Hello everybody and welcome to our latest episode of vet chat. Today I'm delighted to be joined by Amelia Sherwood, and we're gonna be discussing fertility and conversations in veterinary practise. Amelia qualified as a veterinary nurse in 2012 and has worked in a variety of settings, both in clinical practise and within the veterinary industry.
Whilst in practise, Amelia's roles included head nurse and consulting nurse lead roles, and more recently, she joined the veterinary instrument team as territory account manager for Southwest. Amelia holds a certificate in anaesthesia. Is an OSCE examiner, an SQP assessor, and is nurse educator for the Bellamos Foundation.
During lockdown, she started an Instagram page called the tissue viability et nurse to highlight the veterinary nurse's role in wound management and tissue viability as she has a keen interest in wound management and improving clinical standards. So welcome Amelia, thank you for joining me today. Thank you, Catherine, it's lovely to be here.
So as you know, when there's hopefully our listeners know, this podcast is very much here to try and raise awareness and to support women in the veterinary profession. And fertility is, I would say, the topic that we get asked to cover most, and we really appreciate you being here with us to share your experiences. So fertility can understandably be a very sensitive issue for people to discuss and it's something that people, myself included, can often take for granted.
You may decide that you wanna fall pregnant, start a family, and you just expect that it'll happen straight away when in reality, it can be very different. So let's start specifically looking at IVF, and what it is and what it can involve. Yes, yeah.
So, I mean, I totally agree with you, what you said that. I, that I think a lot of the time is taken for granted. And, you know, I've certainly experienced that myself, being on both sides and, you know, being really fortunate to now have a family after our fertility journey.
So, Just to answer your question, and in terms of what IVF is and what it involves, so, IVF stands for in vitro fertilisation, and it's one of several techniques available to assist couples who have fertility problems, when they are trying to conceive. So the process is different for many people depending on many factors, however, the initial investigations involve many. Investigative procedures on both parties, such as blood tests, laparoscopy procedures, and sperm samples, for example, so treatment will be dependent on the cause of the infertility, and it includes numerous ultrasound scans, hormone injections, egg removal surgery, and embryo transfer, so.
It's quite a lengthy procedure. Mhm. Yeah, brill.
Can you tell us a little bit about your story, and how you kind of came to the point of, deciding that you were gonna start IPA? Yeah. So, my husband, he's 15 and we're very, kind of excited and optimistic about starting a family, and as I'm sure many couples, I have that kind of thought process where they think, right, the wedding night, tonight will be the night.
And then, you know, a lot of our friends had children at that point. And, you know, I was definitely feeling quite broody, as they would say, you know, really ready to start a family. And, months were sort of going by, and we just weren't catching.
And I think initially, it's a bit of a shock, especially those first couple of months, which are probably more heightened because you just expect it to happen naturally. I mean, you, you just think that that's what I'm supposed to do. I mean, I've spent all of these years trying to not get pregnant.
And then suddenly, you know, when, when you expect it to happen and it's just not happening, it, you know, it was really quite an upsetting time. So, a few sort of months passed by and I started, doing a bit of research, and then, it got to, you know, one year, one year elapsed, and we still haven't conceived, and then you find yourself, purchasing countless tests and downloading all of the apps, tracking your fertility, just trying to work out, right, well, what am I doing wrong? And, we then, Went to the GP to get some further, information and advice, which was probably about 2 years in.
So, dependent on where you live, depends on the services that, your sort of local NHS board offer. And there's different time frames as to when you can have, assistance when your GP will intervene. So we started to have, well, me, I started to have blood tests initially, just to check hormone levels.
My husband went in, for samples to be taken, sperm samples for them to check, mortality and, for any abnormalities. And then I was referred for a laparoscopy, further investigative procedures, just to find out exactly if there were any reasons that we weren't conceiving, . And then that, that's when the process began then, really.
OK. Brilliant. So it was a, so about 2 years before you decided, right, this is, this is the point where we need some additional support now.
Yeah, I think it was about 2 years in where we started, to get, medical assistance then, really. So I had been having conversations with my GP earlier on, cause I think that, like most people I've spoken to, they have been in a similar position. When you hit about a year, you really start worrying and it, it does become quite concerning as to why, you're not conceiving naturally.
And, I mean, when you really do some research into it, there's only such a small amount of days within a month that you are actually able to conceive. So, I mean, it's, it really is a miracle when, when people do conceive naturally, so frequently. And then I think that to an extent, took a bit of pressure off realising those, Those kind of statistics.
So yes, it was at that point then that we started to ask for some support from our GP then. Yeah. Brilliant.
So then, how long was your actual treatment once you, once you started with the GP? So, it, I mean, it's different for everybody. We were really fortunate.
So we, started the investigative procedures. Obviously, this was pre, pandemic, so I'm aware that the times are, a lot longer now, which is really unfortunate for families who are, you know, really at that desperation point to get some fertility support. And I had my laparoscopy surgery, where they essentially investigate if there are any issues that highlight why there would be any delays in conceiving.
And then they decided, so I, they, they found that I had, polycystic ovaries. So I had ovarian drilling during the procedure. And, they removed some adhesions, which caused, my issues for, for us as a couple.
And then they decided, actually, it would be ideal to refer us for IVF at that point. So they deduct deducted that our chances of, conceiving naturally would be, fairly low as, my husband, so I've had these conversations with him, and he's more than happy for me to share this information because I know it's quite, quite an emotive subject. So, my husband had, some fertility issues as well.
So between the both of us, they decided that it would be best to refer us for IVF. So, at that point, we were referred for IVF, and then we were quite fortunate that within probably about 6 months, they actually started the process. And we had, numerous consultations with the fertility clinic at our local hospital, and then they decide the best route for, for each couple or each individual, and then start the actual IVF treatment.
So, We were, as I said, we were really fortunate. We, conceived within a year, really, of our referral, which, you know, is amazing because I'm sure that a lot of people going through similar scenarios do quite a lot of researching on the internet and reading forums and chat groups and see that there are so many people that, have been going through the process for many years and still, having difficulties. So again, it's very different to each individual and each couple, dependent on the findings from the investigative procedures and dependent on the route that they take thereafter.
Absolutely. Oh no, thank you for sharing that. Thank you to your husband as well for letting us.
Yeah. Oh bless him. I think, he was also quite keen to have these discussions because, I mean, it, it affects us as females in one way, but it affects males in a completely different way.
And I think He felt like it was quite powerful to have these conversations and to share them. And so my husband's a builder, so you can imagine, the stigma around it on sort of building site and between lads' discussions. So he was really keen to have these conversations and bring them out in the open.
Brilliant. That's great. We'll have to get him one, do a follow up.
Definitely, I think you'd love that. So at the time, when you were going through the treatment, what, where were you in your career? What role were you in at that point?
So, at the time, I was working for a local, first opinion practise, and I was super fortunate that they were really, really supportive with my circumstances. So, I'm very much a talker, and I know that everybody is completely different in how they deal with their emotions and anything going on in their personal lives. And whilst I think we all, to an extent, try to not take our personal circumstances into work, I think when it's issues, like this, it's inevitable to, to, for, for it to not affect you in your working life.
So, the practise I was at at the time were, Immensely supportive. And, they were very much, so I had the conversation with the directors and kind of, just put them into the picture of what we were going through. And they pretty much just said, look, just do what, do what you need to do, and they were supportive in terms of appointments.
And fortunately supported me financially as well. So I was really lucky, in that sense, and, I think that It It was really important for me to be able to have the conversations with my colleagues as well. Yeah.
And yeah, just so we have those discussions with people around me so they understood what stage I was at and why I might be acting in a certain way. And I think I've always been very career driven, but my career went through some peaks and troughs at that point because, you know, it's quite a difficult time and my focuses were elsewhere. But then, on the other hand, ironically, during the early stages, I threw myself into my work and my career, just to have a focus.
So, yeah, I think it was really a distraction almost at the start, yeah. Yeah. So, I think it was really important for people around me to have some kind of understanding what was going on, although everybody deals with things completely differently, and some people don't like to have these discussions, and they find it quite difficult to do.
Yeah, absolutely. I mean, one of my, best friends, you know, went through IVF and didn't tell us until she got pregnant. You know, she's the complete opposite of, it sounds like how you approached the situation.
She just, she says now that she almost felt like she was putting more pressure on herself by. Openly saying what they were going through and that's why she kind of chose to keep it so private. So everybody's different I guess, aren't they?
Exactly, I think that's the thing, isn't it, and with every walk of life, everybody deals with things so differently to one another and. Especially I think with fertility, so I, I, I totally understand where your friend is coming from in that perspective, and when we got really down to the nitty gritty and we were going through the egg transfer stages, I was a little bit more . Quiet about those times, I guess, because the pressure was really on them, and I didn't want to put extra pressure on myself.
But then I think that there's just generally a stigma around the word infertility alone, because that's what it is, and infertility is defined after a year or more of trying to conceive naturally, without conceiving. So I think it can be quite frightening and have quite a Big sort of psychological effect on people, and I think the topic of fertility treatment also seems to be quite a taboo subject in itself, whether it's due to a generalised lack of understanding or a fear causing of causing unintentional upset to people . And I found that some people can feel embarrassed to talk about it when in reality, it's a medical issue and not a personal failure.
And as we said, you know, everybody deals with things differently and, I mean, when we started going through the investigative procedures, both my husband and I felt fairly alienated because, as I said, all of our sort of friends had. Young children and it's just the expected thing when people sort of say, oh now you're married, so when are you having children? And I think a lot of the time people don't, Think before they speak.
It's just a natural question, and that kind of progressive step that people take. But those kind of things, yeah, they were quite difficult to, to process. So we decided quite early on that we were going to be really open about the discussions because exactly for that reason, that we felt quite alienated.
So we thought, well, surely we aren't alone. . And some sort of interesting statistics came out of the appointments where the, specialists had said that actually 1 in 7 couples in the UK, actually go through fertility treatment.
So, you know, that's, that's quite a high statistic when you think about the Small amount of people that do have the discussions and I mean, I guess you just don't know what's going on for people and You know, it's just, it's just good to have that awareness sometimes, isn't it? Yeah, absolutely. Absolutely.
And was that what made you want to come onto this podcast and to talk so openly about it, to raise that awareness? Yeah, definitely. So I found, as a vet nurse, so I've been, you know, in the veterinary profession for 14 years, and as we all know, it's definitely a female dominated profession with, I'm sure the last RCVS statistics were around 60% of vets are female and 97% of veterinary nurses are female.
So it's inevitable that Be in a female dominated industry that, you know, it's going to impact quite a lot of us in veterinary practise, so I think it's really important to have these discussions and just raise awareness, so, I mean, Based on those statistics, you can imagine that it's highly likely that there will be team members that are affected by it, and I think, It can be such a sensitive subject, and again, people take things for granted sometimes and just don't think. And I know myself when, for example, when we were in the early stages before I had had those conversations with my colleagues that, There's always somebody pregnant in a veterinary practise. I mean, it just seems to be that there's just constant maternity leaves and pregnancies, but again, because it's a female dominated profession, it's inevitable.
So. There was always those comments where people would say, Oh, don't sit on that chair, you'll get pregnant, or don't drink the water in here, you'll get pregnant. And it's things like that that people just don't think of.
And if somebody is going through that process or even starting to have those feelings, I mean, even in the first two months, for me, that became really upsetting. And again, you know, it's, it's, there's nothing malicious when people have those conversations. It's really just to raise awareness about what might be going on.
Within the wider team. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, it is such a female dominated profession, isn't it, as you say, and.
There must be, so many people who are in a similar situation to you, who really struggle, we were saying just before we went live, you know, September, if you look on Instagram, your feed is covered with children going back to school and just things like that. You wouldn't necessarily, you know, you'd post a picture, wouldn't think twice about it. But some, for some people that posted even the month of September can be really difficult.
So what kind of, I guess, advice would you give to somebody who's, say, in veterinary practise, who might be about to go through IVF or is having a difficult time with their fertility? What advice would you suggest that, they should take on board? Again, I guess everybody's different in how they process their emotions.
I mean, for me, I found it really empowering to do a bit of research and research in the right places. I mean, as we all know, working in the veterinary industry, that, you need to make sure that you're consulting a reliable source to ensure that the, information you're reading is accurate, because there's a lot of scaremongering, that we can find online. So, I think it was really empowering for me to do a bit of research and Again, to have those conversations with family and friends.
But again, that's just down to my character. I'm just that kind of person who does feel better for having those discussions and knowing that people understand what's going on. I think that it, it was definitely important for me to have the discussions at least with management, so that they were aware because So much goes into the process.
It takes its toll on you physically, mentally, emotionally that it's nice to Ensure that management have the understanding of why you might be off, off work, or you might just not be on your A game on a particular day. But also for them to understand that actually part of the medical process does mean that you will have the investigative procedures, and it could affect you physically and certainly after the egg transfer process, I mean, theoretically, that would be classed as being a, a couple of weeks pregnant by that point when you base it on a monthly cycle. So, for me, very early on, the fertility team kind of advised that you, you should treat your body as if you are pregnant at that stage.
So there's lots of risks, as we're aware of in veterinary practise with, pregnancy and certainly early stage pregnancy. So it's just good to be aware of those things and take extra precaution when you're in practise. So things like being sensible around radiography and handling medications and lifting heavier dogs.
And, again, for me, it was just comforting to have my colleagues have a bit of an understanding. They didn't need to know specific dates. They didn't need to know exactly where I was within the process, but just to know to maybe be aware that if I needed a bit of extra support, that could be the reason why.
Yeah, absolutely, brilliant. Thank you. We are out of time.
That's flown by. Thank you again, for being here with me and for sharing your experiences, and all your, all your advice as well. I really enjoyed and my inbox is open, you know, on, on my Instagram page, if anybody wants.
To drop me a message if they don't feel comfortable having those conversations and just wanted, you know, somebody else to talk to them, I'd be more than happy. Oh, that's brilliant. Thank you.
That's great. And we'll make sure that, the blog that goes live with this podcast has got a direct link to that as well, so people know exactly where to find it. Under.
October is, women's mental, sorry, Women's Health Month. I can get my words out there. So it's the perfect time for us to continue to raise awareness and to continue these conversations.
So hopefully as a profession we can continue to improve all those who are, you know, affected. So thanks so much again, Amelia for joining us. Perfect, thank you for having me on.
Take care, bye.
