Straightforward solution to infertility for PCOS patient
When Katie Meacham and Elliot Curtis-Whitfield had difficulties conceiving a baby, 33-year-old Katie wasn’t surprised: she is among the 10 per cent of women in the UK living with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and, in common with one in four PCOS sufferers, she also has an underactive thyroid.
Katie said: “Either of these health conditions can disrupt a woman’s menstrual cycle and prevent ovulation. Since I had both, it wasn’t surprising that my periods weren’t regular.”
Katie, who is a support worker for adults with learning difficulties, and Elliott, a crash repairs mechanic, have been together 10 years and started trying for a baby when they moved in together four years ago in Yate.
Katie said: “We were referred for tests by our GP to Southmead Hospital, where we met with consultant Dr Alex Price.
“I was dismayed to discover I wasn’t eligible for NHS funding for fertility treatment because my BMI was too high - a very common side-effect of PCOS - but Dr Price suggested we consider private treatment, so we made an appointment at the Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine (BCRM).
“Their criteria allow for a higher BMI than the NHS (although they are are still within the guidelines issued by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority or HFEA) but even so I had to lose two-and-a-half stone before I could commence treatment.
“Scans revealed there were cysts on my ovaries and it became evident that the reason I wasn’t getting pregnant was because I was not producing any eggs.
“This meant that ahead of any considerations of IVF I was prescribed a course of medication to try and stimulate my ovaries.
“Once I’d started the drugs Elliott and I started trying again to conceive naturally, taking the clinic’s advice on timing in relation to my natural cycle, and were delighted when I fell pregnant on my very first round of medication.
“Baby Ada was born on 6 June – a C-section delivery because she was breach, after a straightforward pregnancy. We couldn’t be more delighted with our beautiful daughter.
“It all turned out to be so much simpler than I had feared,” said Katie.
“I genuinely had no idea this kind of treatment was available until I met Alex Price, and she and everyone else we came across at BCRM were all so very friendly and helpful, all the way through.
“If the time comes when we choose to try for a second baby, we would definitely follow the same route again with BCRM, and I think it’s reassuring for women with the same common health conditions as me to know that there can be such a relatively easy route to having a baby.”
BCRM www.fertilitybristol.com is the longest established fertility clinic in Bristol, helping people from throughout the South West and Wales with fertility treatment for both private and NHS patients. The clinic is involved in innovative research and has one of the best success rates with IVF and other fertility treatments in the UK.
