The abc ivf blog

Considering taking your first step on your IVF journey and unsure of how to choose a sperm donor? Learn about what to consider before taking that step here.

PCOS, is a hormonal disorder that affects the ovaries. It is characterized by a range of symptoms and imbalances in the reproductive and metabolic systems. One of the primary hallmarks of PCOS is irregular or absent menstrual cycles… While PCOS can present fertility hurdles, there are a variety of effective medical interventions, such as ovulation-inducing medications and IVF, which can help individuals with PCOS to become parents.

Fertility treatment using donor sperm is becoming an increasingly popular way for people to complete their families. In this article, we’ll explain how to find a donor through a sperm bank and outline how donor sperm is used in treatments like IUI and IVF.

Reciprocal IVF is a type of IVF treatment that means if you are in a same-sex female couple, both of you can be involved physically and emotionally in creating your family.

At abc ivf, our egg sharing scheme is an opportunity for women to help other women have a chance to conceive, while going through their own fertility treatment.

Ovarian reserve is the term used to describe how many eggs are left in a woman's ovaries. There are a few tests which can be carried out to determine what a woman's ovarian reserve is; here we describe some of the most common ones...

Undergoing IVF treatment can surface unexpected and confronting issues in even the most resilient of couples. Here's some common issues couples experience and how to tackle them!

When it comes to the topic of infertility, much of the conversation typically centres around women. However, in reality, male factor infertility contributes to approximately half of couples’ difficulties in conceiving.

abc IVF’s egg ‘Freeze and Share’ scheme is the perfect way to freeze your eggs for the future, whilst also helping other women fulfil their dream of having a baby, using donor eggs.

I've always loved Christmas. I still do. But there is this sense of longing, this tugging on the heartstrings and if you’re reading this you might just be feeling the same. So much of this season is centred around the joy of children and family.

When we speak about infertility broadly, primary infertility is the typical condition that comes to mind. It refers to couples who have never managed to get pregnant.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be particularly important when trying to conceive, either naturally or with IVF, so making sure you are at a healthy weight is key.

Going through fertility treatment, regardless of your relationship status, is a huge decision to make with lots of factors to consider - so to help you get started on your journey, we’ve answered the most frequent questions we get from single women looking to have their first baby.

CREATE Fertility and ABC IVF were last night recognised by the Spectator Economic Innovator of the Year Awards 2020, taking home the award for the London and South East region in recognition of our work fighting for safer and more affordable IVF treatment.

We are delighted to announce that we are now a Gold Partner of Fertility Network UK, the UK’s leading fertility support network.

The situation we are currently in is a cause of concern for everyone, but particularly those who have had to have their fertility treatments put on hold. If you are in this situation and found that to access the things that would normally help you cope is restricted, practicing positive thinking and mindfulness could help with managing any concerns or stress you are currently dealing with.

I know that this is a frustrating time for our patients who have been waiting to start treatment, but we are here to support you as much as possible during this time. Here are a few suggestions that you can do during lockdown so that you are as prepared as possible for when you begin your treatment.

Trying for a baby can be a hugely emotional journey, especially if you are struggling to fall pregnant as quickly as you had hoped. However, there are a number of lifestyle choices you can make to positively impact your fertility.

It is known that the coronavirus pandemic is affecting people’s physical and mental health. You are not alone if you are feeling some anxiety and stress caused by the dramatic changes to your work-life, home situation, social life and access to medical care. It’s quite normal to experience these thoughts and feelings in such a difficult situation.

We are delighted to announce that our new Liverpool clinic is opening on 16th March 2020! After huge demand since opening our first clinic in Harley Street two and a half years ago, we are now launching our 6th abc ivf clinic.

So you’re on a fertility journey! Guess what? Me too - and we’re not alone. Today, 1 in 7 couples in the UK struggle to conceive. For those going through primary or secondary infertility, or those seeking embryo adoption, sperm donation or surrogacy, IVF - or in vitro fertilisation - has helped millions of couples worldwide to have a baby.

Something that continues to fascinate me – especially so, given the unfiltered broadcasting of mine and Simon's fertility journey – is the number of people who assume that our difficulty conceiving is the result of an issue with me, the female.

The effects of our health – both physical and mental – on the outcome of IVF treatment has been heavily disputed within the IVF community for decades. For every woman who tells you her IVF was successful following a major health kick, there’s a woman who’ll tell you...

Undoubtedly, an IVF cycle is a challenging journey to navigate. Not only is it physically demanding, but your emotions are constantly changing; one minute full of worry, fear and uncertainty, and the next clinging onto excitement, luck and hope.

We’ve probably all heard the age-old quip that “trying to get pregnant is the fun part”, but for anyone who thinks they might be infertile, that’s sadly not always the case, as my husband and I found out on the journey to our son.

She’s a meme, a supermodel, a foodie and a hilariously candid breath of fresh air; she trolls politicians on Twitter; pulls pranks on her superstar husband and talks openly about everything from adult diapers to feminism; she’s one half of Instagram’s favourite couple AND she’s an IVF warrior.

During our first cycle of IVF, my husband and I were incredibly naïve. We didn’t realise that we were actually allowed to ask questions, raise concerns, or that we’d need to become our own advocates.

After you have had your Initial Consultation and Scan, which explores your fertility, chances of success and treatment plan, you may decide that private IVF at abc ivf is the right choice for you. If this is the case, your next step will be to book a Treatment Consultation with a specialist Nurse Consultant. Here’s what you can expect from this appointment.

Deciding to start IVF treatment is a big step to take, but luckily the friendly healthcare professionals at abc ivf are onhand to provide you with support and guidance throughout your treatment journey.

The number of LGBTQ+ people becoming parents, or thinking about becoming parents, is increasing, as are the treatment options available to them - IVF being one of the most popular treatments for lesbian couples. Unfortunately, however, NHS funding for IVF has very strict criteria in the UK.

Imagine scheduling a catch-up with your boss, sitting them down in a meeting room and telling them – quite frankly – that you’d made the decision to have your coil removed. Imagine telling them that you and your partner had started practicing condom-free intercourse or that...

Infertility is currently known to affect 1 in 6 couples, in the UK. That’s 3.5 million people living with heartache, grief and pain, desperately trying to conceive and carry a baby to term, either for a first child or a sibling.

Taking the first step into in vitro fertilisation treatment (IVF) can be daunting. As with any new experience, understanding the process and milestones along the way, and knowing who will be there to support you, will help you to relax and make your journey smoother.

Just think back to the time you were in a sex education class, what do you remember? Whilst it may have covered the basics, we doubt you heard about how the female ovarian reserve or male anatomy change over time, the behaviours that impact fertility, fertility conditions, or any key fertility facts or statistics.

The average woman more than likely won’t have too much of a clue about her own fertility. It’s one of those topics, like anything else health-related, that until it starts to give you cause for concern, you’ve never given it much thought. Your period comes every month, you presume everything internally is working as it’s supposed to, and you go on with your life.

Deciding to have fertility treatment is by no-means an easy decision. There are many different types of fertility treatment available, and many things to consider.

Social media certainly has its flaws but it has also weirdly and wonderfully connected me to hundreds of like-minded individuals with whom I am united by one shared mission – a baby. I spent over a year trying to conceive before discovering the online community that existed at my very fingertips and this community, with its army of fertility warriors, became my biggest support network.

The Embryo Transfer procedure of an IVF cycle is one of the most exciting but also stressful parts of the entire journey. On one hand, you’re finished with the painful injections, the agonising wait to see how your embryos develop and most importantly, you’re almost at the end of the entire IVF process.

Prior to being diagnosed with infertility I must admit that I had no clue what a cycle of IVF involved. I knew a few couples who had been through it before but I had never felt the need or desire to know exactly what a cycle entailed. It sounds quite heartless when I say it now but I think, unless it’s something you are experiencing yourself, you don’t feel a necessity to find out all about it.

You are only eligible for IVF on the NHS if you meet certain criteria. If the criteria are not met, or you have ran out of funding, or you wish to avoid the waiting list, you may decide to seek treatment at a private clinic.

When I was first diagnosed with infertility I was coming to what I thought would be the end of a career break. The previous year I had decided to take some time off after a stressful job combined with planning my wedding and completing my Master’s degree meant that I had more or less burned out.

My husband and I investigated our fertility with the NHS and we now await our first round of IVF. We never even considered doing any of this privately for one simple reason - we can’t afford it.

If there’s one thing in life that I’ve become really accomplished at over the past few years, it’s putting a brave face on. It’s saying, “I’m fine”, when I’m not. It’s smiling when all I want to do is scream. Every so often the difficulty of doing this on a daily basis boils over, and I slowly but surely start to unravel.

After 1 year of trying to conceive "the old fashioned way" and another year of tests, dead ends and pill-popping detours, we are now firmly on the NHS IVF waiting list – which I'm told can be anywhere from a 6 month wait to a 3 year one.

For those who have never personally experienced infertility and IVF, the understanding of how it feels when a cycle ‘fails’, is largely impossible. The complex emotions involved, are not easily explainable and the pain you have endured to end with nothing; is difficult to imagine. Infertility blogger, Jessica Jones, shares her experience of IVF failure and how she managed to cope through it all.

Grief, devastation, heartbreak, guilt – infertility and IVF treatment has it all, usually on a never-ending carousel which can become a nightmare. You feel alone, like the only person going through this trauma and you’ve no idea how you’re going to survive or why your life has taken this unfair turn. How can a relationship withstand this level of distress?

One of the hardest parts of navigating through your infertility journey can be having to cope with other people’s pregnancies. Infertility blogger, Rachel Reid, shares her own experience and tips she's learnt along her journey.

This year, we have reached a remarkable milestone as we celebrate the 40th birthday of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF). On the 25th July, 40 years ago, Louise Brown was born; the world’s first IVF baby.

When seeking IVF treatment through the NHS you could very well find yourself a victim of the ‘postcode lottery’. Find out what can you do to overcome this.

The questions to ask your fertility clinic to find out the real cost of your IVF treatment.

We understand that starting a family on your own is an exciting and slightly daunting time; at abc ivf we are dedicated to making your treatment journey as simple and straightforward as possible.

If you are in a female same sex relationship and are considering having a baby together, abc ivf can help.

The costs involved in IVF treatment can often be confusing and overwhelming. With most IVF clinics only advertising their 'base price' for treatment, we uncover and remove the hidden costs which can add thousands on to your treatment.

Due to high costs of IVF treatment in the UK, more couples are finding themselves venturing abroad for cheaper treatment. At abc ivf, we can offer you low cost IVF treatment, without the risks associated with treatment abroad.