Here for natural conception support? A reader’s FERTILILY review
We all know that for some, trying to conceive can be a lengthy and disheartening process. The whole thing slips easily into being emotionally taxing and energy-draining, especially when you’re surrounded by others who are already well on their way to becoming parents.
Despite what the simple facts might suggest, the reality is that conception can be far more challenging than most would like to think. All of your stars need to align at precisely the right time for that one special sperm to reach and fertilise an egg.
For those trying to conceive naturally, or couples in same-sex relationships exploring at-home insemination, the question often arises: how can we help this process along without setting foot inside a fertility clinic?
Is FERTILILY on your radar?
If not, let’s get you up to speed. The FERTILILY is a new and innovative conception aid designed to support fertility by directing a larger volume of sperm close to the cervix, helping to optimise the chances of conception.
So, who has this exciting and pioneering product helped so far? We picked up with reader Jo Steventon, to hear more.
Welcome, Jo! Tell us about your fertility journey so far
We started trying to conceive (TTC) in January 2019. Having not used hormonal contraception for the previous three years, leading healthy and relatively stress-free lifestyles, and being in our late twenties to early thirties, we were hopeful that we’d fall pregnant quite quickly and easily. This assumption was largely based on family and friends around us conceiving within just weeks or months, but our story turned out to be quite different.
My cycles were fairly regular, albeit on the short side, averaging around 21 days. I had previously been given the all-clear for both polycystic ovaries (PCOS) and endometriosis in my early twenties. However, I’d been told that I have a retroverted uterus – not uncommon among women – which essentially means the sperm has to swim a little further to reach the egg during ovulation. I was reassured that many women with the same circumstance conceive easily and quickly, and that my chances of pregnancy would not be affected.
What happened next?
In my mid-twenties, I was diagnosed with pre-cancerous cells on my cervix. After 12 months of hospital colposcopies and biopsies, my consultant decided to perform surgery to remove a small section of my cervix where the abnormal cells were continuing to grow. Following the surgery and aftercare, all of my smear tests have since come back clear and continue to do so to this day.
However, my consultant did inform me that during pregnancy I would face a slightly increased risk of miscarriage and/or premature birth, meaning I would need close monitoring when I did fall pregnant (as I currently am!) Aside from that, I was reassured that neither the surgery nor the aftercare treatment would affect our ability to conceive.
Fast forward to summer 2019 – eight months into our TTC journey – we visited our GP to seek advice and guidance. We were fortunate to have an excellent doctor, who promptly referred us for fertility testing. By month ten, my husband’s results came back all clear, but my test was inconclusive.
We met with our GP again just before Christmas 2019, and he kindly referred us to a fertility specialist. However, there was a three-month wait for the appointment, scheduled for March 2020.
In the meantime, we continued trying to conceive and looked forward to the appointment with great anticipation. Just five days before we were due to attend, I realised I was a day late for my period and decided to take the last pregnancy test left in the pack. Unlike the previous 12 months, I didn’t sit anxiously waiting for another big fat negative and end up in tears. Instead, I walked away and started making dinner.
Over five minutes later, I remembered to check the test. I calmly picked it up in the bathroom, glanced at it, and (almost on autopilot) went to throw it away. But then I stopped in my tracks. There, clear as day, were two pink lines.
I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t cry or laugh, I was simply in complete shock. But in that moment, my heart felt full. After everything, it was finally our time.
Did you try anything specific, to speed up conception?
We tried various ovulation prediction kits and different conception aids from Boots and Amazon, and I tried several brands of prenatal vitamins. Essentially, all the classic conception tips you come across on fertility blogs when you find yourself searching “how to get pregnant.” We even went on holiday to “relax,” but none of it seemed to make any difference for us. At least, not quickly.
How did you hear about FERTILILY?
I came across a number of Instagram ads for FERTILILY. I clicked through and watched the video explaining how it worked. By this point (February 2020) we’d already invested a lot of time, money and emotional energy into various conception products and our fertility specialist appointment was just a few weeks away.
I decided we might as well have one final try with a product we hadn’t yet used.
What made you try it?
The online reviews. Although there were only a handful at the time, they were all so positive, which gave me a renewed sense of hope.
We used the FERTILILY throughout the month of February (three times during my fertile window).
Any tips or advice for using it correctly?
I practised using the FERTILILY a couple of times on my own before our fertile window, just to understand how it should be used and how it would feel in my own body. I would highly recommend doing this in advance, it really helps you feel more confident and comfortable when it comes to using it for real.
Would you recommend The FERTILILY?
We paid £30 for our FERTILILY, and it was the best £30 we’ve ever spent! I’m now 22 weeks pregnant with our baby boy.
It’s important to remember that everyone’s journey to parenthood is different and for some, this product may not work. However, I would absolutely recommend considering FERTILILY before taking steps toward more invasive and expensive hormonal fertility treatments.
