My Fertility Story

When did your fertility journey start?  

My fertility journey started in 2019 and consisted of meeting with my doctor for initial investigations and blood tests. When the results came back, one of the markers was suspicious. Given my age, the time we had been trying to conceive already and other symptoms (such as irregular periods), we were referred straightaway to a fertility clinic in our local NHS hospital for further blood tests, sample tests, ultrasounds and a Hydrosalpinx ultrasound. 

If you don’t mind disclosing, what sort of treatments did you explore?  

The first treatments followed in 2020 after a six month delay due to Covid-19. The main infertility cause identified was polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which is actually fairly common as it affects an estimated 8–13% of reproductive-aged women. Doctors quickly identified that I needed support to induce ovulation and the treatment (which consisted of tablets alongside regular monitoring scans) worked well on me to re-established a regular ovulation in my cycles, and I got pregnant after a few cycles.  

Unfortunately, due to recurrent miscarriages and the inability to properly dose my treatment after a number of cycles, I had to transition to In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), which ended up being successful after a few rounds.   

Did you feel able to speak about your journey with friends, family or other support communities?  

Yes, and frankly it was absolutely critical in my fertility journey to have this circle of friends and family who could listen and support me. Also, finding the right resources (podcasts, Instagram accounts) and connecting with other people experiencing the same situation was also super important. 

Do you feel like fertility is a taboo subject?  

It does remain taboo for sure, even though most people are now directly or indirectly exposed to infertility. Most people have a sister, a cousin, a friend or colleague going through fertility treatment. People are often misinformed about the causes and the physical and emotional consequences.  

They are also often pretty unaware of what they should not say to someone with infertility (e.g. “just adopt”, “you can always do IVF”, “you need to relax and go on holiday. All that stressing is causing your infertility”). 

What do you think about Ocado’s new Fertility Policy? 

I am very pleased to hear that Ocado is launching a new fertility policy, allowing employees to take time off to attend fertility treatments. That period of time can be very intense, both physically and emotionally. I do hope that further measures will be available in the future. Treatments can be extremely expensive and NHS funding is not always accessible to everyone - and often requires postponing treatment for a few years, due to long waiting lists.  

Any other comments or thoughts you’d like to share?  

1 out of every 6 people will experience infertility in their lifetime and sadly this number is unlikely to decrease! If you are facing fertility issues yourself: 

• Identify the right friends, colleagues, family members to talk to, you are not alone. 
• Don’t wait for too long before being investigated, the treatments can take a while to kick off!
• Try to be as informed as possible on the available treatments, the varied physical and emotional impacts and resources required e.g. time and money. Consider your options (there is always more than one!).  
• Be conscious that the initial treatment might not be the right one for you and it may be a long journey, hence the importance of having the right circle of support in the background.