In the heartfelt final episode of this series—and the podcast—Kate hosts one last time, joined by fellow podcaster Kate Cocker, to explore happiness, positivity, and the emotional rollercoaster of the fertility journey. Do listen to the end as you'll also hear a message from Natalie, with a small ask about a survey we'd like you to complete.

Together, Kate and Kate reflect on the challenges of navigating hope and disappointment. Kate shares how the ups and downs can feel overwhelming, often leaving people afraid to hope for fear of being let down. It's an emotional struggle that can be all-consuming.

In response, Kate Cocker introduces The 7 Pillars of Happiness: be self-full, accept the now, practice gratitude, check your self-talk, make a rainbow, manage your energy, and clear your mind. These principles offer a foundation for finding joy and balance, even in difficult times.

This heartfelt conversation encourages you to seek out moments of happiness and hold onto them as a source of strength through your journey.

Tune in to this inspiring episode for wisdom, comfort, and practical advice to support you on your path.

OUR SPONSOR:

We are delighted that the current series is being sponsored by Proceive who are kindly offering all listeners to The Fertility Podcast 15% off any Procieve purchase, when you use the discount code FP15.

Socials:

Follow @YourFertilityNurse on Instagram

Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on Instagram

Check these out!

https://www.thepresentercoach.co.uk/

https://www.instagram.com/thepresentercoach/ and https://www.instagram.com/officialeverydaypositivity/

Every Day Positivity Podcast available on Spotify

Survey Link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScBD3cObrjlqP9KQzYVeRL4m9jjTTtk403oiX7jsaLQ-FRW2Q/viewform?usp=sf_link

Also please check out the archive episodes of The Fertility Podcast as we also have:

Getting Pregnancy Ready: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/getting-pregnancy-ready/id1642701326

Pregnancy Loss:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pregnancy-loss/id1608905862

Male Fertility:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/male-fertility/id1608905647

Donor Conception and Surrogacy: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/donor-conception-and-surrogacy/id1609413884

Infertility Support:

In this episode, the penultimate episode that Kate is hosting, Kate is joined by Professor Tim Child.

Tim is Associate Professor of Reproductive Medicine at the University of Oxford. He has published more than 100 research papers, and has brought new treatments and techniques to the UK, increasing both the success and safety of fertility treatment.

In 2021, he was appointed by the Secretary of State for Health to the board of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), the UK’s regulator of assisted conception treatment and research. Tim Chairs its Scientific and Clinical Advances Advisory Committee (SCAAC), responsible for the IVF Add-Ons traffic light system.

And not only that but Kate and Tim worked together many moons ago in Oxford, and Tim was rather partial to Kate’s homemade strawberry cheese cake!

So, Tim is here to talk all things IVF Add-ons with us and I’m sure you’ll agree he’s absolutely best placed to do so!

Kate and Tim discuss exactly what are IVF add ons, whether you should be using them, how they are graded and the importance of making the right decision for you with as much information from your doctor as possible.

The pair also discuss the rise of misinformation on social media, how to filter through this fake information and where to find evidence based information. Go and take a look at Tim’s excellent Instagram account where he shares so much top quality information to help you along your fertility journey.

Thanks for joining

OUR SPONSOR:

We are delighted that the current series is being sponsored by Proceive who are kindly offering all listeners to The Fertility Podcast 15% off any Procieve purchase, when you use the discount code FP15.

Socials:

Follow @YourFertilityNurse on Instagram

Follow @TheFertilityPodcast on Instagram

Follow Natalie Silverman she / her (@fertilitypoddy) • Instagram photos and videos on Instagram

Follow Fertility Doctor (@drtimchild) • Instagram photos and videos on Instagram

Find HFEA: UK fertility regulator website

Back to The Fertility Podcast archive for this episode to celebrate the release of the Netflix movie 'Joy' - Natalie has shared a conversation she had Connie Orbach about how she started her research to curate the British Science Museum's exhibition about the story of IVF.

What was discussed:

• Connie herself admitted how she didn't realize how much content she would find in the archives from Leslie Brown, regarding the correspondence she received from all around the world.
• Connie talked about Jean Purdy who I've learned all about over the last couple of weeks and she is talked about as being IVF's forgotten pioneer, despite being written about by Patrick Steptoe and Robert Edwards as one of the three of them.
• Connie has written a really good blog here Jean was hired as a lab technician however she was tasked with managing the laboratory and in reality, she did much more. Jean Purdy was not just central to the running of the lab but also to the scientific work. Connie and I spoke about whether her gender meant she was taken less seriously by reporters? Possibly, seeing as she was recorded in the photos as being the 'midwife'.
• Was her role as a lab technician seen as unimportant next to that of the surgeon and the scientist? This is so ironic seeing as she is credited with first discovering the blastocyst embryo stage, one of the key breakthroughs in our understanding of an embryo's development.
• Whatever the reason, it was not for lack of trying from Edwards. He repeatedly emphasized Purdy’s importance and unsuccessfully lobbied her name to be added to the commemorative plaque placed at the site of their original clinic. Read more in Connie's blog and here are some other articles that are written for the exhibition
• Sally Cheshire, chair of the HFEA has also written a blog for the exhibition. Martin Johnson discussing the challenges faced by Bob Edwards developing IVF.
• Gareth Downs on the male perspective: Bristol Archives wrote a blog recently about receiving the Lesley Brown Archive

Follow @YourFertilityNurse on Instagram

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