Sex and intimacy can change dramatically when you are trying to conceive, especially when fertility treatment, loss or ongoing uncertainty is part of your life. In this episode of The Fertility Podcast, I’m joined by Kate Moyle, psychosexual therapist, podcaster and author of The Science of Sex, to talk about how sex, desire, relationships and connection can evolve in ways we never expected when fertility becomes part of our story.

This episode touches on loss, grief and confusion. If you are not ready for that right now, please skip and come back when you are ready.

Kate brings both professional insight and compassionate understanding to one of the most normal yet least discussed parts of many people’s experience. We talk about timing, pressure, anxiety, loss, connection, expectation and how to rebuild joy and pleasure in your relationship.

Whether you are in a long term partnership, thinking about future intimacy, or trying to untangle the impact that fertility has had on your sex life, this conversation is full of practical insight and reassurance that you are not alone.

What we discuss in this episode:

1. Why sex often feels different when fertility issues are part of your life
2. How timing and pressure can change desire and connection
3. Why we often feel there is something wrong with us when intimacy changes
4. The impact of miscarriage, loss and medical trauma on sex and relationships
5. How shame and silence make it harder to ask for help
6. Reclaiming touch and connection beyond the fertility goal
7. How fertility challenges affect male partners and masculinity
8. How to bring pleasure and ease back into sex after it has become stressful
9. Why rebuilding intimacy is a process and not a quick fix

Kate Moyle is a UK based psychosexual therapist, author and public speaker whose work helps people understand sex and intimacy through a biological, psychological and social perspective. She is the author of The Science of Sex, a neutral, accessible guide to sex and sexuality designed for all bodies.

You can find Kate’s work here:

1. The Science of Sex (book) – available from major retailers and online booksellers
2. The Science of Sex podcast – listen wherever you get podcasts
3. Website

Kate’s approach is grounded in research, lived experience and curiosity. This episode is one of the most honest and compassionate conversations we have had about sex and fertility on the podcast.

Thank you to our sponors:

This episode is supported by partners who help people access care and clarity on their fertility journey.

👉Access Fertility

If you are worried about the cost of treatment, Access Fertility offers interest free loans, multi cycle packages and refund programmes to help make IVF more affordable for you. They partner with over 60 UK clinics to help you access treatment without added financial stress.

👉One Day Tests

If you want clarity on your hormones, ovulation or fertility indicators, One Day Tests offer online appointments with fertility specialists plus convenient fertility blood testing. You can discuss results with a specialist, get direction on next steps and track key hormones that matter in your journey.

Use code FERT10 at checkout for 10 percent off your blood test.

Let’s keep the conversation going

1. Follow The Fertility Podcast on Instagram: @fertilitypoddy
2. Email your thoughts or ideas: [email protected]
3. Learn more about support and community at Fertility Action
4. Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. It helps others find support too
5. Leave a review or share this episode with someone who needs to hear it

Thank you for listening and for being part of this community. Intimacy, connection and fertility can be hard, but you do not have to navigate it alone.

Until next time.

Trying to conceive can be incredibly isolating, especially when your friends and family just do not get it. That is why I loved this conversation with Sarah Banks, fertility coach, speaker, author, and creator of the Positivity Planner.

Sarah’s work is all about helping you feel more emotionally supported through treatment. She also has years of experience working with clinics on patient support strategies, so she sees both sides: what patients need, and what is still missing in the system.

We talked about why fertility coaching can be such a powerful complement to medical treatment, how to navigate the emotional rollercoaster of TTC, and how to protect your mental wellbeing, even when things do not go as planned.

What we discuss in this episode:

1. The power of coaching and how it can support people emotionally through treatment
2. How Sarah’s own journey inspired her work in fertility and patient experience
3. What fertility clinics are doing (and not doing) to better support patients
4. Coping with anxiety, stress, and overwhelm while TTC
5. Strategies for building resilience and staying hopeful
6. Tips for advocating for yourself in appointments and with providers
7. The Positivity Planner and how journaling can support your mental wellbeing
8. The importance of community, connection, and being heard
9. What Sarah wishes everyone struggling with infertility knew

If you are feeling like you have no one to talk to, or like you are supposed to just keep going while your heart is breaking, this one is for you.

This episode is sponsored by Access Fertility

Worried about the financial pressure of treatment? Access Fertility offers funding programmes and 0% interest finance to help ease the burden of self-funding IVF.

Their services include:

1. Loans of up to £12,000 with no interest over 12 months
2. Multi-cycle packages that can save you up to 30%
3. Refund programmes offering up to 100% back if treatment is unsuccessful
4. Partnerships with over 60 top clinics in the UK
5. Personalised advice based on your age and treatment plan

Visit accessfertility.com/thefp to learn more.

Learn more about Sarah’s work:

1. Positivity Planners
2. sarahbanks.coach

Let’s keep the conversation going:

1. Follow me on Instagram: @fertilitypoddy
2. Email your thoughts or guest ideas: [email protected]
3. Learn more about Fertility Coaching and Support from Sarah at sarahbanks.coach
4. Subscribe on your podcast app to stay updated
5. Leave a review or share this episode with someone who needs it

Until next time.

In this episode of The Fertility Podcast, I’m joined by Jen Elworthy, fertility career coach and Director of Engagement at Fertility Matters at Work, to explore how career coaching can support you while going through fertility treatment.

Jen joined our team in July 2025, and since then I’ve had the joy of learning from her insight, empathy and real-world experience. She has lived through the impact of ectopic pregnancy and miscarriage while working in high-pressure environments, and she shares how these experiences shaped her approach to coaching.

If you’ve ever felt stuck in your job because of your treatment, uncertain how to talk to work, or unable to see a career path that aligns with what you’re going through, this episode is for you.

What we discuss in this episode:

1. Jen’s personal fertility journey, including multiple losses and the emotional toll on her mental health and career
2. How she moved from ambitious and confident to experiencing panic attacks at work
3. The challenges of opening up to colleagues and managers during early treatment
4. The power of having just one supportive person at work who gets it
5. Her IVF survival kit and practical tips for managing during a workday
6. Why “career coaching” isn’t just for high-flyers or executives
7. Examples of how she’s helped clients through job changes, promotions, sabbaticals, and re-aligning their work-life balance
8. Her approach to resilience coaching and “bounce back ability” during treatment
9. Why therapy helped her heal, but coaching helped her move forward
10. Misconceptions about who coaching is for, and why it can be more accessible than you think
11. How Jen structured her coaching offers to meet people at different financial entry points

Jen’s support offerings include:

1. One-to-one coaching (short-term or long-term packages)
2. One-off coaching conversations
3. Employer-sponsored coaching (some clients have had it covered as part of redundancy packages)
4. Low-cost workshops (around £20–£25)
5. Free resources and templates on her website
6. Free newsletter + insights via LinkedIn and Instagram

If you're considering career coaching but aren't sure it's “for you”, this is your reminder that it’s absolutely okay to ask for help, and there are options at every level.

This episode is sponsored by Access Fertility

Worried about the financial pressure of treatment? Access Fertility offers funding programmes and 0% interest finance to help ease the burden of self-funding IVF.

Their services include:

1. Loans of up to £12,000 with no interest over 12 months
2. Multi-cycle packages that can save you up to 30%
3. Refund programmes offering up to 100% back if treatment is unsuccessful
4. Partnerships with over 60 top clinics in the UK
5. Personalised advice based on your age and treatment plan

Visit accessfertility.com/thefp to learn more.

Let’s keep the conversation going:

1. Follow me on Instagram: @fertilitypoddy
2. Explore career coaching and free resources at: jenniferelworthy.com
3. Learn more about workplace support at: fertilitymattersatwork.com
4. Want coaching in your workplace? Reach out to us or speak to your HR team

Whether you’re holding it all together or feel like you're about to break, know this — there are people who get it, and support that fits where you are. Thank you for your ears, and until next time.

In this episode of The Fertility Podcast, I’m joined by Catherine Lightfoot, ADHD coach and founder of Rewired Circles, to talk about her experience of navigating IVF as a neurodivergent person.

Catherine was working in a senior HR role while undergoing fertility treatment and dealing with the mental load of a delayed ADHD diagnosis. She joins me to talk about the emotional toll of masking, the challenges of advocating for yourself in a system that does not always recognise neurodivergence, and the importance of creating support spaces that actually meet people where they are.

This is our first episode covering neurodivergence and fertility, and I want to thank Catherine for bringing this conversation forward. If you suspect you may be neurodivergent, or if you’ve been struggling to articulate how this process is affecting you, I hope this episode offers support and language for what you might be feeling.

1. Catherine’s delayed ADHD diagnosis and how it overlapped with her fertility journey
2. Why she and her partner opted for early fertility testing and how a surprise male factor diagnosis shifted everything
3. The emotional whiplash of having a clear process derailed by COVID delays
4. How hyperfocus, masking, and people-pleasing made it harder to ask for help
5. Overworking and pretending everything was fine while secretly undergoing injections and treatment
6. The moment she realised she could not cope alone anymore
7. What IVF felt like as a neurodivergent person and why it is easy to become overwhelmed and disconnected
8. The challenge of advocating for yourself when you are not sure what your needs are
9. The risks of masking and burnout in high-pressure jobs while going through treatment
10. Her reflections on memory loss, dysregulation, and why she misremembered the number of cycles she had
11. Why support groups are powerful but may not be the right fit for everyone at every stage
12. How Catherine’s coaching and lived experience helped her move from burnout to self-awareness
13. The shocking mental health statistics for women with ADHD and why fertility support needs to evolve
14. Why the fertility and neurodivergent overlap is an urgent area of focus for workplaces and support providers
15. Her top advice for anyone navigating fertility and ADHD, especially in silence

So many of us keep it all in. We wait until it gets really bad before we share anything. But Catherine reminds us that asking for help does not need to be dramatic or all-encompassing. You can start small. Tell one trusted colleague at work. Let one friend know. Give someone permission to be your backup or just your quiet support.

If you are masking and managing everything alone, this is your nudge to breathe, pause, and share.

1. Follow me on Instagram: @fertilitypoddy
2. Email your thoughts or guest ideas: [email protected]
3. Learn more about Catherine’s support and coaching at rewiredcircles.co.uk
4. Explore weekly support groups and mental health resources at fertilityaction.org
5. If you are navigating fertility while neurodivergent, reach out to Catherine or Fertility Action to explore the right support for you

If this conversation gave you language for something you have been struggling to express, or made you feel a little less alone, please subscribe, leave a review, or share the episode with someone who needs it.

Until next time.

In this episode of The Fertility Podcast, I’m joined by Hayley King, donor-conceived adult, mum of donor-conceived twins, and Operations Manager at Path to Parenthub. We’re talking about the story that made headlines last December, a sperm donor with a genetic mutation linked to cancer being used in nearly 200 conceptions across 14 countries.

This episode unpacks how this could happen, the gaps in donor regulation that allow it, and what this means for families. We also talk about the emotional, ethical, and logistical challenges of donor conception in a globalised industry, where the same donor can be used across borders with no international limits in place.

Hayley brings both personal and professional insight into how families can make informed choices, why early disclosure matters, and what changes are urgently needed to protect the next generation.

If you’re on a donor conception path or supporting someone who is, this conversation is essential listening.

1. Hayley’s experience growing up as a donor-conceived person, and what shifted when she became a parent herself
2. Why early disclosure matters and how secrecy shaped the mental health of donor-conceived people in the past
3. The UK’s 10-family donor limit and why it does not apply outside the UK
4. How one donor can be used in multiple countries with no tracking or shared system
5. The story of one donor linked to a BRCA1 cancer gene being used in nearly 200 conceptions
6. What “family limits” really mean and why they are difficult to enforce globally
7. The emotional weight of discovering you have 50 or even 100 donor siblings
8. How sperm banks and clinics are often driven by profit rather than transparency
9. What questions prospective parents can ask their clinic or sperm bank
10. Why Path to Parent Hub was created as a safe space for donor conception families
11. Hayley’s advice for parents, donors, and donor-conceived adults navigating identity and connection

While advances in genetic screening are helpful, they are not foolproof. The issue is not just medical, it is ethical. Donors should not be used to create hundreds of families across continents.

Without international family limits or shared tracking systems, donor-conceived people may unknowingly share genetics with a vast number of people worldwide. This impacts their sense of self, their safety in relationships, and their ability to connect the dots in their identity.

As Hayley says, transparency matters. Families deserve accurate information and regulated systems that put people over profit.

1. Follow me on Instagram: @fertilitypoddy
2. Follow Hayley on instagram: @dcp_journey_2_rp
3. Email your thoughts or guest ideas: [email protected]
4. Learn more about support groups and donor conception resources at fertilityaction.org
5. Join Path to Parenthub for weekly support groups, lived-experience blogs, and access to the Path to Parent Hub podcast
6. Listen to Hayley and Becky’s episodes on creating emotionally safe families through donor conception
7. Read more about the donor regulation campaign via Fertility Action and Fertility Network UK

If this episode helped you feel seen or helped you ask new questions, please subscribe, leave a review, or share it with someone on a similar path.

Until next time.

Happy New Year - hope you're enjoying the bright sunshine we have in Manchester as we wait to see if it snows!

You've survived the festive season and hopefully you're starting the new year in a peaceful place, despite the possibilityof there being a lot to consider in your year ahead. I hope the podcast continues to stay in your earholes and supports you along the way.

If you're yet to subscribe, please do so, wherever you have found this episode as it makes a real difference. Plus, feel free to leave a review each time you listen as I love hearing your thoughts.

Natalie x

As we wrap up 2025, this final episode of The Fertility Podcast is a heartfelt reflection on the year we’ve had and a look ahead to what’s coming. I’m joined by Katie Rollings, founder of Fertility Action, for a candid chat about the emotional toll of trying to conceive at this time of year, what has changed in the support landscape, and why we need more trust, better information, and continued compassion in the fertility space.

If this time of year feels like a gut punch, you are not alone. Whether you are grieving a loss, recovering from a failed cycle, or quietly carrying the weight of infertility, I hope this episode reminds you that your experience matters and that support is out there.

• Why it is okay to feel conflicted or overwhelmed during the festive season
• Creating your own boundaries, traditions, and safe spaces during the holidays
• What Fertility Action’s support groups are hearing most including pregnancy announcements, TTC burnout, relationship issues and intimacy questions
• How the groups are structured (TTC versus positive test and beyond) and why that matters
• The rise in patients feeling confused by medical advice, conflicting information online and social media rabbit holes
• Fertility as both emotional and transactional and how clinics need to do better at meeting patients with empathy and psychological safety
• The importance of honest, regulated medical guidance and why peer support should not replace professional advice
• Progress on fertility education and policy change and why 2026 is shaping up to be a big year for advocacy
• Katie’s hopes for empowering patients and reaching earlier stages in the fertility journey through GP education and access

If you have found yourself thinking “I really thought this would be our year”, you are not alone. That sense of grief, reflection, and uncertainty can be especially heavy during the holidays. But you are allowed to set limits. To say no. To opt out of conversations or events. You are not selfish for protecting your peace.

Whether it is preparing a few phrases for difficult family questions, giving yourself permission to decline invites, or joining a support group for the first time, do whatever helps you feel grounded.

And if you need a glimmer of hope, plan something just for you. Something small, comforting, or creative such as making a Christmas bauble while you chat with others who get it.

• Follow me on Instagram: @fertilitypoddy
• Email your thoughts or guest ideas: [email protected]
• Learn more about support groups and resources at fertilityaction.org
• Subscribe on your podcast app to stay updated for 2026
• Leave a review or share this with someone who might need it

Thank you again for listening this year. However you are ending 2025, I wish you peace, space to breathe, and a gentle start to whatever comes next.

Until next time.

Tips from the TTC community

In this penultimate episode of 2025, I wanted to share something a little different. This time of year can be incredibly difficult if you’re trying to conceive, dealing with loss, or navigating life after fertility treatment. So I gathered a brilliant group of patient advocates and professionals to offer their heartfelt, practical advice for getting through the holidays.

From awkward questions at the dinner table to setting boundaries and finding your tribe, this episode is full of small but powerful ideas to help you protect your wellbeing and find support, whatever your journey looks like.

• Why you don’t need to shrink yourself to make others comfortable
• How to prepare phrases and "outs" for difficult conversations
• The power of setting boundaries and being selfish in the kindest way
• Finding your community and not navigating it alone
• What to say to that nosy aunt (or how to head it off entirely)
• Navigating solo parenthood, donor conception and surrogacy during the holidays
• Coping with involuntary childlessness and sitting in grief without guilt
• Why men need support too, and how to show up for each other
• Embracing joy in small ways, even during a painful season

You’ll hear from:

• Julianne Bouteloup, perinatal psychologist and founder of Parenthood in Mind
• Mel Johnson, solo motherhood coach from The Stork and I
• Aisha Balisaria, patient advocate and founder of Mind Body Revival Coach
• Michael Johnson‑Ellis, co‑founder of My Surrogacy Journey
• Kreena Dhiman podcaster, speaker and donor conception advocate - The Art of Being Brave
• Kev Button, founder of The Man Cave
• Hayley King, from Path to Parent Hub
• Vanessa Haye, writer, speaker and infertility advocate

• Follow me on Instagram: @fertilitypoddy
• Email your thoughts or guest ideas: [email protected]
• Follow our advocacy work: @fertility.action
• Explore and connect with this episode’s guests via the links in the show notes
• Subscribe to the podcast to stay updated as we plan for 2026

Please know that whatever you’re feeling right now, you’re not alone. Your emotions are valid, and you deserve support. Take what you need from this episode, and share it with someone who might need it too.

Until next time.

In this episode of The Fertility Podcast, I’m joined by Dr Anand Patel, a GP and specialist in men’s health, for an honest and incredibly practical conversation about how male fertility is handled in general practice.

Anand shares the exact questions men should be prepared to ask their GP, why basic investigations are often missed, and how a simple examination could reveal more than you think.

If you or your partner are just starting to explore fertility testing, this is a must‑listen.

What we discuss in this episode:

• What to say (and bring up) during your GP appointment if you’re worried about fertility
• Why most GPs aren’t trained in fertility and what that means for patients
• How to advocate for yourself when you’re not sure what to ask
• The “ICE” model (Ideas, Concerns, Expectations) and how it helps patients get better care
• The critical role of basic examinations that are often skipped
• What conditions and warning signs GPs should be looking for
• Why GP training needs to change and how newer trainees may be more up to date
• Fertility MOTs, NHS limits, and when private care may make more sense
• The emotional impact of male factor diagnoses and how to create more compassionate conversations
• What a decent male fertility assessment should actually include

Special thanks to Examen, sponsor of this episode

Examen offers direct, cutting‑edge sperm DNA fragmentation testing (including both single and double‑strand DNA damage), used by 85% of fertility clinics across the UK and Ireland.

Tests are:

• Non‑invasive
• Available via clinics or partner hubs
• Designed to provide clarity, confidence and actionable insight

You don’t need a referral to get tested. Simply book online, drop off your sample and receive detailed results to discuss with your clinic.

🎧 Learn more at examenlab.com

Let’s keep the conversation going:

• Follow me on Instagram: @fertilitypoddy
• Email your thoughts or guest ideas: [email protected]
• Follow our advocacy work: @fertility.action
• Learn more about Dr Anand Patel and his work:
• Website / Clinic: Centre for Men’s Health – Anand Patel Centre for Men's Health
• Instagram: @dranand Instagram
• LinkedIn: Dr Anand Patel uk.linkedin.com
• Explore SDF testing with your clinic or directly at examenlab.com

Please subscribe and leave a review if this episode was helpful. And if you know someone who needs this kind of GP‑level support, send it their way.

Until next time.

In this episode of The Fertility Podcast, we've gone back to the archive to share a chat I had a little while back with Kevin McEleny, Consultant Urologist at Newcastle Fertility Centre and Nuffield Health. Kevin is a specialist in male fertility and urology and has worked for years to raise awareness around the crucial but often overlooked role of male health in fertility care.

We talk about how much of male fertility is still ignored, under-tested and underfunded, and what that means for couples trying to conceive. As someone who has experienced male factor infertility personally, this episode means a lot to me, and I know it will to many of you too.

Whether you're going through IVF, facing a male factor diagnosis, or simply wanting to understand the full picture, I hope this episode helps you feel more informed and empowered.

What we discuss in this episode:

• Why it’s still so common for men to be left out of fertility investigations
• What kinds of tests should be done for men and why basic semen analysis isn’t enough
• Why timing, hormones and lifestyle can drastically impact sperm quality
• What conditions might be missed if men aren’t tested properly
• The emotional toll male fertility issues can take, and why support is essential
• What male patients should expect when seeing a urologist or fertility specialist
• Why early and equal testing matters for both partners
• Kevin also explained Kleinfelter Syndrome and how it can go undetected without the right support and investigation

This episode is a call for more inclusive care, not just for women, but for men too. Because fertility is a shared journey, and everyone deserves to be heard.

Special thanks to Examen, sponsor of this episode

Examen offers direct, cutting-edge sperm DNA fragmentation testing (including both single and double-strand DNA damage), used by 85% of fertility clinics across the UK and Ireland.

Tests are:

• Non-invasive
• Available via clinics or partner hubs
• Designed to provide clarity, confidence and actionable insight

You don’t need a referral to get tested. Simply book online, drop off your sample and receive detailed results to discuss with your clinic.

🎧 Learn more at examenlab.com

Let’s keep the conversation going:

• Follow me on Instagram: @fertilitypoddy
• Email your thoughts or guest ideas: [email protected]
• Follow our advocacy work: @fertility.action
• Learn more about the men’s health campaign with Fertility Action and Test Him
• Explore SDF testing with your clinic or directly at examenlab.com

Please subscribe, leave a review and share this episode if it resonated, especially with someone who may need this conversation.

Until next time.