your great life

The Fertility Focus Telesummit is back for 2012

Sarah Holland's Fertility Focus Telesummit launches on the 12th of March. I spoke at last year's Telesummit, and listened to every one of the other speakers, so I believe I can vouch for this worthwhile event. Click here for more information about how you can register for the Telesummit.

This is how it works. The Telesummit is an amazing “virtual event.” It will feature fertility experts from around the world sharing their knowledge and insights on a wide range of fertility subjects. You can listen in to all the information-packed presentations either online or over the phone every day of the Telesummit, starting on March 12th.

Grab your place now to attend this exciting event for free and get fully informed about what you can do to improve your chances of having a baby. Click here for details of all the expert presentations, each covering a different aspect of infertility and all offering great advice, ideas and solutions to help you move further towards becoming a parent.

Careless lab error could destroy a couple's baby hopes

The Daily Mail has reported that a fertility clinic in South Wales has accidentally destroyed a batch of 10 exceptional quality donor eggs belonging to a couple that had been trying to conceive for 7 years. The eggs had been donated by the woman's sister after previous IVF using her own eggs failed. The couple, in their mid-30's, were devastated to learn of the accident by telephone when they returned home from the clinic. All of the eggs had been stored in the same pipette, which was broken when a clinic employee knocked it against a microscope.

Simple human error? Just one of those very unlucky things? Apparently this is not a one-time incident that has cost a patient dearly. The HFEA is reportedly very concerned about the standard of care at the clinic, which also recently destroyed sperm stored by cancer patients for future use. Legal proceedings are being brought against the clinic by the couple involved, who are also calling for a rigorous investigation to prevent this happening to others. The question remains whether the HFEA, the regulatory authority for IVF and other fertility treatment in the UK, is in fact able to effect changes when there is a pattern of poor standards of care and service? Voicing concern is clearly insufficient. It would be understandable if the donor in this case is unwilling to put herself through the hormone treatment and egg retrieval process a second time as a result of this blunder, but perhaps her love and generosity of spirit will prevail. I can only hope that the couple involved finds a new fertility clinic in which they can build trust.

A Biblical story of infertility is not so different from today

Yesterday was the beginning of the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashana; a day on which Jews all over the world begin an annual 10-day period of reflection and repentance. During the service I attended yesterday, the Haftarah reading was a selection from the Prophet Samuel:

A man from Ramataim, named Elkanah, had two wives; Hannah and Peninah. Peninah had children, but Hannah was childless. "The Eternal One had shut her womb." When Elkanah went to worship God, he offered a sacrifice, then offered portions to Peninah and her sons and daughters, but gave a special portion to Hannah, who he loved most.

Peninah would torment Hannah constantly, year after year, about being barren. Hannah would weep and not eat out of grief for the children she didn't have. Elkanah, her husband, would ask:

Why do you weep?

Why don't you eat?

Why are you so unhappy?

Am I not better to you than 10 sons?

Hannah prayed to God in bitter grief: "Take notice of my affliction. Keep me in your mind. Do not forget about me, your loyal maidservant. If you give me a son, I will dedicate him to You for life and no razor shall touch his head."

Hannah prayed silently, but her lips moved, and she was taken to be a drunk by the man at the temple. He told her to get a hold of herself. She explained, "I am a woman distressed in spirit. I have been pouring out my soul before the Eternal One, speaking of my abundant sorrow and torment." The man wished her well and she left to return home with her family.

Once home, Elkanah and Hannah made love and God remembered her. At the turn of the year, Hannah conceived and gave birth to a son, who she named Samuel.

My mind tends to drift a lot during long services like the one on Rosh Hashana, but this story had my full attention. While the language was a bit dated in the way that Biblical readings are, and multiple wives are no longer acceptable, the rest of the story could have been written about a couple today. Hannah felt unfulfilled and lonely without a child of her own, despite having a husband who loved her, a family structure around her and her faith. No amount of special treatment could make the difference to her. She could not understand why others had been blessed and she had not, especially when a spiteful, mean cow like Peninah had been granted the gift of motherhood. Hannah's grief overshadowed everything else in her life and threatened the intimacy and bond in her marriage.

It interested me too, that Elkanah is cast as a loving, but somewhat clueless sidekick, rather than an intuitive, understanding partner. He couldn't see that their marital relationship, while close and true, couldn't take away the deep yearning Hannah felt to mother a child. This may be because Hannah didn't open up to her husband about her feelings; she saved that for God. Hannah walked around, making her misery known by crying and refusing food and expecting Elkanah to read her mind. Surely, he should understand that she felt confused about why she hadn't been granted a child by the God she loyally worshipped, hurt and resentful that he had children with another woman, humiliated by the insensitivity and cruelty of the other woman, and unsupported by her partner.

What does all of this tell us?

• The urge to mother is primal.
• Relationships, good and bad, work in much the same way they always have. It just takes more honest communication to breach the gaps. Keeping ourselves to ourselves leaves our demeanor and actions open for interpretation by others.
• Sometimes, letting someone in on what you are going through brings understanding and support you need.
• It's always better to rise above, with personal strength and self-respect, than to lower ourselves to the level of a person lacking in generosity of spirit.
• When we have exhausted all our own resources in pursuing what we want, it's human nature to fall back on hope and faith. It keeps us going when we think all is lost.
• We have come a long way, with modern science and medicine giving us more options than simply prayer to help provide the family life we want to create, and for that we should be grateful.
• That sometimes miracles do happen, for which we have to supply our own explanations.

I love happy endings: A fertility fairy tale come true

Once upon a time, a young woman from Oxfordshire experienced premature ovarian failure at the age of 24 and thought she could never have children. She told her partner that it might be best for them to part, but he pledged his undying love for her and together, they went on a quest for a solution. They appealed to the local PCT for help, but were turned away on the basis of their age. When they thought all hope was lost, not one, but two, heroes came along to offer them a solution. Claire's sister offered to donate her eggs to the couple and a private hospital offered to perform the IVF procedure for free. The Cousins now have 2 children. The end.

Okay, so that's the fairy tale, with a damsel in distress, a villain, a heroine and the knight in shining armour, but the real story isn't far off. Claire Cousins tried to conceive for 2 years before being diagnosed with premature ovarian failure in 2009. She was told that the only way that she could conceive would be with donor eggs and IVF, however, when she and her husband Gary applied for the treatment through their local Primary Care Trust in Oxfordshire, they were turned down. While the general NHS guidelines permit funding of IVF for women between the ages of 23 and 39, Oxfordshire PCT restricted funding to those between the ages of 35 and 38 on the grounds of their budget. Despite the support of their GP and local MP, their appeals were turned down. The PCT later decided to expand its offering to women from the age of 30, but this still did not help the Cousins. They didn't have the £5,500 it would have cost to pay for the treatment privately.

Nearly three years on, and the Cousins are now a family of four. After some publicity, a private hospital stepped in and offered Claire the fertility treatment for free. Claire and Gary were able to have two children with the use of her sister's donated eggs.

This is just one case that demonstrates the uneven-handedness with which NHS funds are doled out by the various PCTs in the postcode lottery. While the PCTs must use some criteria in their decision-making, shouldn't there be space for them to apply them on an individual basis and make exceptions? Using strict criteria such as a specific age range does not always work, as demonstrated by the Cousins' case. Isn't it just like bureaucrats to tell a 24 year old that she is too young for IVF on the NHS, when she has already hit menopause and has no hope of having children without IVF? (Most women will go through menopause after the age of 45.) This wasn't about a lifestyle choice or misuse of funds, but of necessity. The system and those who run it are merely made to look foolish by these cases of thoughtless application of rules.

Stepmums can be denied NHS fertility treatment

This morning on The Wright Stuff, presenter Matthew Wright posed the question whether stepmums should be denied IVF treatment because they have (someone else's) children in their life. This isn't the first time I have heard of this. There have been occasions in the past when Primary Care Trusts (PCT) have denied fertility treatment to women whose husbands already had a child, albeit with another woman, or who have had children themselves in previous relationships. It's an example of bureaucratic policy making that doesn't take into account the human experience of the people it is meant to serve.

Susi Henson, a 33-year old woman has been denied IVF because her partner has a 20-year old son from a previous relationship who she has never even met.  This seems like blind adherance to a rule that does not take into account her medical condition, Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, that prevents her from conceiving. The Nottinghamshire County PCT has ignored the true facts surrounding this woman's childless status, in favour of a view that this is not a "childless couple."  However, in no way could Susi Henson ever be considered to have had the opportunity to parent her partner's child, considering that he is only 13 years younger than she is and lives in Wales. 

Some of the points made by Wright and his guests, including Anne Diamond, concerned the limited NHS budget, whether everyone has a right to have children, whether everyone who needs IVF should be able to access it free and how many cycles of IVF should be alotted per patient. There will always be controversy, as long as individual PCTs can use their own criteria for eligibility. For instance, Wright mentioned that about one-third of PCTs will allow patients who are smokers to access IVF, even though smoking is known to inhibit conception, raise the chances of miscarriage and impact upon the health of the foetus during pregnancy and after birth. It is, perhaps, the uneven and confusing allocation of fertility treatment that galls people the most. 

A caller to the programme, Katie, was also denied IVF which she needed due to blocked fallopian tubes because her partner had adult children.  She eventually managed to save the money for private treatment and is now the mother of a 5-month old baby, but considers the financial hardship it caused to be unfair.  Susi Henson phoned in to the show to say that she has received a lot of public support, as well as a phone call from one of the policy-makers who has promised to review her case and the PCT's policies on IVF treatment. However, the policies are only reviewed in April each year. Matthew Wright emphasized the inadequacy of this offer, pointing out that the delay of nearly a year could negatively impact upon Henson's chance of conceiving, as age is an essential aspect of a woman's fertility.

Even if a woman is the stepmother to her partner's young children, and partially responsible for their upbringing, should she be denied the ability to have her own children? By definition, those children have, or had, a mother already. Step-parenting can be difficult and is not always loving or even cooperative, depending upon the degree of amicability between the estranged parents of the children involved, custodial arrangements and other emotional factors. While step-parenting may fulfil some women's needs, others will never see it as an adequate replacement for the experience of giving birth to, raising and loving her own children. Further, it is entirely natural for a couple to want to create a family of their own.

If a woman meets all other criteria for fertility treatment on the NHS, and it is deemed medically necessary in order for her to conceive, it seems cruel and unjust to deny her that chance. Most women have no inkling of their infertility until they have begun trying to conceive, therefore, they will not had the chance to take it into account when agreeing to marry someone who already has children from a previous relationship.  Ironically, they may have had an easier time accessing NHS treatment is they were single, as many PCT's will allow IVF to single women.  This is symbolic of the incoherence and uneven-handedness of the present policies existing across the UK. If we are to ensure a fair allocation of NHS funds for fertility treatment, wouldn't it be better to look at the people concerned and make more individual decisions? Matthew Wright thinks an IVF ombudsman could work. I like the idea of individual, people-centred decision making, but I imagine I can already hear cries of alarm about the cost involved in that: how many IVF procedures could have been paid for with the salary of the ombudsmen?   

You know about the National Lottery and Euromillions, but have you heard of the IVF Lottery?

We are used to hearing about how the National Lottery or Euromillions has changed someone’s life, but have you ever contemplated a lottery that can actually result in new life? The UK charity, To Hatch, has just been granted a license by the Gambling Commission, allowing it to sell lottery tickets online. The prize, to be awarded monthly, is £25,000 worth of bespoke fertility treatment at one of the UK’s top clinics.  Camille Strachan, the founder of To Hatch, has told the media that the lottery is more like a raffle, open to single, gay and older people as well as couples who have not been able to conceive.  She explained “This is not a wacky stunt; it is about helping desperate people who cannot afford to go [for fertility treatment] privately.”

Criticism has been harsh - The plans for the IVF lottery were released to the media this week, prompting a flurry of comments by spokesmen from public interest groups and regulators, including the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA), the British Fertility Society (BFS) and Comment on Reproductive Ethics.  All three voiced concern and negativity, the HFEA’s position that “using IVF as the prize in a lottery is wrong and entirely inappropriate.” While headlines branded it the “win a baby” monthly lottery, what is really being offered is access to treatment and a few conveniences such as accommodation in a luxury hotel, chauffeur-driven transportation from the hotel to the fertility clinic and a mobile phone for constant contact with doctors. 

A dream come true? - On the face of it, that all sounds like a dream come true for anyone who has failed to access fertility treatment through the National Health Service (NHS) due to age, the birth of previous children, their Primary Care Trust (PCT) insufficient budget or those who can’t afford private treatment.  There would be a dozen lottery winners a year and the profits, approximately 20% of ticket sales, would go to Strachan’s charity, To Hatch, which offers fertility information and advice to members.  Even for those who have already been footing the bill for IVF themselves, I anticipate that many would appreciate being pampered a bit while undergoing stressful treatment.  

The patient's perspective - Having felt the desperation associated with infertility myself, I will admit that if I was still trying to conceive I would be tempted to buy a ticket for the IVF lottery. After all, with a lottery win, the time I spent consulting different doctors, going for lab tests, crying over the failure of the NHS to offer me help, trying to find the money for treatment and choosing a clinic, could have been spent feeling lucky, supported and hopeful. Furthermore, this is in no way a chance to “win a baby” as the news headlines are screaming. At its best, this scheme offers someone who wants a baby, not only the chance to pay for treatment, but also the ease of access to quality treatment in the UK that Strachan will provide. Let’s not forget, that plenty of UK residents who have been frozen out by the NHS restrictions on fertility treatment look into fertility tourism schemes that require them to go to the US, other European countries and India for treatment. The risks presented by treatment abroad include the lack of continuity of care and the differing regulations regarding fertility treatment.

The most substantive concern over what the IVF Lottery will actually provide centres on the possibility that winners could access donor sperm, donor eggs or even the services of a surrogate to carry their baby. Josephine Quintavalle from Comment on Reproductive Ethics demanded to know “surely it is not legal to pay £20 to have access to another woman’s womb?” Isn’t she missing the point? The surrogate wouldn’t be paid £20. The proceeds of the lottery win would be used to compensate her appropriately, within the restrictions imposed by law.  Does it matter from whose pocket the compensation actually comes?  Furthermore, there is no suggestion that winners are guaranteed to conceive, give birth to or otherwise receive a healthy baby; participating doctors will still be governed by medical ethics and regulations.

Other schemes already exist to defray the costs of treatment, such as the practice of offering fertile, gay women free or discounted IVF in exchange for their surplus eggs, which are then “sold” to infertile patients at the clinic. This is euphamistically called "egg sharing." US fertility clinics run promotions offering free IVF, from which they build a mailing list, gain media attention and can claim to be philanthropic. One of these, the Fertility Treatment Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, is currently running a promotion on their website: “Enter to win a FREE IVF Cycle worth an estimated $15,000. Open to the first 100 guests ONLY...RSVP today!” This type of promotion has already made an appearance in the UK; earlier this year, the Genetics & IVF Institute in Virginia and the London Bridge Centre offered a free cycle of Donor IVF to one attendee of their joint seminar in London.  

If nothing else, the controversy over Strachan’s plans is positive; forcing more attention to be paid to the plight of those who can’t access appropriate fertility treatment in the UK.  We need to keep the spotlight on the medical, lifestyle and environmental causes of infertility, the inability of the NHS to meet the demand for fertility treatment and the advances in medical science that could allow more people to create families of choice.  I doubt that there would be this level of controversy if there was a cosmetic surgery lottery, a bariatric surgery lottery or a hip-replacement lottery.  When balancing the arguably sensational and gimmicky nature of a lottery against the hope and joy it could give someone who wants a baby, I would have difficulty pointing the finger of disapproval at anyone who decided to give it a try.

Making the choice to begin to feel better

Recently, I've been told by no less than 3 different people that they know someone who is suffering as a result of infertility or baby loss, but that the woman "won't talk to anyone about it." Apparently, each of these women has been living in turmoil for an extended period of time without either opening up to people in their private lives or seeking professional help. The question that hung in the air was why they seem to be choosing to prolong their suffering, rather than doing something about it. My answer? Simply, that it isn't always clear to us that we have a choice between feeling awful or feeling better.

When it hurts so much that you can't see straight - If everything seems too much to bear and you are unable to restore hopefulness, you can feel seriously lonely, despite what a partner, family or friends try to do to console and support you. Life can be thrown seriously out of balance when you let pain get such a strong foothold that there isn't room for anything or anyone else.  Negative emotions cause pain that can cloud your mind and interfere with your perspective and your ability to make decisions.

"I don't recognize myself!" - If you are finding it difficult to move forward during or after a painful episode of your life, it does not mean that you are weak.  The strongest person can be knocked off balance by a painful diagnosis of infertility or the loss of a baby they were already coming to know and love.  Sometimes it's the person with the most orderly, well-planned life, or the most confident, can-do attitude, who finds these situations the most difficult to overcome. It's an unequivocal reminder that there are things in life that are out of our control. It applies to everyone, and is nothing to be embarrassed about.

Letting the pain in, to get it out - Making the choice to begin to feel better usually entails acknowledging and experiencing the painful feelings first.  Compartmentalizing is a good technique when it comes to tasks, but doesn't work the same way when it comes to feelings. It may work for a little while to park your grief so you can "get on with things;" for example, shutting off thoughts of conception and pregnancy for the hours needed to fulfil your responsibilities at work. However, compartmentalizing too much can result in denial that there is anything wrong. This will just delay the experience of your anxieties and emotions. Likewise, if you have parked yourself in a place of anger, you may be delaying your acceptance and the healing and clarity that come with it. 

It can be really hard to move forward on your own - If you are asking "why don't I feel better yet?", "why can't I fix this?" or "why do I feel so helpless?", you will benefit from someone else's eyes and ears on the situation to bring a fresh perspective to it. If you find the word "should" cropping up, as in "I should be able to handle X on my own," chase it away. There are no rules; just do what works. If you recognize that you need a little help, don't let pride get in the way. In business, or with any team, it's considered a strength to be able to have the best people on board, so adopt that philosophy in your personal life as well.

Create healthy coping mechanisms - I teach my clients how to cope with anxiety, disappointment and grief by:

• identifying and "owning" their feelings and fears;
• finding a good outlet to express those feelings and fears, whether in a coaching session, with their partner or friend, or by writing them in a journal;
• allowing themselves space to feel positive feelings, even if only once a day at first;
• taking one step at at time to restore normal activities; and
• to visualize how they would like to feel at certain points in the future.

They tell me that learning these coping mechanisms make them feel supported, stronger and more in control.  They are able to recognize that not everything in their life is awful, even if they are going through a particularly awful time. They are able to see that alternative solutions exist that can bring them the family that they dream of creating. They are able to make the best decisions they can for themselves.

Seeking help -  It may seem scary to talk about your most personal thoughts, feelings, needs and desires, but the weight of bearing those thoughts and feelings all by yourself is scary too.  Finding the right person, building rapport, empathy and trust is important. Test the waters by talking about an aspect of your situation that isn't the most complex or painful. Then step away from it and consider whether you got an empathetic and helpful response. If so, go back for more.  It will become easier in time. It's worth the risk; In doing so, you are making a positive choice to begin to feel better.

Bringing multiple births down

Sometimes the number of young twins I notice seems remarkable compared to the relative rarity of twins I knew from my own childhood. Double, and even triple, buggies seem to be everywhere. Both of my children have twin friends, and know a few others. Twins do run in families, usually a genetic predisposition from the mother's side. They are also more likely to occur in women of African descent. However, there are two additional reasons for the increase in twin births in the past 2 decades:

• First, women have been having children later than in previous generations. Twins occur more frequently as the mother's age rises at the conception of her children.
• Secondly, the increase in IVF and the implanting of more than one embryo per cycle has resulted in more twin births.

However, news reports this week have revealed that twin births are declining in the UK now.

You may wonder what difference it makes if women are having twins rather than single births. After all, it still has the novelty factor. Some parents may prefer to have twins and not go through a second pregnancy and birth experience, especially if it would involve another round of IVF. For convenience and cost, it might make sense. However, there are several disadvantages to multiple births that should be considered.

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) considers multiple births the "single biggest risk of fertility treatment." The increased risks of multiple births, according to the HFEA, include:

• miscarriage and other pregnancy complications
• premature and/or low birth weight
• neonatal mortality: 19/1,000 deaths within the first month of life for multiple babies, compared to 3/1,000 live births for single babies
• cerebral palsy: HFEA quote 6.2/1,000 live births for twins compared to 1.7/1,000 live births for single babies
• of newborns requiring special neonatal care
• maternal pregnancy-induced high blood pressure (hypertension), pre-eclampsia, pregnancy diabetes, assisted or interventional delivery (e.g., a caesarean), and mortality.

Its aim has been to reduce that risk by encouraging the transfer of single, rather than multiple, embryos per cycle. The program is having a swift and definitive impact on the trend of multiple births. The first target level set in 2009/2010, required that fertility clinics have a rate of no more than 24% multiple births from assisted reproduction techniques. For 2010/2011, the target was lowered to 20%, and in April 2011 the target has been set to 15%, which UK clinics are expected to meet by this time next year. The ultimate aim is a multiple birth rate of no more than 10% each year.

So, what does this mean for you if you are currently trying to conceive? If you are having fertility treatment in the UK, are under the age of 35 and considered to have a high chance of successful conception, you may find your clinic unwilling to transfer multiple embryos. Up to the age of 40, the HFEA restricts transfer to 2 embryos. From age 40, the group which is least assured of success with IVF, a woman may elect to have up to 3 embryos transferred. Any additional embryos created in vitro can be frozen and used later.

If you require more information about elective Single Embryo Transfer (eSET), a good source of information is the One at a Time website, which is dedicated to "better outcomes from fertility treatment." The site includes information about the guidelines, best practice, the risks of multiple pregnancies and what is involved in carrying, giving birth to and raising twins and triplets.

Additional sources:

Elective Single Embryo Transfer: Guidelines for Practice British Fertility Society and Association of Clinical Embryologists - http://informahealthcare.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14647270802302629

Decline in multiple birth rate from IVF -http://www.nhs.uk/news/2011/05May/Pages/decline-in-multiple-birth-rate-from-IVF.aspx

Preparing for multiplebirths - http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_center/preparing_parenthood/multiple_births.html

This is what some of you said about my talk on the Telesummit!

I really enjoyed being a part of the Fertility Focus Telesummit and I'm touched by your response. Here are just a few of the messages I have received:

• "Lisa,Thank you so much for what you do. I'd love to get the worksheet.Warmly," L. 
• "[T]hank you so much for our talk and for your valuable information.  I actually listened to it twice, once by myself live and then again with my husband." MS
• "I really appreciated your talk. I would love to get your worksheet for creating a support network.Thanks so much for offering this." NS
• "I listened to your very interesting call today, thank you so much! Could you please send me your work sheet I think it is exactly what I need." PC
• "Thank you so much for sharing your insight at the Fertility Focus Telesummit - it was truly appreciated." CP
• "I found that you really "spoke" to me and it was very timely in my fertility journey." AR
• "I had a chance to listen to you on Telesummit. You are awesome! My goal is to find a friend (or maybe two) who I can talk to when I am ... down and vulnerable." SP
• "It was wonderful listening to you. Thank you." LF
• "Just listening to you doing such a great job on the Fertility Focus teleseminar - very proud of my former study buddy! [iI]'s a great idea to actually list my support network under the different categories." AS

 

If you, or someone else you know, could benefit from the other topics covered by the fertility experts listed below, get the word out to them quickly! To grab a free place on the remaining calls <--- click here.

• Using An Integrated Approach To Getting And Staying Pregnant - Dr Marilyn Glenville
• Using Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine to Increase Your IVF Results - Andrew Loosely
• How the 11 Pillars of Fertility Reveal the Secrets to Optimum Health and Fertility - Gabriela Rosa
• Aging Eggs: What You Can Do to Improve Your Chances of Conception - Zita West 
• Your Fertile Mindset: How To Prepare Yourself For Conception With EFT - Sarah Holland
• How Hypnotherapy Encourages Successful Conception -  Kristin Hayward
• Solving Your Fertility Puzzle - Sue Dumais
• Using Astrology To Optimize Your Chances Of Success In The Treatment Of Infertility - Nicola Smuts
• Finally Take Control by Charting Your Two Primary Fertility Signs - Toni Weschler
• Fertility At 40 Plus with the Law of Attraction - Deirdre Morris
• Eating to Optimize Fertility - Cindy Bailey

AND 3 Fabulous Bloggers:

• Katie from www.fromiftowhen.com;
• Elphaba (aka Runny Yolk) from www.eggsandsperm.com; and
• Heather from www. surviveandthrive.co.za

If you didn't manage to get on the first few calls, including my talk on Creating an Effective Support Network, Dr Genville, Andrew Loosely or Gabriela Rosa, you can still listen to the recordings!

By upgrading to a Golden Ticket for you can still get all 17 audio files full of information and advice about how to get what you need to maximize your chances of having the baby you want, emailed to you as an MP3 download after the Telesummit is over. That includes all 15 talks listed above, plus Sarah Holland's introductory and concluding sessions, to listen and refer back to at your leisure. This is an incredible value, for a total of $67, available while the Telesummit is still running this week. For more information and to upgrade your place on the Fertility Focus Telesummit <---- click here.

A Bonus for You as part of the Fertility Focus Telesummit

Welcome to Your Great Life, and especially today to those visiting from IComLeavWe.  I'm all set for presenting my session at the 2nd Fertility Focus Telesummit tomorrow. I have just listened to Sarah Holland, the founder and host of the Telesummit, present her introduction and it got me even more excited for the week's events.  As I shared with you in the blog above, I'm speaking to you on how "Creating an Effective Support Network Can Make All the Difference When Trying to Conceive."

In order to help you create the best support network to fulfil your unique needs, I have a Worksheet which is available FREE.  Email me at [email protected] (you can click through on the Email Icon to the right), quoting #FFTS2011 in the subject box and you will receive the worksheet by reply email.  Please feel free to include in your email any questions you have about my presentation at the Telesummit, or about fertility coaching.

If you haven't registered yet, you will want to do it right away. The presentations are live, each speaker will try to take questions and recordings are available for free for 24 hours after each presentation, or you can choose to upgrade to get all 17 audio files emailed to you after the Telesummit. 2,700 people have already signed up! Click here to register for the Fertility Focus Telesummit FREE.