From thyroid to surrogacy – 2022 wrapped with Laurel Fertility Care

Twelve months of incredible support and expertise, from one of California’s best fertility clinic groups. Laurel Fertility Care are the go-to specialist care providers for so many intended parents, parents-to-be and families – here’s what we’ve learned across 2022. 

Set the agenda for 2023 – we’re asking our Insta community what they’d like to see us cover with Laurel Fertility Care in 2023. Watch our stories and DM us with your priority questions and topics. 

1 Thyroid dramas 

Back in January, we kicked off the year with a deep-dive on thyroid and fertility. How might an under or overactive thyroid affect our ability to conceive, what are TSH levels – and what’s optimal – and how might lifestyle impact our condition?

Medical Director Dr. Smikle covered our top questions and concerns, in a deep-dive on thyroid health and TTC (trying to conceive). Read up on thyroid health and fertility, and catch our live Q&A with Dr. Smikle.

2 Fibroids expertise 

Skipping on to February, we picked up with the team on fibroids. Around one in three women will develop fibroids at some point in their lives, but the rate is significantly higher in people of African-Carribean heritage. In this 101, we cover symptoms to watch out for, how to manage fibroids, and their impact on fertility.

Read up on fibroids and fertility

3 Endometriosis support

March is Endometriosis Awareness Month, so we picked up on this crucial topic with a deep-dive and expert Q&A. Dr Smikle covers everything from symptoms and diagnosis to surgery, treatment and IVF success with endometriosis. 

Read up on thyroid health and fertility, and catch our live Q&A with Dr. Smikle. 

4 Unsolicited fertility advice

Unsolicited, and unhelpful – it’s amazing what people suggest and say, when talking TTC. We covered some of the stranger things we’ve heard, plus ran an Insta Live on talking openly (or not) about a fertility journey. 

Read April’s story and catch our expert chat. 

5 Taking a break from fertility treatment

For some, it’s a break between cycles. For others, it may be following a loss. We covered this number one community-requested topic, talking about taking a break, mental health support between cycles, how long to wait and the process of starting a new cycle. 

Read our taking a break guide and watch our expert Q&A.

6 Male fertility questions answered 

June was a bumper month for male fertility health, covering causes and treatment, age and supporting the male biological clock, and an expert 3-part run-down with Dr Smikle. From sperm testing, male fertility analysis and treatment options to causes of infertility, Dr Smikle shares his expertise on all things male factor. 

All of this, plus a bonus male fertility health Q&A.

7 Tips for a fertility-friendly summer 

Summer tends to be the time where we consider taking a break from treatment, prioritizing time in the sun with friends and family and giving ourselves some much-needed downtime. We picked up with Laurel Fertility Care on how to come back strong for fall, and keeping our lifestyle factors in the background, if not front and center. 

Read our fertility-friendly summer guide and catch our expert Q&A.

8 Embryo selection

In August, we went into embryology with Laurel Fertility Care’s expert lab team, covering how to choose the best embryos for IVF success. From abnormal results and chromosomes to PGT vs. grade, it was the in-depth support you asked for. 

Get the answers to your top embryology questions and watch our expert Q&A.

9 Debunking PCOS myths 

PCOS affects around one in ten of us, but it’s surprisingly misunderstood, and under-diagnosed. We went through the most ‘common’ symptoms, according to Google, and why not everyone has every symptom in the book. 

Get the 101 on PCOS symptoms, and support in our expert PCOS and fertility Q&A. 

10 Fertility after cancer

Another topic requested by our community, in October we put your questions to Dr Smikle for expert, experienced support in fertility following a cancer diagnosis, treatment and more. From types of cancer, and how they impact fertility, to preservation, navigating recurrences and medication queries, we went for a live deep-dive Q&A to get everything answered. 

Watch our expert live Q&A for fertility treatment plans, after or during cancer. 

11 Surrogacy support 

We’ve just published Laurel Fertility Care’s expert guide to getting started with surrogacy – from starting your research and using your own eggs, to definitions and how the process works. Read the seven-point guide, and catch our live Q&A with Laurel Fertility Care’s specialist Dr Goud and Third Party Co-Ordinator, Vanessa McGee. 

Read up now for expert surrogacy support, and watch our live chat for in-person guidance. 

12 What would you like to see, in 2023? 

From a deep-dive on a topic you need support with to clinical info, lifestyle factors, medications and more, we’re here for all of your priority questions. Flick over to Insta now and let us know what you’d like to see covered, in a DM.

Rounding off 2022, here’s Laurel Fertility Care’s perspective and tips for tackling those at-best annoying – and at-worst upsetting – comments we’re bound to hear from people who just don’t get the TTC struggle, over the holiday season. We’ve got you, and so have Dr Smikle’s amazing team. 

All our love to the FHH squad and Laurel Fertility Care community this holiday season. And 2023, we see you.