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Scientists have developed a new test that could end the ‘element of chance’ with IVF – leading to more babies being born. The fertility treatment currently has a success rate of 32% for women under 35. This drops to just 11% for women aged 40-42 according to NHS figures.
But the new technique looks at the genetic material left behind in petri dishes that have been used to grow eggs then fertilised in the lab. How does IVF work? IVF stands for in vitro fertilisation. It’s one of several techniques that can help couples who are struggling to conceive naturally.If fertilisation is successful, the egg becomes an embryo and this is then transferred back inside the body, into the woman’s womb to grow and develop over the next nine months.
How much does IVF cost? Women under the age of 40 who are struggling to get pregnant should get three cycles of IVF on the NHS. However, not everyone is offered this – it depends on where you live. ‘‘Going through IVF is the most nerve-wracking thing I’ve ever done. Reading the low success rate, you feel like you’re on the back foot before you’ve even started.
NHS England has said as well as offering ten days paid leave to any employee who has miscarried, any of their employees whose partners have miscarried can take five days leave. Some larger companies including Tesco, Lidl, John Lewis and Santander offer it, as research shows it has a positive impact on employee retention.
If you need time off work following the loss of your baby you can ask your employer if they provide compassionate leave or you could ask to take annual leave or agree a period of unpaid leave. This is why it’s very common for pregnant women to notice a little bit of blood around the time their period is due.
This is for exactly the same reason as some may experience brown discharge, ie an implantation bleed. A comfy sports bra should help you feel more comfortable. Bear in mind that, if you are pregnant, your breasts are probably going to grow a lot over the coming weeks and months! So now may not be the best time to splash out on new lingerie.A metallic taste A metallic taste in the mouth is one of the weirder pregnancy symptoms, but also one of the most common. This is due to hormone changes.
Pregnancy sickness is most common in the first 12 weeks due to hormonal changes. It’s miserable, but almost always clears up by weeks 16 to 20. When to take a pregnancy test Some of us have no early pregnancy signs whatsoever – but even if you have every symptom mentioned above, it’s no guarantee that you’re expecting.
If the test is negative… If your own instincts are telling you otherwise, wait a few days and try again. It may just have been too early for a positive result. However, if you’re on any medication, it’s very important that you don’t stop taking it without talking to your GP.Keeping it a secret Once you find out you’re pregnant, it can be tempting to shout it out from the rooftops – especially if you’ve been trying to conceive for a while.
Under existing rules, only babies past 24 weeks pregnancy are registered as a stillbirth if they die in the womb, or the parents receive a birth and death certificate if they are born alive but do not survive. The introduction of baby loss certificates is part of the priorities set out in the Women’s Health Strategy for England and on recommendations from the Pregnancy Loss Review.
Meanwhile, bereavement midwife, Samantha Collinge, added: ‘Since I was appointed as a bereavement midwife in 1998 I have campaigned for a standardised care pathway that ensures that every parent experiencing baby loss receives the physical and emotional care and support they deserve. You also need to be at least 16 years old, you need to have lived in England when you lost your baby and also currently live in England.
Tommy’s, another charity focused on baby loss, estimates that each year in the UK, there are approximately 250,000 cases of miscarriage. They add that this goes for all meds, be they prescribed by your doctor, or ones you have bought yourself, . The NHS recommend you start taking it ideally 3 months before you conceive, or as soon as you start trying, and continue with it for the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy.
4. Stop smoking There are of course many reasons why it’s a good idea to stop smoking, but when you are trying for a baby, it can, according to baby charity, Tommy’s, help increase your chances of conceiving – they reckon that women who smoke are ‘twice as likely to be infertile as non-smokers’ and that ‘this is true if you are trying to become pregnant for the first time and if you have been pregnant before’.
They suggest eating a ‘healthy, varied diet including plenty of fruit and vegetables, wholegrain cereals, and some low-fat dairy products, legumes, lean meat and fish’, while cutting back on foods high in fat and/or sugar. The NHS actually say that in severe cases, stress may affect ovulation and sperm production, so having more of a ‘Netflix and chill’ approach to your baby making adventure, rather than approaching it like a military exercise, could really pay dividends!CHAT: get support and advice from other mums-to-be on our friendly forumsDozens of women undergoing fertility treatment may have lost their chance to have a baby after being told their frozen eggs may ‘no longer be viable’ due to a manufacturing...
A letter sent to affected patients reportedly explains the hospital Trust had been ‘made aware of a manufacturing issue with some bottles of a solution that may have been used to freeze eggs and embryos in September and October 2022’. If you’re undergoing egg freezing, you’ll take drugs to boost your egg production and help them mature. When they’re ready, the eggs are then collected while you’re under general anaesthetic.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists has warned that while it’s important for women to feel comfortable where they give birth, it is also essential that both mother and baby are as safe as possible. It is thought that the number of freebirths rose during the pandemic due to fears of mother or baby catching the virus or the fact that their partner could not be with them when they deliver.
‘Home births, supported by a midwife, may be suitable for healthy, low-risk women who are having a second or subsequent child and have had a straightforward pregnancy. A spokeswoman said: ‘As healthcare professionals we have a duty to provide information about the associated risks and offer them the opportunity to engage with care at any point in their pregnancy journey.
Professor Khalil said: ‘Women opting for unassisted births need awareness of the potential challenges and delays in accessing medical assistance if complications arise, as emergency intervention may be necessary, even for those at low risk. Friends had used Clearblue® Advanced Digital Ovulation Tests and got pregnant soon after, so Clearblue seemed the obvious choice for me to use. The test monitors 2 key fertility hormones and can double your chances of getting pregnant*. So the day my period arrived , I grabbed a pack from the chemist.‘TTC can be lonely’ We read the Advanced Digital Ovulation Test instructions and felt confident we knew how to use them, and what the results meant.
‘Excited but anxious’ When my period was late, I did a pregnancy test. Seeing the positive result, I felt excited but anxious. We’d had a long build up to this point and some sad losses along the way. I’d 100% recommend Clearblue Advanced Digital Ovulation Tests to other parents. They helped us without a doubt.
But if you don’t fancy marking dates on the calendar or taking your temperature every day, there is an easier way … The Clearblue® Advanced Digital Ovulation Test is easy to use, means no more guesswork and can actually DOUBLE your chances of getting pregnant*.What is ovulation? Ovulation is when an egg is released from one of your ovaries, usually around 12-16 days before your next period starts.
2. You’re prepared for mood swings We all have days when we suddenly feel irritable or teary for no apparent reason. But when you’re tracking your ovulation, you’ll quickly realise why these mood swings are happening. And – you’ve guessed it – they’re often caused by hormones! When you’re at your high fertility days, a flashing smiley face will appear on the test. And when you’re on your peak fertility days, you will see a static smiley face so you know it’s go, go, go!
It can be useful to keep a diary of what symptoms you have and when. That way you can spot if there is anything out of the ordinary for your body. How long does it take to get pregnant? It’s different for every woman. But if you’re wondering how long it will take to get pregnant, most couples are successful within a year, says the NHS. You’ll need to be having regular, unprotected sex though.1. Use an ovulation test such as Clearblue® Digital Advanced Ovulation Tests Loads of parents in our forum swear by doing one thing: tracking when you ovulate.
This is especially important in the days before ovulation. Sperm can survive for 5 days in a woman’s body, so will be ready for when an egg is released. 4. and relax We know this is literally the last thing you want to hear. . But mums in our forum recommend trying to relax … if you can. 6. Keep it a secret When you’re trying to conceive, the last thing you want is people constantly asking you how it’s going. So the next real parent tip is a must – don’t tell anyone you’re trying!
Please note: Clearblue Advanced Digital Ovulation Test is not intended for contraceptive use or if you do not have menstrual cycles. It is not suitable if you have recently been pregnant, reached the menopause, have polycystic ovarian syndrome or are taking certain fertility drugs. Women with medically diagnosed fertility problems should ask their doctor if the product is suitable for them.
‘Birth weights did not differ’ Over 1,100 pregnant women from 23 hospitals across England and a stop-smoking service in Scotland were involved with the study, which was published in the medical journal Addiction. The news will be a relief to thousands of mums-to-be who vaped pre-pregnancy and are struggling to quit and might be feeling guilty about the impact it could be having on them or their unborn child.