Ageing can have a significant impact on both male and female fertility outcomes due to inherent natural biological processes. According to data released in October 2023 by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the average age of both mothers and fathers has steadily increased since the mid-1970s. Sixty per cent of births are to mothers who are between 30-39 years, a sharp increase from less than 20% in 1975. The average number of children is also less.

Endometriosis is characterized by the presence of tissue similar to the lining of the uterus that grows outside of the uterus, most commonly on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and pelvic cavity. This tissue responds to hormonal changes in the menstrual cycle and can cause a range of symptoms, including pelvic pain, infertility, and painful menstrual periods.

One in six couples suffer infertility, defined as the inability to conceive a pregnancy after 12 months of unprotected sexual intercourse. Infertility is attributed to male and female factors including ovulatory disorders, ageing, endometriosis, fallopian tube damage, uterine fibroids, autoimmune disorders plus lifestyle and environmental factors including geographical challenges such as fly-in-fly-out working.

Social egg freezing, affectionately known as “Eggsurance” by some, is a process whereby a woman has her ovaries stimulated by medication and then goes through an in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) cycle to collect eggs. These eggs are then cryopreserved using a technique called vitrification that avoids ice formation within the egg. They are then cooled to below the freezing point of water.

PCOS is a complex hormonal condition that affects women of reproductive age. To help shed some light on this very common, but largely undiagnosed condition, I sat down with Danae Watkins from @meditalkpodcast to talk more about the condition, the symptoms and the available treatments. Happy Listening 🎧

I was recently asked to sit down and chat about Infertility with Cassie from ‘What to Expect when you’re Injecting’. For anyone struggling with infertility or supporting someone on their journey, this podcast is for you.