The Fertility Podcast

• Choosing a fertility clinic with the HFEA and Emma the Embryologist

  Welcome to this episode of The Fertility Podcast, in conversation with the HFEA and Emma Whitney aka Emma the Embryologist Director of Embryology and Genetics at The Evewell also a trustee for Fertility Action. You'll hear from both ladies, about the work that is being done to help you make a more informed decision when it comes to choosing a fertility clinic. What we discussed: -What the HFEA does, how it is set up to license and inspect all fertility clinics and embryo research centres-The duty it has to share data, which it has recorded since 1991 and it publishes data on what is happening across the UK-The increase in IVF cycles has increased to 1 child in every classroom and how the laws are strict anonymity rules in terms of who can access information about who has treatment. -Increase in same sex couple and single patients having treatment -Increase in number of people freezing their eggs and the usage-Funded cycles by the NHS and privately funded and how people are getting the money together - from remortgaging their house, doing crowd funding, bike rides for charity-Plea for GP’s and primary care service providers to refer people as quickly as possible -Issues around outcomes in Black women and what more patients can do to get a referral from a primary care provider and how it’s an outrage that there is such discrepancy. -Choose a Fertility Clinic service - on the HFEA website, if you’re looking for a clinic and how you can look by postcode / name of clinic and there’s information on what the Inspectors think of the clinic. There’s an ability for other patients to rate it and how the feedback goes directly to inspectors. -How one of the most important considerations is location. -How the impact of social media and friends and family might affect your decisions and why it’s good to look at more than one clinic and that there are more and more clinics doing online open evenings as what might have been good for your friend, it has to be right for you. -How today people talk about it much more on social media -Emma shared her personal story and how she became a trustee for Fertility Action. -Emma gives her insights on the Choose a fertility clinic data and we discuss what else patients need to be mindful of in terms of discrepencies and age consideration. Links & Resources:Let’s Stay Connected DM Natalie on Instagram: @fertilitypoddy Follow Fertility Action: @fertility.actionEmail thoughts or guest ideas: [email protected] Subscribe on your podcast app to stay updated Read the HFEA report here Visit the Choose a fertility clinic page here Follow Emma here

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• World Fertility Awards with Andrea Syrtash

  In this episode, Natalie is speaking to an amazing fertility advocate who she’s known in this space for almost a decade, yet this is the first conversation the pair of them have had on the podcast. Andrea Syrtash is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Pregnantish.Pregnantish went live in 2017, and Andrea describes it as “the state you’re in when trying to conceive,” which the pair go on to discuss.What Was Discussed:Andrea’s diagnosis of Endometriosis at 14 years old and how she was put on the pill and could go to school and function, having been really sufferingAndrea discusses the 18 treatments she had: IUIs, egg retrievals over many yearsHow she got pregnant from IUI and why she continued down that route—despite that pregnancy not continuing—as they had access to unlimited IUI and 3 rounds of IVFHow in Year 5 a Canadian doctor told her: “It should have worked by now. You produce beautiful embryos and should be pregnant by now,” and that she needed to consider gestational surrogacyThe grief and acceptance of not being able to use her own body—and the relief she felt having had to deal with so many losses anymoreHer work as an author and relationship coach and the impact it had on her relationship, and how her TV profile impacted her life at that timeHow she launched Pregnantish as a relationship platform “This is as much a relationship issue as a physical, financial, mental and emotional journey.”How launching the platform was the greatest gift—sharing other people’s stories helped her navigate her own experience, and Natalie talks about how the podcast was also her therapyHow her cousin Alana was her surrogate and their surrogacy pathway was in Canada, yet two dropped out including one ghosting her just before the transferIn 2018, her depression after the second surrogate had dropped out and how her cousin offered to be her surrogate, using Andrea’s frozen embryo which had been in the freezer for 2 yearsHer retrieval was two years to the day before it was transferred into her cousinHow her cousin sought advice from her Rabbi and how the Jewish press reacted, as it hadn’t been spoken aboutThe significance of trying to rebuild their family as so many members of their family were lost in the Second World War, in HungaryThe selflessness of surrogates and what surrogates have to tell their family and friends—how her cousin talked to her children and how they were scared to see Andrea as they thought her belly was broken and would be bleedingLink to previous episodes about Surrogacy, Donation, and PregnantishThe World Fertility Awards—happening in New York in December for all patient advocatesHost committees across around 10 regions worldwide: Europe, Middle East, Africa, Latin America, North America, India, and AustraliaPregnantish reaches hundreds of thousands of people each month, sometimes over 1 million—it’s a global audienceJoin the pledge for the World Fertility Project—asking people to take a pledge, aiming for 1 million signatures to change the conversationHow Andrea feels about the fertility conversation in the patient space todayRegions of the world where people are so scared about saying out loud they are infertileNatalie shares a story she had printed in a tabloidHow more companies are giving people the chance to opt out of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day emailsLinks:World Fertility...

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• Infertility, Acne and a New Beginning - Sian Lousie from Obvs Skincare

  In this episode of The Fertility Podcast, Natalie sits down with Sian Louise, founder of OBVS Skincare, to explore how one woman turned personal loss, infertility, and cervical cancer into a mission to create safe, effective, and hormone-friendly skincare. Sian opens up about her fertility journey, including multiple miscarriages, the emotional impact of IVF, her cancer diagnosis, and how hormonal acne during treatment became the catalyst for OBVS Skincare. She also shares evidence-based insights into harmful skincare ingredients, like microplastics and endocrine disruptors, and how they may impact fertility. This conversation is part of the Meet the Makers series, celebrating founders whose lived experience with fertility has inspired impactful, purpose-driven businesses. What We Talk About Sian’s IVF journey, miscarriages, and cancer diagnosis How hormonal acne during IVF led to creating OBVS Skincare The lack of awareness around skincare ingredients and fertility What endocrine disruptors are and how they affect hormones How Sian built her certified organic, vegan skincare line from scratch Her passion for educating people on safe alternatives The impact of OBVS products on real families and babies Why advocating for yourself in medical settings is essential Sian’s advice for managing skin health during fertility treatment Resources & Links OBVS Skincare website: obvs-skincare.co.uk OBVS on Instagram: @obvs_skincare Sian’s ingredient call-outs on Instagram: @sian_louise_obvs Beat the Microbead App: beatthemicrobead.org Studies on skincare ingredients and fertility, including: Parabens in breast tumors (Darbre et al., 2004) Endocrine disruption from butylparaben (Boberg et al., 2010) Prenatal phthalate exposure (Swan et al., 2005) Benzophenone’s thyroid effects (Schmutzler et al., 2007) Microplastics in cosmetics (TAUW & ECHA reports) Campaign for Safe Cosmetics report: Not So Sexy Let’s Stay Connected DM Natalie on Instagram: @fertilitypoddy Follow Fertility Action: @fertility.actionEmail thoughts or guest ideas: [email protected] Subscribe on your podcast app to stay updated A Word From Our Sponsor – Proceive We’re delighted to be partnering with Proceive this season. Their high-strength fertility supplements for men and women are trusted by healthcare professionals and available in-store at Holland & Barrett or online. Use code FP20 for 20 percent off your order at www.proceive.com

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• Fertility Justice & LGBTQ+ Parenthood: Laura-Rose Thorogood’s Fight for Equity

  In this powerful Pride Month episode of The Fertility Podcast, Natalie is joined by the inspiring Laura-Rose Thorogood, founder of LGBT Mummies, CEO of Make Births Better, and proud mother of four donor-conceived children. Laura-Rose shares her raw and deeply personal fertility journey, from IUI and IVF to pregnancy loss, secondary infertility, and birth trauma. But this episode is about more than just personal experience. It’s about advocacy, equity, and making space for every type of family. You’ll also hear why she joined Fertility Action as a Trustee, her take on what’s missing in fertility funding for the LGBTQ+ community, and what real inclusion should look like in the workplace and beyond. What We Talk About Laura-Rose’s decade-long fertility journey, loss, trauma, and family joy Why she founded LGBT Mummies and how it grew into a global community The impact of systemic discrimination, lack of inclusive funding, and workplace inequality Fertility justice, policy change, and recent campaign work in Parliament How co-production, safe spaces, and queer representation are key to lasting change Practical advice for anyone feeling overwhelmed or unsupported in their journey Why emotional safety and peer support are essential for LGBTQ+ people navigating fertility Links and Resources LGBT Mummies websiteLGBT Mummies on LinkedInFacebookTikTokThreadsFertility ActionLet’s Stay Connected DM Natalie on Instagram: @fertilitypoddy Follow Fertility Action: @fertility.actionEmail thoughts or guest ideas: [email protected] Subscribe on your podcast app to stay updated A Word From Our Sponsor – Proceive We’re delighted to be partnering with Proceive this season. Their high-strength fertility supplements for men and women are trusted by healthcare professionals and available in-store at Holland & Barrett or online. Use code FP20 for 20 percent off your order at www.proceive.com

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• Endometriosis Unveiled with Professor Andrew Horne

  In this episode of The Fertility Podcast, we’re lifting the lid on Endometriosis what it is, what’s still misunderstood, and how change is (finally) coming. You'll hear from Brianna Stayt an Endometriosis UK ambassador sharing her 20-year journey and incredible awareness raising events - Natalie was hosting the event and as well as chatting with Brianna, spoke with Professor Adnan Bunkheila, Endometriosis nurse Sam Robinson and her daughter Shannon. The episode is then a fascinating conversation with Professor Andrew Horne , leading Endometriosis researcher and the Director of the Centre for Reproductive Health at the University of Edinburgh.What we discussWhy diagnosis takes years and how we can change thatWhat endometriosis really is (and why "stages" don’t tell the full story)The wide range of symptoms: pain, fatigue, gut issues, fertility strugglesHow mental health, diet & acupuncture can support care see below links to researchThe realities and limitations of hysterectomy as a treatmentThe Endo1000 Project: using AI, smartwatches & patient diaries to revolutionize researchWhere to find help, support, and communityWhether you’re living with endometriosis or supporting someone who is, this episode is full of insight, hope, and real-world advice.Links & Resources:Endometriosis UKFertility Action –weekly support groups & free advocacy tools Endo1000 Project details The Guardian article about Andrew's paper:The paper: Let’s Stay Connected:DM me on Instagram: @fertilitypoddyFollow @fertilityaction for updatesEmail: [email protected] subscribe so you never miss an episode✨ Thanks to our sponsor, ProceiveWe're delighted to be partnering with Proceive this season. If you're trying to conceive, you’ll want to check them out. Their high-strength fertility supplements are designed for both men and women and are trusted by healthcare professionals.✨Get 20% off your order at www.proceive.com using the code FP20 at checkout.Thanks for listening. I’ve got a really good feeling about this new chapter and I hope you’ll stick with me as we keep sharing stories, raising awareness, and doing what we can to support each other through this journey

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