 9 

months later, give birth. » 



33


» 


So if you are thinking of egg donation in the UK, it is 

important to do your research, but where do you look? 

UK Regulations and Treatment abroad 

New laws introduced in the UK in 2005, stated that any child born 

from donor eggs in the UK has the right to ask the Human 

Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA) for the identity of 

the donor when they reach eighteen and over. As a result of this 

regulation, there has been a serious decline in the number of 

women willing to donate in the UK. Recipients tend to feel more 

comfortable with using anonymous donors and so many couples 

are now forced to look overseas for treatment with donor eggs. 

One clinic who has seen a dramatic influx of couples from the 

UK is the Barbados Fertility Centre (BFC), located on the Caribbean 

island of Barbados. Since opening 10 years ago, Dr. Juliet Skinner 

and her medical team have worked hard to increase every 

couple’s chance of success and have created their own donor egg 

programme to help couples through the minefield of egg donation. 

This is especially good news for couples that need Afro Caribbean 

eggs as they run a local programme to recruit donors. 

After attending November’s Fertility Show in London, BFC’s 

Dionne Holmes was amazed at the positive response relating to 

travelling for treatment, she said 

“Most patients love the idea of a relaxing, stress free holiday in 

Barbados while undergoing treatment. Of course the weather is big 

plus for us and we do believe that by helping couples to unwind, 

we also increase their chances of a successful outcome. There is 

currently a shortage of donors for Afro Caribbean eggs in the UK, 

the waiting time is at least 2 years and it’s not anonymous, where 

as at BFC we have no waiting list and it is anonymous.” 

Many studies have shown that stress has an impact on 

fertility, so treatment abroad in a relaxing environment may be 

beneficial. Weather can also play a part in aiding conception as 

a recent meeting of the American Society of Reproductive 

Medicine reported evidence that sunlight exposure can have a 

positive effect on the success of IVF cycles using donor eggs. 

“ 

Most patients love the idea 

of a relaxing, stress free holiday 

in Barbados while undergoing 

treatment. Of course the weather 

is big plus for us and we do believe 

that by helping couples to unwind, 

we also increase their chances 

of a successful outcome. ” 

combination of these factors has discouraged UK based donors. 

Recently, the compensation has gone up to £750, but we are yet 

to see any significant improvement in waiting times and good 

quality donors still remain difficult to obtain, especially for ethnic 

minorities. 

Waiting lists can be quite long in the UK; therefore UK couples 

who need donor eggs are being driven abroad. We chose to work 

with BFC as they have an outstanding reputation and very high 

success rates, so we feel confident in sending patients over to 

Barbados for treatment.” 

For more information on travelling for treatment and the work of 

Barbados Fertility Centre please log on to www.barbadosivf.com. 

To speak to Dionne directly you can email your questions about egg 

donation to dholmes@barbadosivf.com. 

Working with the right clinics 

Before travelling abroad for treatment, support from a UK 

specialist is needed to carry out the necessary tests prior to any 

procedures undertaken overseas. 

Dionne Holmes adds, “Whilst at the Fertility Show I spoke to 

many other fertility clinics, specifically about the challenges faced 

by UK patients for egg donation. Every clinic was very receptive 

about working with overseas clinics in the future, so our goal at 

BFC is to make egg donation more accessible for UK couples 

through partnerships with UK fertility specialists nationwide.” 

BFC has partnered with two leading UK fertility specialists; 

Mr. Christopher Steer, Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist 

who works out of Chelsfield Park Hospital and The Sloane 

Hospital both in Kent and Mr. Amit Shah, Consultant Obstetrician 

& Gynaecologist at Fertility Plus on Harley Street. 

Mr. Shah said, “The UK egg donation situation has changed a 

lot since anonymity was removed, and compared to rest of the 

world, the donor compensation was limited to £250, the 

FOR MORE ARTICLES ON 

EGG DONATION VISIT 

FERTILITYROAD.COM » 

34 | WWW.FERTILITYROAD.COM | 

WINTER 2012/2013

need an Afro Caribbean egg there is no time limit on how long you can wait. 

BFC 225x169_Layout 1 18/07/2012 13:16 Page 1 


The team at Barbados Fertility Centre are dedicated to helping you realise your dream 

of having a family, please visit our stand at The Fertility Show, to be held at Olympia, 

London on Nov 3 & 4, here you will meet Dionne Holmes our IVF Donor/Recipient 

Coordinator and can find out more about our donor egg programme that has no 

waiting list even for Afro Caribbean eggs. 


BFC 225x169_Layout 18/07/2012 13:16 Page THE 

THE 

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are dedicated to helping you realise your dream 


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Organization Accredited 

by Joint Commission International 






by Joint Organization Commission Accredited International 

by Joint Commission International


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ISSUE 12 WWW.FERTILITYROAD.COM


N U T R I T I O N 

fertility 

superfoods 

Nutritional Guru, Annabel Karmel shares a few of her 

own delicious recipes which include known ‘fertility 

superfoods’, full of essential vitamins and minerals, 

boosting your chances of conceiving naturally. 


37


N U T R I T I O N 

SALMON FILLET 

WITH TOMATO SALSA 

Salmon provides a brain building dose of omega-3 oils – but watch 

your intake while pregnant. Omega-3 oils are very important, but its 

advised that you don’t have more than two portions of oily fish a week. 

QUINOA 

SALAD 

You could make this with or without avocado. If making without 

avocado, it will keep for 2 to 3 days. If you don’t add avocado its 

delicious if you add some raisins or other dried fruit or nuts. 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 2 x 100g pieces salmon fillet 

• 2 heaped tbsp cream cheese 

• 2 tbsp chopped chives 

• 1 tbsp chopped chives 

• 2 tsp chopped basil 

• 2 tsp chopped dill 

• 1 tbsp lemon juice 

• 10g / 3 tbsp fine breadcrumbs 

• 10g / 3 tbsp parmesan, grated 

Tomato Salsa 

• 2 tomatoes, chopped & deseeded 

• 2 spring onions, chopped 

• 1 tbsp olive oil 

• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar 

• 1 tbsp chopped basil 

• Salt and pepper 

METHOD: 

1. Preheat the oven to 200C / 180 Fan / Gas 6. For the topping, mix the 

cream cheese, chives, basil, dill and lemon juice together and season. 

2. Spread the mixture over the top of the fillets. Place on a baking 

sheet. Mix the breadcrumbs, parmesan and 1 tbsp chives together. 

Sprinkle over the fillets. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until the salmon 

is cooked through and the topping is golden brown. If the topping is 

a little pale, you can brown under a hot grill to crispen the top. 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 200g quinoa, rinsed 

• 500 ml vegetable stock 

• 6 spring onions, thinly sliced 

• 100g unsalted cashew nuts 

• 3 tbsp olive oil 

• 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice 

• 1 large avocado or a 

good handful of raisins 

METHOD: 

1. Put the quinoa and stock in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then 

reduce the heat and simmer until all the liquid has been absorbed 

(approx 20 minutes). 

2. Spread the quinoa out on a plate to cool, then transfer to a bowl. 

Stir in the onions, cashews, oil and lemon juice and season to taste. 

Stir in the raisins if using. 

3. Chill until needed. If using avocado, slice the avocado just before 

serving and lay over the top of the salad. 

Makes 2 portions 

3. To make the salsa – mix the tomatoes , spring onions, olive oil, 

vinegar and basil together. Season and serve with the salmon. 



BRULEE STYLE 

STRAWBERRY DESSERT 

Berries are a delicious source of vitamin C, this is a delicious 

quick to make dessert that gives you that sweet fix that is a bit 

more exciting than plain fruit. 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 150g strawberries, sliced 

• 100g blueberries 

• 300 ml Greek yogurt 

• 4 tbsp demerera sugar 

• 50g Amaretti biscuits, crushed 

METHOD: 

1. Put the strawberries and blueberries in the base of four wine 

glasses or ramekins. Spoon the yogurt on top. 

2. Sprinkle over the demerera sugar and top with the crushed 

Amaretti biscuits. 

3. Chill in the fridge for one hour. 


EATING FOR TWO 

BY ANNABEL KARMEL 

These 3 recipes are all taken from 

Annabel's latest book, Eating for Two, 

which is a complete guide to nutrition 

during pregnancy and beyond. The book 

assists expectant mothers throughout 

each stage of their pregnancy, offering 

tips and advice on what to eat and 

what to avoid. Included are the best 

foods to promote conception, ideas to 

avoid morning sickness and nutrition to combat sleeplessness, anaemia 

and heartburn. Annabel steers readers on a healthy and nutritional 

journey during pregnancy and even suggests meals to make and freeze 

ready for when baby arrives. 

Annabel has kindly given Fertility Road a few copies of Eating for Two 

to pass onto to our readers. To win a copy of Eating for Two, simply 

email competitions@fertilityroad.com to enter the draw. Winners will 

be chosen at random on the 1st February 2013. 

Eating for Two (RRP £12.99 Ebury Press) available at Amazon.com 


39

F E R T I L I T y R O a d 

I N T E L L I G E N T P R O F I L E 

The Jinemed (Gynmed) group of Istanbul, Turkey was established 

17 years ago as the first private clinic in Istanbul specialising in 

IVF treatments. The clinic is well aware of difficulties that British 

couples go through when it comes to infertility. Especially women 

above 35 years of age that are affected by this situation. 

Jinemed 

women’s hospital 

ince GPs must request several 

tests for the couple, the NHS 

system can only provide these 

tests within long time intervals, 

sometimes from 6-12 months. 

Once the diagnosis is ready, the patient can 

be referred to an NHS hospital for 

reimbursement which takes yet more time. 

During this process, patient’s fertility 

success may diminish and this process also 

causes negative impact on the couple’s 

psychology. But of course a reimbursement 

system is costless for the patient and such a 

system would have such consequences. 

However all GPs are doctors and they 

surely inform patients to the short cut to 

reach the highest possible chances for their 

success in the treatment. This is not valid only for infertility 

treatments but also for other treatments where time plays a 

significant role. At this stage, GPs can inform patients about private 

hospitals within the UK and abroad. 

Jinemed of Istanbul, Turkey would like to work with GPs on this 

matter to provide patients with an alternative option. It is sure that 

not all patients are happy with the private treatments received in 

the UK due to costs, limitations on the number of embryos. 

At this stage, some patients would consider other solutions, 

but it is not an easy decision for a patient to fly abroad and 

actually compare centres. Although there are informative websites 

on the net for IVF centres, the advice of GPs would have a greater 

impact for patients to fly abroad. When their patients are happier 

and get better pregnancy rates, GPs will be happier as well. 

English patients can start their treatment with our partner 

gynaecologists in the UK. This way, patients can stay only 7-10 

days in Istanbul. 


» Here are some treatments 

we offer for infertility: 

IVF/ICSI 

IVM, Mini IVF 

Pre implantation genetic diagnosis 

Microsurgical TESE 

Egg Freezing 

Ovarian Cortex Freezing 

Blastocyst Transfer 

Assisted Hatching 

Embryo Freezing 

Frozen Embryo Transfer 

Co-Culture 

GynaecoloGical operations: 

Myomectomy 

Laparoscopy 

Hysterescopy 

Hysterectomy 

Gynaecologic Urology Surgeries 

More aBoUt JineMeD: 

Jinemed’s president and head doctor is Professor. Dr. 

Teksen Camlibel who is an American Board certified 

Doctor. Prof. Camlibel is well-known doctor when it 

comes to Gynaecology and infertility treatments in 

Turkey who has established Gynaecology and Obstetrics 

departments within A class hospitals in Istanbul, 

including IVF treatments. Today Prof. Camlibel is one of 

the few doctors in Turkey who has been able to establish 

his own hospital and IVF group. Jinemed operates 2 

branches in Istanbul-Turkey, 2 branches in Bursa Turkey, 

2 branches in Erbil and Basra - Iraq, 1 branch in Sarajevo Bosnia and Herzegovina and 1 branch 

in Baku Azerbaijcan, so there are a total of 8 branches of Jinemed Medical Group which can only 

be reached via great experience, teamwork , technology and high success rates" 

What do our British Patients say about Jinemed? 

Patients find our facilities well organised, well clean, and luxurious. They underline the fact that 

all of their questions are answered completely so that they feel more involved in the treatment. 

Success rates of Jinemed are among top private IVF centres of Europe and USA which is also an 

important reason for patients to consider Jinemed. Istanbul as a city is also becoming popular 

for tourists to visit. All though fertility patients do no really consider this point important, at 

least in different environment than their daily life inclines them towards a positive psychology. 

Jinemed also arranges hotel accommodation and airport transfers for patients as well. 

From the UK call: 020 3002 0759 


41


A S K T H E E X P E R T 

Fertility expert and best-selling author, 

Emma Cannon takes time out to answer 

our readers fertility related concerns. 

Expert Witness 

with Emma Cannon 

My partner and I have been trying for over a year to 

conceive but with no luck. We've cut out coffee, eat 

healthly and stopped smoking, are there any other lifestyle 

changes that might increase my chances of getting pregnancy? 

I know it sounds strange but couples can fall into the danger of 

overlooking the really important part and that is the sex. I am sure you 

are having sex, but to make a baby you need to be having plenty of it. 

Some couples grow weary of trying and end up reducing the amount 

of sex they are having, or the sentiment behind the sex changes. Try 

prioritising sex and having some fun. Aim to have sex throughout the 

month but increase to every other day from about day 9. Don't force 

yourself to have sex though when you are tired or don't feel like it and 

don't force your partner - it is a recipe for disaster. Instead try and be 

creative and fun and keep the mood light and playful. 

In terms of diet don't just focus on what you eat but when you eat - 

make sure it is at regular intervals. 

I am just about to start my first round of IVF and my 

Doctor has advised me that I will need a PGT. What is 

this and is it necessary for a successful conception? 

Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) is a procedure used in 

conjunction with in IVF, which allows the clinic to select embryos 

without chromosomal abnormalities and specific genetic disorders. 

PGT is used on couples with infertility related to recurrent 

miscarriage or unsuccessful IVF cycles or when there is a high risk 

of couples passing on and inherited genetic disease to their offspring. 

Your Doctor will have a clearer idea of your history and whether this 

procedure will improve your chances of conception. 

After a year of trying I finally got pregnant but 

unfortunately miscarried. I have been thinking of 

having acupuncture and herbal medicine. Will this improve 

my chances of a healthy conception? 

There is growing evidence that treatments such as acupuncture 

and herbal medicine can increase your chances of conception. 

However, it is important that you find a good practitioner and you 

continue pursuing the traditional Western Medicine route. I have seen 

acupuncture and herbal medicine improve the health of so many 

patients and result in successful pregnancies but it is important to 

keep all your options open and let your health care provider know 

what other treatments you are receiving. 

When my husband was younger, he was involved in 

an accident playing rugby, where he ultimately ended 

up with a twisted testicle. Could this have left him infertile? 

Testicular trauma or torsion can affect fertility. Around 30 - 40% 

of men with a history of testicular torsion has an abnormal semen 

analysis. It is also worth checking to see if there are varicoceles; 

varicose-like veins of the small veins around the testicles which can 

result in high testicular temperature, which over a long period can 

damage the sperm. A DNA fragmentation test could be beneficial as 

some sperm which appears normal can actually have some DNA damage. 

In Chinese medicine theory any trauma can create a disturbance in 

the bodies energy system which could potentially result in sub 

optimal functioning. It would be worth seeing an acupuncturist to 

support the treatments you may be subsequently offered. 

www.emmacannon.co.uk 


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F U T U R E E V E N T S 

FUTURE EVENTS



• 

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Institute of Reproductive Medicine 

LETTER THE 

FROM NAKED 

TRUTH 

THE 

Where Ovarian transplantation WIN 

new life in HEART 

AN IVF begins… 

HOLIDAY! 





From the Strength of your Dreams, Comes your Future... 

The main 

Josh 

causes 

Cintron 

of 

shares 

male infertility 

a journey 

and what 


you can 



humans is a robust procedure, 

LETTER 


EGG DONATION FROM THE 

PROGRAM 

HEART 




vitrifi cation might lottery ruling be more 

UNEXPLAINED 

INFERTILITY 


effective 1 donor than for 1 on how patient 

unexplained 

infertility slow may now be freezing 


Marcia Cross 

No waiting list 

Blastocyst transfer 

If the tissue used had thickened by contracting after thawing, 


65-70 % success rate 

YOU 

If the tissue used 

ARE 

had thickened 

READING 

by contracting after thawing, 


ALPINE PCOS EXPLAINED RETREATS FERTILITY COOKING MONITORS CONCEIVE REVIEW TIME BABIES AWAY IN BARBADOS 

FOR TWO 




On-line medical support till the 


Do you The feel chief like significance nobody understands of this long-term what you are study going of through? ovarian Well now you 

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ISSUE 13 WINTER 2012/2013 




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L E T T E R F R O M T H E H E A R T 

Infertility can cause a great deal of emotional distress to 

both women and men. From a man's perspective it can 

be incredibly painful to watch your wife struggling both 

physically and emotionally. In this issue, we hear from Josh 

who explains how he, with his wife, faced infertility head 

on, and ultimately becoming a proud Dad himself. 

Josh’s 

Story 

letter 

remember that fateful day back in 

from 

2005 when my wife, Veronica, and I 

were sitting in a run-down medical 

office in hot Arizona, waiting for 

the results 

the heart 

of an HSG test. The 

results would determine whether Veronica 

could have kids or not. The obstetrician 

walked in. He said hello. He walked over to 

Veronica, stood directly in front of her and 

looked in her in the eyes. His face was 

rather sour and had defeat written all over 

it. Without skipping a beat he said, 

"I'm going to get to the point. The test 

results show that your tubes are clogged 

which means you cannot have children." 

He grabbed her right-hand and placed 

his other hand on her left shoulder. I stood 

on the other side her holding her other 

hand in mine. She already had tears in her 

eyes before the appointment so hearing 

these words broke her. (Clearing my throat 

right now) This is an image I have in my 

mind that I presume will last a lifetime. 

» What to do now? 

I didn't believe him. I asked him if he was certain, to which he 

replied, "Yes." I than asked the doctor what do we do now. He 

finished talking to Veronica, trying to console her. He let her know 

that everything was going to be alright. In between breaths, he 

recommended the name of a local doctor in the field of 

reproductive medicine. As she continued crying, I grabbed a tissue, 

wiped away her tears and whispered in her ear that we had to leave. 

As I walked back to our car and to the driver’s side, I began 

hearing, "Why me?!" It was Veronica. She was raising her hands to 

the skies, pounding her fists on the dashboard and cursing. The 

make-up she meticulously applied before the appointment was 

now running down her face, as tears gushed from her eyes. 

I sat there motionless. My mouth opened from time to time but 

words couldn’t find their way out. I just listened to her scream 

and cry. I tried to put my hand on her neck to let her know I was 

there but she retracted, flinging her head forward. I get teary eyed 

writing this because it makes me relive that point in time. Hearing 

the news that kids weren’t a possibility sucked the life out of her. 

All she ever wanted to be was a mother and now, that right was 

taken from her. 

Weeks passed before I called the Fertility Doctor recommended 

to us by her OB/GYN. I thought, "Maybe he can help?” 


general surgery was performed, in which 

her tubes, large fibroids and endo were 

removed. Success!! 

She spent five days in the hospital and 

six weeks at home recovering. Following 

her recovery, Dr. Werlin immediately started 

a mock trial. And in April 2009, we began 

the first of three cycles. 

» Adversity at every corner 

The appointment with what I know as a 

Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE) ended 

before it started. After seeing her history 

and having us attend several appointments 

he declined us as patients. I guess we 

would have ruined his success rates. 

At this time we lived in Arizona. We 

were there because of a house we purchased 

in 2004, but as we embarked on the IVF 

journey we believed it was best to head back 

to California, so we did. 

We met with a highly referred RE and 

were encouraged after the first appointment. 

The RE reviewed Veronica's history 

prior to the appointment and pointed out 

the severity of her endo. Still, he accepted 

us as patients. Hearing this made us enthusiastic. 

But, as fate would have it, he retired. 

So, we picked ourselves up and found 

another RE. Like before, we went through 

the motions and he accepted us as 

patients. His recommended surgery was 

to remove endo and fibroids but Veronica 

decided against that and opted for 

medication called Lupron. She endured 

Lupron injections for a year and at a 

regular checkup the RE asked, “I know you 

don’t want surgery, but did you want to 

start Lupron injections?” 

What?! As you could imagine, Veronica 

was distraught. We wasted a whole year 

and thousands of dollars with an RE who 

forgot about us. Again, the firestorm of 

tears, wailing of arms and curse words filled 

our car following the appointment. Sitting in 

the car with the engine off, I found myself 

back in the same situation when we were 

told when we couldn’t have kids. 

» A clinic to the rescue 

That very day Veronica let out all the tears 

and screams she could. She picked up her 

cell phone, typed “IVF clinics” in Google and 

made two phone calls to infertility clinics. 

She said the first one to call back is the one 

we’re going with. Later that day, Coastal 

Fertility in Irvine California responded 

first with a voicemail. Within minutes, we 

were scheduled for an appointment. Our 

first appointment with Coastal Fertility 

“ 

Each day I wake, I see my dream and know 

they are the dream of others. In this, I will 

never cease inspiring other brothers and 

sisters who yearn for a child. Believe as if here. 

featured an Albert Einstein look-alike 

doctor by the name of Lawrence Werlin. I 

prepared myself for his spiel about how bad 

Veronica’s condition was, but Dr. Werlin was 

different. He listened to our concerns and 

didn’t blink an eye at Veronica’s severe case 

of endo. He reassured us that he was going 

to do his best to make our dreams of 

parenthood come true. 

At that same appointment he ordered a 

Laparoscopic (lapo) surgery to verify what 

he read in her charts was accurate. The lapo 

was unsuccessful because of scar tissue so 

» Fatherhood is upon me 

We encountered IVF failure twice. We 

thought of giving up after receiving a 

phone call from Dr. Werlin following the 

second failed IVF cycle. With doubt 

swirling in our minds, we turned to family 

for comfort. Seeing the devastation in 

Veronica’s eyes, one of her cousin’s boldly 

stepped up and offered to carry for us. We 

accepted her offer and the rest is history. 

On March 2, 2012, my ‘air’ and ‘water’ 

as I like to call them were born. Twins; a boy 

and a girl. Jude and Gianna. They’re miracles 

of miracles and the closest thing to God 

I’ll ever know in the flesh. I cannot repay 

Veronica’s cousin for sacrificing her body and 

time for the desires of someone else. Her 

reward is surely coming from the almighty. 

It took seven years, many appointments 

and over $100k to have my ‘air’ and ‘water.’ It 

took every ounce of faith and strength to 

persevere through adversity that seemed to 

find our front door. This journey troubled our 

hearts, turned my wife and me against each 

other and even made us question our faith 

in God. In the end, I’m humbled to be standing 

here today, writing this letter for all mothers-to-be 

and fathers-to-be. I leave with this: 

“Each day I wake, I see my dream and 

know they are the dream of others. In this, I 

will never cease inspiring other brothers 

and sisters who yearn for a child. Believe as 

if here. Dream as if real. Never give in. 

Never give up.” 

Dream as if real. Never give in. Never give up. ” 47 

WINTER 2012/2013 | WWW.FERTILITYROAD.COM |


F E R T I L I T Y M O N I T O R S R E V I E W 

Fertility monitors can be reassuring and 

empowering – putting you in control of 

your fertility. But with so many to choose 

from at very different prices, the choice 

can be bewildering. Which is right for you? 

Fertility Road gives you the rundown 

on all the main contenders. 


Monitors 

Early Days (0-6 months) 

If you have been trying for a baby for a short time, and have 

regular cycles you’re best advised not to spend too much 

money now and let nature take its course. Concentrate on 

understanding your fertility cycle by keeping a diary and 

observing fertility clues (changes in your body). You might find 

fertility ‘Apps’ a useful low cost option. If you are over 35, or 

have irregular cycles, you may not want to leave things to 

nature. Try ovulation tests such as ClearBlue, or First Response 

(£10-15). They’re simple to use and can estimate ovulation dates. 

If you have not managed to conceive after 4 cycles using these 

tests, we suggest moving up to the next level. 

Beginning to get worried (6-12 months) 

If you’ve been trying for 6 months, you have a 50% chance of 

being diagnosed as infertile after a year. So it makes sense to 

start taking a closer look at what help is available. If you have 

not yet tried LH tests, you could try using them for a couple 

of months. Many couples will want to start monitoring things 

in greater detail as this may help the diagnosis of a problem 

preventing conception. In that case, Fertility Road would 

recommend the ClearBlue monitor or DuoFertility. The ClearBlue 

monitor is a standalone monitor whereas the DuoFertility comes 

with expert support. 

Infertility confirmed (12 months onwards) 

In your second year, you should visit your GP to get a few tests and 

try to identify the cause of the delay in getting pregnant. During 

this year, you may not get fertility treatment if no major problems 

are found. The ClearBlue Fertility monitor and the DuoFertility 

monitor would be an investment worth making at this stage. 

More details about each of the monitors, 

monitors fall into four main categories: 

1 

Ovulation Tests 

Ovulation Tests such as Clearblue and First Response rely 

on measuring the surge in luteinising hormone (LH) that 

occurs just prior to ovulation. Plus points include clarity 

and simplicity. A simple yes/no answer for identifying your two 

most fertile days is given by dipping the test stick in urine and 

waiting a few minutes for the answer. On the negative side they 

can be somewhat messy to use and their accuracy may be 

questionable if you have been trying for a baby for over 6 months. 

If you are one of 20% of women with hormone irregularities, then 

they cannot be expected to work. Finally, they do not confirm 

ovulation. So even if you get a positive response, you do not know 

if or when you ovulated. 

Clearblue Fertility Monitor £90-100 


Follow us @FertilityRoad 

Further up the price scale, the Clearblue Fertility Monitor 

works in a similar manner 

to 

as 

help 

the single 

you 

use 

on 

tests, 

your 

however 

path to 

the 

monitor will learn about parenthood your cycle and and prompt for you all on the the 

best day to test. As this latest monitor fertility relies on related reading hormones news, 

in urine, it suffers from views the same and failings reviews as ovulation :) #hope test 

strips. Importantly, it doesn’t #inspiration confirm that #ttc ovulation #IVF occurs. 

2 

Monitoring Basal Body Temperature (BBT) 

Many GPs recommend that couples try to establish their 

fertile days by monitoring the rise in body temperature 

as ovulation approaches. Options range from simple 

thermometers costing under £20 through to a range of 

computerised versions such as Cyclotest and Babycomp costing 

up to £400. As changes in temperature can be minute, a digital 

thermometer which can read up to 0.01 degree may give more 

accurate information. If temperatures are taken at the same time 

every day on waking, then an accurate record of your fertility 

cycle and indication of ovulation can be charted. However, it can 

be difficult taking temperatures at the same time every day - 

ideally around 6-7am. Any movement on waking will contribute 

to a rising body temperature – as will any illness or disrupted 

sleep. Some fertility monitors such as Cyclotest allow you to add 

in additional clues such as cervical mucus and LH surges to 

possibly enhance the results. 

Cyclotest £170 or BabyComp £400 

FOLLOW US AT: 

TWITTER.COM/FERTILITYROAD 

3 

Saliva-based tests 

Prior to ovulation, a woman’s saliva, close up may begin 

to form a distinct fern-like pattern indicative of the 

fertile days. However, most clinicians doubt the accuracy 

of saliva analysis to identify fertile days. The level of clinical 

evidence to support the efficacy of this technique is far from 

convincing. Simple microscopes allow you to look for ferning. 

Digital monitors such as OvaCue monitor electrolytes in saliva. 

Babystart Saliva Microscope £20 or OvaCue Monitor £200 

THE 

DA VINCI 

4 

Automated ovulation detection + support 

DuoFertility, starting at £149 for the monthly plan is 

expensive and you may wish to try cheaper options 

CODE OF 

during your first year of trying for a baby. But you may 

feel DuoFertility justifies the expense. Firstly, DuoFertility is 

FERTILITY 

fully automated – all you have to do is wear a lightweight 

sensor under your arm while you sleep. DuoFertility gives a 

week’s THE ‘GOLDEN notice of RATIO’ peak OF fertility 1.618, and WHICH confirms WAS when POPULARISED ovulation BY 

has Dan occurred. Brown’s novel, You also The enjoy Da Vince individual Code, could support reveal from which fertility women 

have consultants. the most New fertile clinical wombs, evidence according has to clearly a gynaecologist. shown that, 

for Dr infertile Jasper (but Verguts, not sterile) from couples the University DuoFertility Hospital can be Leuven more in 

Belgium, effective than theorised a cycle that of IVF women when would used be for most 12 months. fertile if they had 

a DuoFertility uterus of perfect from £149 proportions – a womb where the ratio of 

length to width is 1.618. He found that the ratio is around 2 at the 

time of birth but decreases as women age to 1.46. Verguts also 

Conclusion 

found the age when women are most fertile between the ages of 

On balance, we believe that ClearBlue and First Response 

16 to 20 - the ratio was 1. 

ovulation tests are the first choice early on due to their 

simplicity 

1.618, the 

and 

golden 

relatively 

ratio 

low 

of the 

cost. 

Fibonacci 

From six 

sequence, 

months 

named 

onwards 

after 

Italian the accuracy mathematician of these tests Leonardo has to be Fibonacci, questioned. is said After to 6 months be the key 

to of everything trying DuoFertility - from encrypting offers the computer most in-depth data, support. to the numbers The 

of combination spirals on of a sunflower simplicity in head use, and expert there support, has been compelling speculation 

that clinical Da Vinci evidence used and the a sequence ‘get pregnant as the proportions or your money of the back Mona 

Lisa’s guarantee’ face. add Many up to claim an impressive that the package. most aesthetically pleasing 

people have faces that fit these ratios. 

Get expert 

fertility 

information 

and support 

online with 

Boots WebMD 

Let us support 

you in taking the 

first step. 

Visit Visit www.bootswebmd.com 

and and search search ‘fertility’. ‘fertility’. 

feel good 

feel good


N O T F O R G O T T E N 

Chinese Year of the Snake 

Starts 10th February 2013 

CHINESE NEW YEAR 2013 WILL MARK THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR OF THE SNAKE. 

Around the world many fear the snake and link it to poison and death, however 

in China the snake is revered for its wisdom and knowledge, and is taken as 

sign that the family will never go hungry. 

Chinese lore holds that babies born during the Year of the Snake will be 

very affectionate and close with their family and friends, motivated and 

intellectual, hard working and resolute in gaining success. In love, they will be 

romantic and charming, intense and passionate, and they will possess a great 

sense of humour. 

If you were born in the year of the snake, you’re in good company as 

some other famous snakes include Greta Garbo, Audrey Hepburn, Bob Dylan, 

Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey and Virginia Woolf. 

Neither this publication nor its contents constitute an explicit endorsement by Mack Media Group of the products or services mentioned in advertising or editorial content. The editorial content in this 

publication does not necessarily represent policies or recommendations of Mack Media Group. This publication is not intended to be exhaustive. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, 

Mack Media Group shall not have any liability for errors or omissions. Readers who have questions should consult their healthcare providers or other competent sources of information and guidance. 

© All copyright Mack Media Group unless otherwise stated. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is strictly prohibited. 


Chromosome 

screening 

Screening for aneuploidy in an IVF cycle 

Screening for aneuploidy before embryo transfer 

in IVF optimises the likelihood that embryos 

with no identifiable genetic abnormalities are 

transferred. This aims to improve the chance of 

having a healthy baby, and a successful IVF cycle. 

www.chromosome-screening.org 

Why are chromosomes important? 

Many IVF cycles can result in disappointment as embryos fail to implant. This may be explained 

by having an incorrect amount of genetic material (known as chromosomes) in embryos being 

transferred. Missing or extra chromosomes in embryos is called aneuploidy. Whilst some 

aneuploid embryos can lead to the birth of a baby the majority of pregnancies with aneuploid 

embryos result in miscarriages. With advancing age a woman’s risk of aneuploidy increases. 

Clinicians believe this is the main reason why birth rates fall for women in their late thirties and 

early forties. 

Because we believe chromosomes are important in fertility we have created an educational 

website designed as a resource for individuals who want to find out more about chromosome 

screening. For further information go to www.chromosome-screening.org 

website is sponsored by BlueGnome Ltd

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trusted pregnancy supplement range, has developed Pregnacare ® Conception to provide 

nutritional support when trying for a baby including vitamin B12, plus 400mcg folic acid 

as recommended by Health Departments for all women who are trying to conceive. The 

carefully balanced formula of 21 micronutrients safeguards your diet and also includes 

inositol, l-arginine and n-acetyl cysteine. 

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Fertility Road Issue 13

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