My husband and I have been thinking about kids.
We’re doing it now, not just because everyone around us seems to be doing it, but because at 35 and 40, and having spent over 15 years in demanding freelance careers, it suddenly dawned on us that if it was something we wanted, we really should start thinking about it now.
Like many heterosexual couples, we started with that classic phrase: “We’re not actively trying, but we’re not not trying.”
Eight months later, I wasn’t pregnant. My hormones had become unpredictable (who knew that the moment you start monitoring them, they can change?), and my periods had grown inexplicably shorter. I was starting to panic. Friends with babies offered advice from every direction, and I found myself overwhelmed and unsure where to turn.
That’s when I decided to take matters into my own hands. As a freelancer, I can’t afford to dive into a series of pricey consultations and scans without first understanding what I’m dealing with. So, I turned to Hertility Health. You might have heard of them — they’ve been making waves in the women’s health and fertility space since their launch in 2020.
Hertility is an online platform offering reproductive health assessments, with access to doctors and specialists nationwide. Their comprehensive testing doesn’t just assess fertility potential — it also screens for conditions like PCOS and endometriosis, all while taking your unique circumstances into account for a personalised picture of your health.
They provide clear, detailed results and have recently added a free follow-up consultation with a nurse to help interpret them.
As someone who’s previously received hormonal test results and had no clue what I was looking at, this follow-up call felt like a game-changer.
Yasmin, the nurse I spoke with, and most importantly a fertility expert, walked me through every detail: what my results meant, what each hormone does, and — crucially — the often misunderstood IVF funding regulations and how they are not a definitive marker of a couple’s overall fertility.
The outcome? I had gone into the process feeling terrified. I’d reworded the same Google searches dozens of times, trying to interpret what the numbers meant. Yasmin showed me that there was nothing to fear — and I ended the call in tears of relief.
In a short space of time, Yasmin really listened to my entire story: my NHS experience, the fertility options I’d explored, my relationship, and my lifestyle. Only then did she suggest a plan of action — one that was tailored specifically to me.
For the first time, I felt like I had some control over my journey.
There’s so much confusing information out there, but Yasmin explained things in a way that felt reassuring and grounded. I left feeling hopeful — not based on vague optimism, but on facts. And in the fertility world, that can be priceless.
When you’re trying to better understand your fertility or looking for guidance on a difficult path, services like Hertility Health are worth every penny.
Here are 8 things I wish I’d known from the start
- You have to make time for your fertility — mentally, emotionally, and logistically.
- Make sure you consult a professional who knows women’s health – whether that’s the right GP (you can request to speak to someone at your practice who understands this area well), or a specialist.
- Your AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone) isn’t the final word on your fertility — and despite what you may hear, it can go up as well as down!
- You can apply for grants for private IVF — or loans that get refunded if the treatment isn’t successful.
- There are ethical companies out there who are committed to providing information and guidance to help women conceive — Hertility Health and OVA, to name a couple!
- It’s almost unheard of for a woman to be truly infertile.
- Many women are going through or have been through the same things, so don’t be afraid to talk about it – there is most likely a wealth of information and tips in your social circle just waiting to be spread around!
- It’s okay to ask for help — early, often, and from people who know what they’re talking about.
