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Prospective patients from all over the UK are attending free virtual advice sessions, for people who are having problems getting pregnant, presented by the Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine (BCRM).

BCRM, which has the highest success rate in the South West for IVF, is holding free virtual advice sessions every fortnight.

With around one in six couples struggling to conceive, the free virtual sessions followed by the opportunity to book a free of charge confidential one-to-one mini telephone consultation with a fertility specialist are attracting patients from the South West and across all of the UK.

Dr Valentine Akande, an internationally recognised fertility expert and who heads the team at BCRM, said, “We were delighted when one of the couples who attended our last event said ‘we have learnt so much tonight’ – because helping people understand why they might be having issues can be the key to resolving them.

“It is also reassuring for us as a team to receive feedback saying ‘everyone was very helpful, friendly and approachable’ because we totally understand how much people need caring support at what can be an emotional and stressful time in their lives. Whether people are hoping to benefit from NHS funded treatment or pay privately, the first step is finding out what help is available.”

Dr Akande will start  the next session on Tuesday 25  May with an explanation of the options open to women or couples experiencing difficulties in trying for a baby, and answer some of the questions that tend to precede people’s first steps into fertility investigations  and assisted fertility.

BCRM has outstanding success rates, with 34% of embryos transferred resulting in births – the best in the region. Information will also be available about other services, such as the use of donor sperm or donor egg treatment or freezing eggs as well as the Counselling and patient support offered. Attendees will come away with a realistic overview of how the team can help and – where relevant – how much fertility services cost.

To register for the next virtual event on Tuesday 25 May, or the following one on Tuesday 8 June: please use the following Zoom link:

https://zoom.us/webinar/register/3315942252566/WN_X3kXseagRx6e996W67QNKg