Five Personal Accounts of Navigating Egg Freezing-image

Five Personal Accounts of Navigating Egg Freezing

For women or those assigned female-at-birth, society ensures that as we age, we’re hyper-aware of our declining fertility. Jokes about our ticking ‘biological clocks’, extended family constantly asking when we’re going to ‘settle down’ and even trying to navigate company maternity policies—it can feel really overwhelming. There are many different pathways to parenthood and for a lot of people, either for medical or social reasons, their fertility timeline just doesn’t line up with where they are at in their personal or professional lives. Luckily, advances in reproductive science are enabling many people to access fertility treatments, like egg freezing, to preserve their fertility.  We spoke to five people, all with different circumstances, who have undergone egg freezing. We hope these accounts can help you to understand a little bit more about the egg freezing experience. Recap: What is egg freezing? The egg freezing process (known medically as ‘oocyte cryopreservation’) is a fertility preservation method and medical procedure that involves having your unfertilised eggs surgically removed from your ovaries, frozen and stored in a lab until you’re ready to use them.  You may choose to freeze your eggs if you want to have children in the future, but aren’t ready to yet. As you age, the quantity and quality of your eggs decline, which means your chance of getting pregnant does too. Freezing your eggs will preserve their quality, as they are now, for if and when you become ready to use them. There are two types of egg freezing: The egg freezing process An egg-freezing cycle involves several different stages including preliminary tests, ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, storage and then subsequently thawing once you’re ready to use them. Egg-freezing can be incredibly empowering—allowing you to control your family planning timeline and focus on your personal and professional life, or any medical treatment, without having to worry about your fertility decline.  However, it can be an intensely emotional journey full of ups and downs, with financial strain, daily injections, and hormonal changes that can affect your mental and physical health.  Remember—if you’re going through this process, Hertility’s fertility counsellors can support you through these challenges. While the procedure is generally safe, there is a small risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS), which is a condition that can happen in response to fertility medication. For more information, read our egg-freezing guide. Natalie Getreu’s egg freezing journey Ovarian biologist and one of our very own co-founders, Dr Natalie, had a unique egg freezing experience after having been both a fertility practitioner and patient.  “I thought I knew everything about egg freezing, at least from a scientific standpoint. I’d supervised procedures, sat in on consultations, educated women and delivered lectures on treatments.  But when it came to undergoing the process myself, as a patient, it was a completely different experience.  I definitely didn’t fully appreciate the physical toll it would take, how draining it would be emotionally, or how much I would have to relinquish control to the process and just let my body do what it needed to do in response to the treatment.  Probably the biggest thing I came to appreciate was how much I needed to slow down. As a founder, there is an enormous pressure to be available 24/7, and as a woman, for everything to be done perfectly. There often doesn’t feel like we are afforded the space to slow down, but I realise now how important that is. The whole process made me have a much deeper appreciation of the lack of education and awareness out there about alternative routes to parenthood. If you’re thinking about undergoing treatment, get as much info as possible. Support is out there no matter what your circumstance is’.” Asher’s egg freezing journey “I discovered the importance of [egg freezing] the same day that I was diagnosed with gender dysphoria and recommended for Testosterone HRT. Luckily, this is when I was introduced to Hertility – finally some humane guidance, clarity and crucially being seen and understood as a trans person. The whole process became much clearer and felt more manageable, and honestly I started to feel inspired by the gift of being able to do this. The actual process wasn’t nearly as bad as I imagined, especially in relation to triggering my dysphoria.“ Georgia Habboo’s egg freezing journey “The reason I did this was that I had not had a period since coming off the pill (it had been 3.5 years) and I literally was getting no answers from doctors after 10,000 tests. I did the hormone testing kit which I’m SO grateful for. My AMH, which is an indicator of your egg reserve (ovarian reserve), was really low – within the range of a 55-65-year-old, so they recommended that I freeze my eggs straight away”. Daniella Abraham’s egg freezing journey “At age 30, I wasn’t anywhere near ready to have a baby. Although I wanted the option to have kids in the future, I didn’t want to feel pressured into trying sooner than I might have done just because of my ‘biological clock’. Honestly, the hardest part was deciding if the process was right for me, but in the end, I’m so glad I chose to do it. “Freezing my eggs has given me reassurance that I didn’t need to rush into making any major life decisions and given me peace of mind that I will have the option to start a family in the future when I’m ready to.” Mish’s egg freezing journey “As I approached 35, I knew I wanted to freeze my eggs. I didn’t want to feel pressured to have a baby just because of my biology. But I had no idea if I would be able to  – I knew you can only get screened on the NHS if you’re trying, so I assumed I would just have to wait until then. “That’s when I found Hertility. I took a Hertility test which allowed me to see if I had any issues in advance of starting […]

Stress and Periods: How Stress Affects Your Menstrual Cycle-image

Stress and Periods: How Stress Affects Your Menstrual Cycle

Stress is bad news, period. It can affect the menstrual cycle, and just about every other bodily process. In this article we’ll cover exactly what stress is, the science behind it, how it can impact our periods, and some top tips for managing it. Quick facts: What is stress? Stress is defined as a state of worry caused by a difficult situation. It’s always been a part of human life and is a fundamental element for our survival.  Stress is a natural part of life and impacts us almost daily. Whilst a small amount of stress can actually be good for us (believe it or not), chronic stress and burnout can end up negatively impacting almost all of our body’s processes—including our menstrual cycles. The bodily changes you feel when you’re stressed are akin to what your ancestors felt when they were running away from life-threatening predators. Except, nowadays, predators take on the shapes of boardrooms, bosses and bills. Stress is classed as a state of ‘disharmony’, disrupting the carefully coordinated balance that your body is consistently fine-tuning. Usually, your body’s reaction to stress is temporary and it’s able to revert to its previous state.   However, it’s increasingly common to be exposed to prolonged periods of stress or several different, unresolved stressors, which cannot be adapted to—resulting in chronic stress. This can feel never-ending and all-encompassing, impacting both our mental and physical health.  This is the type of stress linked to depression, fertility issues and other health problems. The science behind stress The body’s reaction to stress is coordinated by something called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis). The hypothalamus, in the brain, helps encourage the production of hormones like cortisol aka stress hormone (1). These kickstart the body’s stress response and divert the brain’s attention away from other processes, like coordinating your reproductive system. When we are chronically stressed, our cortisol remains constantly high. This can put us in a constant state of ‘fight or flight’, leading to the body being unable to adequately support other bodily functions. What is a ‘normal’ period? To understand how stress may affect your menstrual cycle, it’s important to understand what a ‘normal’ or average cycle looks like. A ‘normal cycle’ can last anywhere from 21 to 35 days, depending on the individual.   A one-off longer or shorter cycle is still considered normal, but if yours are consistently irregular, it’s worth getting checked out as they could be caused by an underlying health condition, such as PCOS. Can stress affect your period? Stress can affect your period in many different ways. This is because your menstrual cycle and your body’s response to stress are both coordinated by the same part of the brain—the hypothalamus. If you have high cortisol it can disrupt the hypothalamus, disrupting the production of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH).  GnRH controls the production and regulation of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH), two hormones incredibly important for the regulation of the menstrual cycle.  If FSH and LH become disrupted, you’re likely to experience disruptions to ovulation and menstrual cycle regularity. This can also disrupt sexual desire and arousal. One study found that women experiencing high levels of stress showed lower levels of sexual desire, linked to elevated cortisol levels. Can stress delay your period? Elevated cortisol levels as a result of stress can effectively delay ovulation by blocking the release of LH. Without a surge in LH, you won’t ovulate. This can make your cycles longer and potentially heavier. On the flip side, high levels of stress are also associated with shorter cycles. Can stress stop your period? In situations of chronic stress, ovulation can be prevented for long periods of time (known as chronic anovulation), stopping your period altogether. This can be due to psychological stress but also periods of intense exercise or eating disorders. Missing periods due to stress is called functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea. How do I know if stress is the cause of my menstrual cycle changes? Without the analysis of a medical professional or hormone test, it’s not possible to know for certain that stress is the cause of your menstrual cycle changes.  Lifestyle factors often work in tandem. Changes to your cycle may be because of a handful of interacting factors. That being said, there are steps you can take to get a better idea of whether stress could be behind your period irregularities.  Tracking your periods and symptoms, either with a period tracking app or just using a calendar or diary can help you understand if stress is linked to your cycle. Make a note of how irregular or regular your periods are and any symptoms like pain, acne and how you’re feeling emotionally, including stress.  You can also take our Online Health Assessment. Our assessment analyses your biometrics, medical history, periods and lifestyle factors, to calculate your risk profile and help determine the cause of your symptoms. By looking at the pattern between your menstrual cycle and stress levels, you should be able to spot if there’s any obvious link. Even if they aren’t linked, just being able to rule out stress as the cause of your period troubles is helpful—you’ll then at least know to direct your attention elsewhere. If you are under stress consistently, it may be difficult to pinpoint that this is what’s causing your irregular cycles. The best way to establish what is going on with your cycles is to look at your hormone health – you can do this using our tailored at-home Hormone and Fertility Test. By looking at hormones such as testosterone and thyroid-stimulating hormone, we can eliminate other things which can affect your cycle, such as PCOS or abnormal thyroid function. How can we manage stress? Although experiencing stress might not feel great in the moment, it does serve an important purpose and actually, in small doses, it’s a powerful motivator, helping us to work harder and achieve our goals.  Although our modern-day stressors might not be as dangerous as the threats facing our ancestors, they do still present […]

Hormones and Smoking: How is it Affecting Your Health?-image

Hormones and Smoking: How is it Affecting Your Health?

Can smoking cause hormonal imbalances? Just like the negative consequences to heart and lung health, smoking can also negatively impact our reproductive health. Read on to find out.  Quick facts: How smoking affects the body It’s a well-known fact that smoking can have a negative impact on health, with both active and passive smoking being associated with multiple forms of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. Despite this, in the UK, as of 2019, 28% of men and 22% of women aged between 25 and 34 years are current smokers, according to published health data in England (1)—and a whopping 175 million people assigned-female-at-birth (AFAB) smoke worldwide. But whilst smoking’s effects on the heart and lungs are fairly common knowledge, fewer people are aware that it can also influence the body’s hormones. But how exactly are hormones and smoking linked? In this article we’ll look at: Does smoking affect hormones? Despite the lack of public awareness, there is plenty of research that shows how smoking can impact and even wreak havoc on our hormonal health. The chemical components of cigarette and cigar smoke can disrupt the normal functioning of our bodily systems, including the endocrine system. The endocrine system is a network of glands which influence the production, secretion and regulation of hormones throughout the body, such as the hypothalamus, thyroid, adrenal gland, and even the ovaries.  This disruption might lead to lasting effects on all kinds of hormonally regulated processes, including sexual function and reproductive potential, our metabolism and even our sleep.  As mentioned, both active and passive smoking (also known as second-hand smoking) can cause these nasty effects, with some research even indicating that prolonged exposure and inhalation of cigarette smoke can even affect the onset of menopause (3). There are over 4,000 substances in cigarettes that display reproductive toxicity. How does smoking affect different hormones? Smoking has been linked to abnormal changes and fluctuations in various hormone levels, including: Let’s take a look at each of these in detail. Smoking and testosterone Studies have consistently shown that smoking increases testosterone in AFAB individuals. Those who smoke have been found to have higher serum testosterone levels in their blood than those who don’t (4).  This is because smoking is inherently pro-androgenic, meaning it has a positive effect on androgen hormones like testosterone. Increased testosterone levels can bring on side effects such as excess body hair growth (hirsutism), acne, greasy hair and skin, irregular periods and low libido. The main reason for smoking’s pro-androgenic effects lies with nicotine. As tobacco is metabolised, the nicotine within it produces a compound known as cotinine, which inhibits testosterone breakdown (17). However, it’s interesting to note that similar studies performed on ageing men have indicated that, over a long enough timespan, smoking can reduce testosterone levels in those assigned-male-at-birth (AMAB) (16). Smoking and oestrogen As well as being pro-androgenic, smoking is also anti-oestrogenic, which means it has a negative effect on oestrogen levels. Studies have shown that women who smoke have  lower progesterone and oestrogen levels in both their blood and follicular fluid (the fluid which surrounds the developing egg, important for egg growth) (2,5).  Smoking even affects the conversion of androstenedione to oestradiol by cells within the eggs (2). This switch is mainly driven by the effects smoking has on the production of these hormones.  As well as negatively affecting oestrogen production and metabolism by your liver, smoking increases the levels of a hormone called sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) which binds to oestrogen—preventing it from performing its essential functions around the body. Symptoms of low oestrogen can include low libido, fatigue, and negative mood changes. Smoking and gonadotropins Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH) are both gonadotropin hormones. These are hormones released from the hypothalamus (a part of the brain) to regulate the menstrual cycle and induce ovulation.  Unsurprisingly, smoking has been found to affect gonadotropin levels as well. Studies have shown that habitual smokers tend to have higher levels of FSH and LH in the first half of their cycle and during their periods, than non-smokers (6,7).  Disrupted FSH and LH levels can lead to problems with both fertility and menopause. Smoking and Anti-müllerian hormone Anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) is produced by granulosa cells within the ovarian follicles. It’s used as an indicator of ovarian reserve, sometimes referred to as egg count. Research has shown that smokers generally have lower AMH levels. One study in particular found that current smokers have  44% lower AMH levels than non-smokers (8), indicating that smoking can be directly toxic to the eggs within the ovaries. Another study showed that, in smokers, the fluid produced by the granulosa cells (known as follicular fluid) also contains increased levels of harmful nicotine toxins (9). Chemicals derived from cigarettes and smoking have even been detected in the cervical mucus (10). Smoking and thyroid hormones Cigarette smoke has been found to have both inhibitory and stimulatory effects on thyroid hormones. Both active and passive smoking have been linked to decreased levels of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) and increased levels of free thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) (11,12).  Because the thyroid gland plays an important role in the regulation of many different bodily functions such as growth and development, disruption in thyroid level can have huge knock on effects all around the body. The thyroid can also affect fertility.Smoking is consequently a known risk factor for thyroid-related disorders, especially Grave’s disease and Goitres (13,14). Smoking and prolactin Prolactin is produced by the pituitary gland in the brain and is most commonly associated with milk production and altering breast physiology, but it also has a number of different roles throughout the body.  Chronic long-term smoking has been found to be associated with decreased prolactin levels (14), which can cause irregular menstrual cycles, difficulty breastfeeding and negative mood changes. Smoking and cortisol Smoking has also been linked to increased cortisol levels in the blood. It also affects hormones involved in the production of cortisol (2), which can disrupt the regulation of its levels. Cortisol […]

The Reproductive Revolution hits the Cinema-image

The Reproductive Revolution hits the Cinema

Hertility partners with Pearl & Dean for the launch of #MeToo film, ‘She Said’, to rally women in the UK for the next women’s rights movement, the Reproductive Revolution.   Women’s health company Hertility’s award-winning film, ‘Ooh Someone’s Hormonal,’ spotlighted the lack of research on women’s bodies and called out society for using women’s hormones against them. Now, they’re teaming up with Pearl & Dean, the UK’s best-known cinema advertising contractor, to take the “Mother of all movements” to the next level in a bid to urge millions of women across the UK to get to know their bodies. For 5 weeks from November 25th, ‘Ooh Someone’s Hormonal,’ created by female-founded creative content agency Be The Fox, will be shown before every screening of ‘She Said’ in Pearl and Dean cinemas nationwide, the film starring Carey Mulligan and directed by Maria Schrader telling the story of the #MeToo movement.  Founded by women and powered by an (all female) research team, Hertility is setting a new standard of scientific rigour in female health by empowering women with information about exactly what’s going on under their skin using at-home diagnostic testing, telemedicine and treatment. By joining forces with cinema ad sales firm Pearl & Dean, the partnership aims to fuse science and art in the fight for equality. ‘The #MeToo movement was such a huge step forwards in women’s rights but from a reproductive perspective, women are still second-class citizens. We want to inspire women watching ‘She Said’ to join us in our fight in the next revolution – the Reproductive Revolution – by getting to know their bodies and taking control of their life choices. For themselves and for all women worldwide.’ – Dr Helen O’Neill, CEO and Founder of Hertility Carey Mulligan, has spoken openly about the lack of support for women in the film industry but as a middle finger to the male-dominated Harvey Weinstein era, ‘Ooh Someone’s Hormonal’, produced by female-led production company, Be The Fox, shows Hollywood how it’s done. Echoing the equality seen in the production of ‘She Said’, the female-powered cast and crew of ‘Ooh Someone’s Hormonal’ worked to the soundtrack of female artist Rebecca Taylor of Self-Esteem, complete with childcare on set, changing the outdated landscape and showing what’s possible when women, fully supported, come together. Diana Ellis Hill, Co-Founder, Be The Fox comments: “Empowering women and having true representation is an important cause that’s close to our hearts. We gathered an 80% female team to make the film from DOP and Director to Editor and Colourist as we wanted it to be real and authentic. We are immensely proud of what’s been produced and to see our film on screens at cinemas nationwide ahead of She Said.” Kathryn Jacob OBE, CEO at Pearl & Dean, said: “Cinema is a unique advertising medium in the sense that it is both a personal and shared experience. Cinema has the power to truly reach an individual, and to speak to them one on one, as well as spark a conversation. We are honoured to be working with Hertility to launch its first ever cinema campaign and to be a part of helping to better articulate an important issue that is often hidden or ignored by wider society.” Watch the cinema advert ‘Ooh Someone’s Hormonal’ More information on ‘She Said’

What is AMH and What Can AMH Testing Tell Me?-image

What is AMH and What Can AMH Testing Tell Me?

Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) is a really important hormone for fertility. It can give insight into your ovarian reserve and how many eggs you have left. But what is a good AMH level for your age? Here’s everything you need to know about AMH levels.  Quick facts: What is AMH? Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) is an incredibly important hormone when it comes to fertility and overall reproductive health.  AMH is made by the small sacs, called follicles, in your ovaries. These follicles house your eggs. Because of this close relationship with your eggs, testing your AMH levels can therefore give you an insight into your ovarian reserve, or how many eggs you have at the time of testing.  We are all born with all of the eggs we’ll ever have. As we age, both our egg quality and quantity declines. This is due to both the natural ageing process and eggs being lost with each menstrual cycle. This happens right up until menopause when all your eggs are gone. As our egg count diminishes, generally so do our AMH levels, unless we have an underlying condition or lifestyle factor which is affecting our AMH levels (like PCOS).  What is a normal AMH level for my age? AMH levels will steadily decrease year after year from your mid-20s onwards. This occurs in tandem with your ovarian reserve declining.  After your mid-30s, AMH decline becomes much more rapid. It completely drops off as you near menopause (usually between 45 and 55 years old).  Although the overall levels of AMH by age is a general downward trend, each person has an individual rate of decline depending on genetics, lifestyle, medication and underlying conditions. What is a good AMH level? The higher your AMH the better, right? Well… not exactly. Like all of our hormones, too much or too little can indicate problems.  High AMH levels In general, higher AMH levels indicate a larger number of ovarian follicles and therefore a larger ovarian reserve.  However, some underlying reproductive health conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome PCOS are associated with high AMH levels too. PCOS can cause hormonal imbalances which can negatively impact your fertility. Symptoms of high AMH levels Generally, high AMH levels don’t have any specific symptoms. But if you’re experiencing any symptoms that indicate a possible problem with your cycle you should test your hormones including AMH levels to investigate the possibility of PCOS. These symptoms could be things like irregular or no periods, or any other PCOS symptoms like acne, excessive body or facial hair, hair thinning or loss.  Low AMH levels On the flip side, low AMH levels can indicate lower numbers of remaining follicles and therefore, a smaller ovarian reserve.  Very low AMH levels are often seen in premature ovarian insufficiency (POI), which is a condition where menopause occurs before the age of 40 or even when you are going to experience menopause. Ovarian surgery can also carry a risk of low AMH levels afterwards. Some lifestyle factors have also been linked to low AMH levels – smoking, obesity, and poor diet and nutrition—specifically insufficient Vitamin D levels.  How to increase AMH levels? Unfortunately, you can’t stop your AMH from declining with age. That being said, there are some lifestyle and diet changes that can improve your fertility.  Monitoring your AMH levels with an at-home blood test if you have low AMH levels and are actively trying to conceive, or wanting to do so soon is a good idea to understand your rate of decline. Additionally, if you’re worried about your future fertility but not ready to have kids yet, you may want to consider egg freezing. Or, if you have low AMH levels and are struggling with conceiving, IVF treatment could be a good option for you.  If you’re concerned about your AMH levels, you can speak to our Private Gynaecologists at any time. Our Doctors can help you with a care plan that’s right for you and your body.  Do AMH levels fluctuate? Unlike your menstrual hormones which are cyclical, meaning their levels fluctuate throughout the month, your AMH levels stay relatively stable throughout your menstrual cycle. How do I know if I have normal AMH levels?  Testing your hormones is the only way to definitively know if your AMH levels are within the normal range for your age.  Doing an AMH blood test can give you an accurate insight into your current AMH levels, and give you an insight into your reproductive health because it is reflective of your ovarian reserve (egg count). Your AMH levels can also be used as an indication of whether you have polycystic ovaries, however, it can not currently be used to diagnose PCOS based on current guidelines. Understanding your AMH levels and ovarian reserve can also help to determine if you would be suitable for certain fertility treatments like IVF or egg freezing.  During fertility treatment, AMH levels are often tested to help determine the doses of medication and to predict the outcomes of the egg collection process.  Investigation of AMH levels is often done in combination with an Antral follicle count (AFC), which is an internal ultrasound scan where the number of small follicles seen on the ovary is counted. What is a good AMH level to get pregnant or to have IVF? Successfully getting pregnant is not entirely dependent on your AMH levels and ovarian reserve. Other factors can affect fertility such as: There is, therefore, no evidence of a good AMH level to increase the likelihood of pregnancy.  The success of IVF treatment is also dependent on many different factors. However, there is evidence that an AMH level lower than 5.4 pmol/L may have a poorer response to fertility medications. This is why some NHS IVF clinics will not accept patients who have an AMH level lower than this threshold.   Resources:

16 Lifestyle Tips to Help Boost Fertility-image

16 Lifestyle Tips to Help Boost Fertility

If you’re looking to conceive soon, nutrition can have a big impact on your fertility and reproductive health—both positive and negative. Get to know which foods are natural fertility boosters and valuable lifestyle changes that can improve your journey to conception. Quick facts: Why are diet and nutrition important for fertility? As the saying goes, we really are what we eat. Our diets and nutrition impact almost all of our body’s processes—all the way from our metabolism to our mental health. But one often overlooked area is how food can impact our fertility. When trying to conceive, you’ll need a high-nutritional diet. This can increase your chances of conceiving and help to create a healthy home for your baby during their vital first 9 months. Even making small changes to your lifestyle and nutrition choices can go a long way. Here are 16 evidence-backed tips from our Registered Nurse and Associate Nutritionist, Emily Moreton to help prepare your body for pregnancy. You can also book an appointment with a Hertility Nutritionist for a personalised plan. 1. Follow a Mediterranean-style diet Whilst there are no specific guidelines for a recommended fertility diet, the Mediterranean diet, is associated with improved fertility in both women and men. Known for its abundance of fruits, vegetables, nuts, whole grains, fish and healthy fats, the Mediterranean diet is rich in antioxidants. These have been shown to protect sperm and eggs from DNA damage and oxidative stress. A study involving 15,396 participants, which looked at how different diets affect fertility, showed that sticking to the Mediterranean diet improved birth and pregnancy rates significantly, with a 91% higher chance of success. This diet is also high in fibre and rich in vitamins and minerals that support fertility and pregnancy. Think lots of veg, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, pulses, olive oils, avocados and oily fish. 2. Eats foods high in antioxidants Eating a diet rich in a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables can provide a wide range of antioxidants that support fertility and overall health. Think making a rainbow on your plate. Foods high in antioxidants include fruits (such as berries, apples, and citrus fruits), vegetables (such as broccoli, spinach, kale, and carrots), nuts, seeds, and whole grains. 3. Increase intake of plant-based proteins In general, you should focus on lowering your intake of red and processed animal meats and focus on adding plant-based protein sources into your diet.  This can include fertility-friendly and micronutrient-rich beans, lentils, peas, soya beans, and chickpeas. Plant-based protein sources help to support healthy ovulation and are high in antioxidants and nutrients, such as iron and fibre, which are really important during pregnancy.  Low iron levels can add to your tiredness or even could cause iron deficiency anaemia. Iron deficiency during pregnancy can increase the risk of pregnancy complications. It is also important to keep your iron uptake up postpartum too, to replace any iron lost at birth.  You’ll also find some protein in whole grains such as quinoa. If you are opting for plant-based meat alternatives (‘fake meats’), choose a brand that is not ultra-processed and low in additives. 4. Cut down on sugar Cutting down on sugar can be beneficial for fertility. This is because too much sugar can lead to insulin sensitivity, disrupting certain reproductive hormones and causing inflammation. Insulin spikes have been associated with poor egg quality and sperm production and could affect implantation. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2018 found that women who consumed two or more servings of sugary drinks per day had a 50% higher risk of ovulatory infertility compared to those who consumed less than one serving per month. Reducing sugar intake and opting for a balanced, low-glycemic index diet can help improve insulin sensitivity and overall reproductive health. Limit sugary foods and high glycemic index foods such as cakes, biscuits, fizzy drinks, energy drinks, sweets, white rice and white bread. Check the labels for high sugar content. 5. Take pregnancy supplements Folic acid Folic acid is an important supplement during pregnancy because it decreases a risk called neural tube defects. This is a defect that can occur during the development of the baby’s brain and spine.  If you are currently trying to become pregnant, it is advised to take at least 400 mcg of folic acid supplement every day for 12 weeks before conception and for at least three months after conceiving. Some people are at an increased risk of their baby having a neural tube defect and so it is advisable to speak with your doctor as they may recommend and prescribe you a higher dose.  Prenatal vitamins Prenatal vitamins typically contain a combination of various vitamins and minerals that are important for both maternal and foetal health. While folic acid is a main component of prenatal vitamins, these vitamins usually contain a range of other nutrients as well.  These include iron, calcium, vitamin D and other essential vitamins and minerals needed to support maternal health and the baby’s development during pregnancy. Tip: More often than not, doctors will suggest taking prenatal vitamins instead of just folic acid supplements because they cover a wider range of needs for both mum and baby’s health. However, it’s essential to consult with your doctor to determine the most appropriate approach for your unique needs.  6. Take Vitamin D for pregnancy  A previous study has shown that both men’s and women’s vitamin D levels impact fertility and IVF results. It showed that Vitamin D supplements reduce risks for mums and babies, might prevent bone problems, and play a role in foetal development.  How much Vitamin D should I take? It’s recommended that all adults at all stages of life should supplement with 10 micrograms a day of Vitamin D, in the UK. This is particularly true if you are trying to conceive, or you are pregnant—so be sure to supplement right through from the preconception period to breastfeeding.  Prenatal vitamins often contain vitamin D, but the amount can vary […]

Why Should I Test My Hormones?-image

Why Should I Test My Hormones?

Hormones help to regulate almost all of the body’s processes, including reproductive health and fertility. Testing your hormones regularly can give you insights into your overall health and help you track changes in your menstrual cycle and fertility over time. Here we’ve broken down which hormones you should test and why.  Quick facts: What are hormones? Put simply, hormones are small chemical messengers that travel through the blood to different parts of your body. They help control many different functions from growth and development to metabolism, the menstrual cycles, fertility and mood, just to name a few. Hormones are made by special cells in the endocrine system. Some of the major endocrine glands are: Why are sex hormones important? Sex hormones are a group of hormones that help to regulate the female and male reproductive organs and fertility. They are important not only for reproductive health but for overall health too—often having multiple functions within the body.  The main hormones involved in the female reproductive system are:  Thyroid hormones can also impact your levels of reproductive hormones. Why do you need to test your hormones? Hormones are often involved in complex feedback loops with one another. This means if one hormone gets off balance, it can often disrupt the whole system and bring about multiple, often overlapping symptoms.  Our hormones are also changing constantly, as we age and in response to things like lifestyle factors, medications or external stresses. A change in your hormone levels could be the reason you’re feeling sluggish or slightly emotional, explain your irregular periods or why you’re struggling to get pregnant. Our hormone levels can give us insight into both our overall reproductive health, show our risk factors for certain conditions, explain any unwanted symptoms, or indicate the health of our ovarian reserve and fertility.  Which hormones should I test? Which hormones you need to test and monitor will depend on your individual medical history, symptoms, biometrics and fertility goals. Luckily, our Online Health Assessment is built on a proprietary algorithm that does the leg work for you, recommending you hormone panel personalised to you.  Let’s take a look at each of the main female sex hormones and what testing them could tell you.  Follicle-stimulating hormone One of the main hormones that regulate the menstrual cycle and fertility is follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). Its main job is to stimulate your ovaries each month to mature a set of follicles (the sacs that house the immature eggs) into mature eggs.  If FSH gets out of balance, ovulation can be affected, negatively impacting fertility and causing irregular cycles.  FSH levels increase with age. High FSH is usually an indication that ovarian reserver is declining and more FSH is needed to encourage your eggs to grow. This is why monitoring FSH can help you understand the health of your ovaries.  FSH levels will slowly increase with age as your ovarian reserve declines. When your ovarian reserve is finally depleted (and menopause occurs), FSH levels become substantially elevated. This is why FSH is used as an indicator of menopause.  Persistently high FSH levels in someone younger than 40, along with irregular periods and vasomotor symptoms, could indicate premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). This is when someone experiences menopause before the age of 40. FSH levels are usually not recommended as an indicator of menopause beyond the age of 45. Oestrogen (Oestradiol) Oestrogen is an important hormone for the growth and maturation of eggs and the thickening of the uterus lining each cycle. It’s also incredibly important for overall health, regulating bone, heart, skin and hair health, as well as mood.  Oestrogen is made by the ovaries, so monitoring oestrogen levels gives a good indication of how well your ovaries, and menstrual cycle in general, are functioning. Oestrogen levels will fluctuate and eventually significantly drop when your ovarian reserve becomes depleted and menopause occurs. Low oestrogen levels are therefore linked with many symptoms of menopause, such as dry skin and hair, vaginal dryness, hot flushes, brain fog, night sweats, difficulty falling asleep and fatigue.  Luteinising hormone (LH) LH is the hormone responsible for triggering ovulation, which is the release of the mature egg from an ovary each month.  If your LH levels are too low or too high, it can interfere with ovulation. High LH levels are often seen in those with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which can cause irregular ovulation and issues with periods and fertility. Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH)  is a super important hormone for fertility and overall reproductive health. AMH is made by the small sacs, called follicles, in your ovaries. These follicles house your eggs.  Since AMH is made by the follicles, your AMH levels can therefore give you an insight into your ovarian reserve, or how many eggs you have at the time of testing.  We were all born with all of the eggs we’ll ever have, and as we age, both our egg quality and quantity decline. Generally, our AMH levels will decline with age as our egg count diminishes, unless we have an underlying condition or lifestyle factor which is affecting our AMH levels (like PCOS).  High AMH levels can be an indicator of polycystic ovaries and can be used to diagnose PCOS based on recently updated clinical guidelines. On the other hand, low AMH along with high FSH and low oestrogen is usually an indicator of low ovarian reserve.  AMH is often also used to predict someone’s chances of success during fertility treatment, such as egg freezing and IVF. However, it’s important to remember that AMH can only tell you about the quantity, and not the quality, of your eggs. Testosterone Testosterone can be converted to produce the wonder hormone oestrogen and is also associated with libido, maintaining muscle mass, vaginal health, breast health and bone health.  High levels of testosterone can cause symptoms such as excess body and facial hair, acne, and irregular or absent periods. These symptoms are often seen in women with PCOS which can cause high testosterone. […]

How Alcohol Affects your Hormones-image

How Alcohol Affects your Hormones

When our reproductive hormone levels are affected, it can cause menstrual cycle disruptions that can result in fertility issues. In this article, we’ll take a look at alcohol’s effects on the main female reproductive hormones. Quick facts: How alcohol and hormones interact According to recent data, women and those assigned-female-at-birth are, on average, drinking more alcohol than ever before. Whilst many people are aware of the immediate health consequences of drinking—including the caloric impact and the dreaded hangover, there’s still very limited awareness of the effects that alcohol can have on female hormonal health.  Hormones act as chemical messengers, which control and coordinate various bodily processes. Each of our hormones relies on a complex system of interactions, often with other hormones, to maintain their levels and carry out their intended functions.  Drinking alcohol, as well as other lifestyle factors like smoking, can affect our hormones, both directly and indirectly. Which hormones are affected by alcohol? Hormones affected by alcohol include: Our hormones are sensitive. They rely on a complex set of interactions, both with one another and other bodily processes in order to stay in balance and perform their functions properly.  Alcohol consumption is known to affect our levels of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone significantly—three very important hormones in the regulation of the menstrual cycle and overall health. It can also affect our levels of Anti-müllerian Hormone (AMH), gonadotropins like Follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and Lutenising hormone (LH), thyroid hormones and prolactin.  Let’s take a look at each of them in turn. Oestrogen and alcohol Oestrogen is probably the hormone you know best—it plays an important role in many elements of our health, including the regulation of the menstrual cycle, maintaining bone density and skin health. Acute consumption of alcohol has been shown to increase oestrogen levels. Increased oestrogen levels over a prolonged period can be associated with breast cancer development in those assigned-female-at-birth. The United Kingdom Million Women Study revealed that every additional drink per day contributed to 11 breast cancers per 1,000 women up to age 75. Progesterone and alcohol Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinising hormone (LH), are involved in egg maturation and ovulation, two key elements of the menstrual cycle and female fertility. A surge in your levels of LH triggers the egg to be ovulated, however, there is some evidence that alcohol consumption may affect both the levels of LH in general and the ability of the egg to respond to LH. Excessive alcohol consumption may even affect how the cells within the fallopian tubes function. Testosterone and alcohol Testosterone is typically associated with male sexual development and fertility, but it also plays an important role in female sexual development and fertility, including regulating female libido.  There is some evidence that moderate alcohol consumption may increase testosterone levels, causing an imbalance in androgen levels. High testosterone levels can lead to symptoms like acne, excessive facial and body hair growth (hirsutism), irregular periods, mood changes and loss of libido. Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) and alcohol AMH is produced by the granulosa cells within your ovarian follicles and is used as an indicator of ovarian reserve (your egg count). The relationship between alcohol consumption and AMH is slightly contentious. Some studies have found no change in AMH levels in people who consumed alcohol but more recent studies have shown those who engage in “binge drinking” had lower levels of AMH.  Binge drinking is defined by the Centres for disease control (CDC) as “a pattern of drinking that brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration (BAC) to 0.08 g/dl or above”. Basically, consuming 4 or more drinks in the space of 2 hours.  Because of AMH’s close ties to your ovarian reserve, lowered AMH levels can indicate a low ovarian reserve. Gonadotropins and alcohol There are two types of gonadotropin hormones in the body—Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Both FSH and LH are involved in egg maturation and ovulation, two key elements of the menstrual cycle and female fertility.  A surge in LH levels at the midpoint of the menstrual cycle is what triggers ovulation—that month’s mature egg being released into the Fallopian tube.  There is some evidence that suggests alcohol consumption may increase LH levels in general and also impair the ability of our eggs to respond to LH. Excessive alcohol consumption may also affect how the cells within the Fallopian tubes function. Thyroid hormones and alcohol Your thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland that plays an important role in the regulation of many different bodily functions such as your heart rate, body temperature and growth development.  Alcohol consumption has been shown to alter the levels of the thyroid hormones, thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) with heavy use showing decreased levels of T3 and T4. Low levels of thyroid hormones are known as hypothyroidism and can cause a huge number of symptoms including fatigue, weight gain, heavy or irregular periods, fertility issues and irregular ovulation, depression and more. Prolactin and alcohol Chronic alcohol consumption is associated with increased prolactin levels. Consistently high levels of prolactin in your body is called hyperprolactinemia and is significantly associated with infertility through interference with other hormones such as oestrogen and progesterone. Alcohol and trying to conceive When trying to conceive, cutting down on your drinking is often one of the first things on your preconception to-do list. The dangerous effects of alcohol on the developing foetus can range from physical to mental and generally disrupt their development in the womb (see foetal alcohol syndrome).  It is also known that alcohol consumption affects the success of IVF treatment, with one study showing people who had at least four drinks per week were 16% less likely to have a live birth than those who had less than four drinks. Additionally, a 21% lower live birth rate was found for couples in which both drank more than four drinks per week. Other effects of alcohol on the body As well as impacting our hormones, alcohol has other broad-reaching effects on the body and the […]