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Couples’ pre-pregnancy caffeine consumption linked to miscarriage risk NIH study finds daily multivitamin before and after conception greatly reduces miscarriage risk.   A woman is more likely to miscarry if she and her partner drink more than two caffeinated beverages a day during the weeks leading up to conception, according to a new study from researchers at the National Institutes of Health and Ohio State University, Columbus. Similarly, women who drank more than two daily caffeinated beverages during the first seven weeks of pregnancy were also more likely to miscarry. “Our findings provide useful information for couples who are planning a pregnancy and who would like to minimize their risk for early pregn...

As we reported in September, St Jude’s successfully overturned a HFEA proposal not to renew the clinic’s license. We are pleased to continue providing a full range of fertility and healthcare services to couples across the Midlands, as we have done for over ten years. Below is a BBC Midlands Today report which comments on the licensing decision and profiles one of our patients and her beautiful daughter, who celebrated her first birthday on Christmas Eve.      ...

We have another inspirational fertility success story to share with you today from our former patients, Jo and Rob Hope.   Jo (36) and her husband Rob both live in Staffordshire and had tried for a baby for 4 years before contacting St. Jude’s Clinic in Wolverhampton for fertility help. In this interview, Jo explains what happened during their fertility journey.   When did you first start trying to conceive and how long was it before you decided to seek help through fertility services?   Myself and my husband Rob started trying for a baby in 2002, we got married in 2000 and thought the time was right. By 2005, nothing had happened, so we went to see our GP.  He referred us to have blood tests, spe...

     One of our former patients, Lynette Heaps along with her husband Brian, has kindly agreed to let us share their fertility success story with you, in the hope that it will inspire and help you if you’re going through fertility treatment yourself.   Lynette (age 35) and Brian (age 46) have been together for 11 years and were trying to conceive for 4 years before going through ICSI treatment here at St Jude’s Clinic. In this interview, Lynette explains some of the defining moments in their fertility journey…   When did you first start trying to conceive and how long was it before you decided to seek help through fertility services?   We started trying to conceive around 2007 an...

It gives us great pleasure to announce that the HFEA's proposal not to renew our license has been overturned unanimously by an appeals panel. We are pleased to say that it is business as usual for St Jude's. We continue to offer our full range of services to both new and old patients. We are grateful for the support of all our patients, friends and family. Thank you all. Mr J. ADEGHE PR & Medical Director

1. Attend for review with your Specialist/Consultant and ask specific questions: His or her opinion on possible causes responsible for treatment failure What further tests should be performed to throw more light on possible underlying causes Was the endometrial thickness adequate durng treatment cycles? Was embryo development satisfactory If Blastocyst culture indicated? Would seeking a second opinion help? 2. Investigations to Consider: Blood test for Thyroid Function - TSH, Thyroxine, Thyroglobulin Antibodies, Thyroid Peroxidase antibodies Full Blood Count - Haemoglobin level and other indices Blood test for Vitamin D & Calcium levels Infectio...

Snippets of fertility wisdom from the Practice Committee of the Society for Reproductive Medicine in collaboration with the Society for Endocrinology & Infertility Clinicians are often asked to provide advice about sexual and lifestyle practices to enhance the chances of achieving a pregnancy in couples trying for a pregnancy who have no evidence of infertility. Currently there are no uniform counselling guidelines or evidence-based recommendations available. This is the first part of a series of “blogs” to highlight some salient points based on a consensus of expert opinion. The expert opinion is from the Practice Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine in collaboration with the Society for R...