How the FERTI·LILY helped me to conceive naturally

We all know that for some, trying to conceive naturally can be a lengthy and disappointing process, emotionally taxing and energy draining; especially when you’re surrounded by others who are well on their way to becoming a mum or dad. Despite all the simple facts, the reality is that it’s harder than most would like to think. All of your stars need to align at the right time for that one special sperm to make its way to fertilise your very precious egg. For those trying to conceive naturally or in a same-sex relationship looking for at-home insemination, the question is – how can we help this process without setting foot inside a fertility clinic?

The FERTI·LILY is a new and innovative conception aid which helps with fertility by directing a large volume of sperm close to the cervix.

So, who has this exciting and pioneering product helped so far? The founder himself, to name but one. Thanks to The FERTI·LILY, his wife gave birth to their second child last week, after a difficult time trying to conceive. But we want to hear from other readers who have tried and tested this conception aid to see what the results have been for them and explain how it could perhaps help you too.

Welcome Jo Steventon ! Can you tell us a bit about your ‘fertility history’?

We started trying to conceive (TTC) in January 2019. Having not been on any hormonal contraception for the previous three years, leading healthy and relatively stress-free lifestyles and being in our late twenties / early thirties, we were feeling hopeful that we would be able to get pregnant quite quickly and with ease. Our hope and assumption that this would happen was predominantly based on family and friends around us falling pregnant in a matter of weeks and months, however, it was not to be the same story for us.

My cycles were pretty regular albeit on the short side, with 21 days being the standard length, and I had previously been given the ‘all-clear’ in my early twenties for both polycystic ovaries (PCOS) and endometriosis. I was, however informed that I had a retroverted uterus and that this was not unusual for many women. Essentially, the sperm would just need to swim a little further to reach my egg during the TTC ovulation phase. I was told that many women with the same circumstances still have the ability to get pregnant with ease and speed, and that my chances would not be affected.

What happened next?

In my mid-twenties, I discovered that I had pre-cancerous cells on my cervix and after 12 months of hospital colposcopies and biopsies, my consultant decided to carry out surgery to remove a small part 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 to this day. However, my consultant did make me aware that there would be a slightly increased risk of miscarriage and/or premature birth, so I would need to be monitored closely (as I currently am) when I did fall pregnant. This aside, I was reassured that us trying to conceive would not be affected by the surgery nor aftercare treatment I received at the hospital.

Back to Summer 2019 and eight months into our trying to conceive journey, we visited our GP to see if we were able to ask for fertility advice and guidance. We had a fantastic GP who kindly sent us for some fertility tests and by month 10 of TTC, it was confirmed that my husbands’ results were all fine, however, my test had been inconclusive. We went back to our GP to discuss these results just before Christmas of 2019 and at this point, he kindly referred us to a fertility specialist. However, there was a 3-month wait until March 2020.

In the meantime, we continued TTC and looked forward to this appointment with much anticipation. Just five days before we were due to attend our appointment, 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 did not sit around waiting to see a big fat negative and end up in tears, so I walked away and popped dinner on.

Over 5 minutes later I realised I needed to check the test, so calmly picked it up in the bathroom. I had a quick glance and then as if on autopilot went to put it in the bin, but then I stopped in my tracks as there were two pink lines. I couldn’t believe it! I didn’t cry or laugh I was in complete shock but straight away my heart felt full and I felt so grateful that finally it was our time.

I know you had been trying for a year, what other things did you try or use?

We tried different ovulation prediction kits, conception aids from Boots and Amazon and I took varying brands of pre-natal vitamins – all the classic conception tips you read about on fertility blogs when you type in ‘how to get pregnant’. We even went on holiday to ‘relax’, but none of this, for us made any difference.

Where did you first hear about The FERTI·LILY?

I saw a number of Instagram adverts for The FERTI·LILY. I clicked on the link and watched the video explaining the concept. Given that at this point it was February 2020 and we had spent a lot of time, money and energy on various conception products and our appointment with a fertility specialist was just a few weeks away, I thought we might as well have one last ‘try’ of a product we had not used before.

What attracted you to The FERTI·LILY?

The reviews on Boots.com – although there were only a handful, they were all so positive which gave me some renewed hope.

How many times did you use The FERTI·LILY?

We used nothing but The FERTI·LILY in the month of February. We used it three times during my fertile window.

Any tips or advice for other ladies using The FERTI·LILY?

I practised a couple of times on my own in advance of using The FERTI·LILY just to understand how it should be used and how it should feel in my own body. I would highly recommend doing this before you actually use it.

Would you recommend The FERTI·LILY?

We paid £30 in Boots for our FERTI·LILY and it was the best £30 we have ever spent! I am now 22 weeks pregnant with our baby boy. It is important to remember that everyone has a different journey to parenthood and for some, it may not work. However, I would certainly say that it is absolutely worth considering The FERTI·LILY before taking steps to more invasive and expensive hormonal fertility treatments.