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Welcome to myTamarin Narratives - our user story series spotlighting some of our users and their experience with myTamarin support.
This week we are introducing you to Sarah (name has been changed for privacy purposes) who had actively been trying to get pregnant with her partner for 13 months with no success. She wanted to know more about their options and what more they could do to optimise their chances of getting pregnant. With access to myTamarin support through her employer she talked to us about how invaluable consultations with our Fertility Nurses were.
myTamarin: Sarah, thanks for sharing your background and experience - could you let us know why you decided to book in a myTamarin consultation initially?
Sarah: Absolutely - I booked in with myTamarin after they hosted a company-wide webinar on Fertility Challenges in the Workplace and I was reminded of the benefit we got through work. I thought that it was good timing as I have been trying to get pregnant for 13 months. I'm 37 years old and wanted to make sure that kids were still an option for me and needed to know if there was anything more I should be doing. My husband is also very stressed at work at the moment which is making it even more difficult.
myTamarin: I'm glad our webinar was a reminder for the support you have access to! What topics were covered in the consultation?
Sarah: It was a 45 minute consultation with Buki, one of the Senior Fertility Nurses at myTamarin. She asked me about my expectations and allowed me to talk freely. Within 15 minutes I already felt like a weight had been lifted. Not having the pressures of the limitation with time that you typically get with NHS appointments allowed us to cover a lot of areas and for me to ask a lot of questions. She was very calm and reassuring and soaked in everything I told her. She gave me a lot of useful information such as factors that can affect men and women, timing sex around ovulation, and how to create opportune moments. I left the consultation feeling like I had a plan of action and things that I needed to work on - I was also sent some post-consultation notes summarising everything so I did not need to make notes during the conversation.
myTamarin: It sounds like a very positive experience - we are so glad to hear that. What key points were made in your post-consultation notes?
Sarah: Buki recommended that I get a blood test to check my ovarian reserve and a scan to check my uterus for any abnormalities. She also suggested that I track ovulation and time intercourse for during ovulation, but most importantly she said I should go to my GP and start the process of getting a referral to a fertility clinic. Buki also sent me over suggestions for how to select a good fertility clinic in my area (close to home was advised) and said she could help me look them up once I had a shortlist.
myTamarin: Amazing! And then you booked in a follow up consultation with Buki 4 weeks later?
Sarah: That's right. I had the opportunity to travel abroad to see family where tests are cheaper. I booked in for a follow-up appointment with Buki to discuss my test results and get her advice. I shared my screen with her online and we went through them each in detail. I was relieved to know that my AMH (typically measured to indicate egg count) was average for my age, my scan however did show something I wasn’t aware about called adenomyosis. Buki talked me through what it is and how it could affect me. (Adenomyosis is a condition that causes the lining of the womb to bury into the muscular wall of the womb. Left untreated, this can cause fertility challenges.) I have my appointment with the NHS fertility doctor soon and will book in another consultation with Buki to go through the plan and get her guidance.
myTamarin: It sounds like Buki has been a huge support for you during this journey. What's been the impact of having myTamarin support through your employer?
Sarah: Having access to MyTamarin has been invaluable, it gave me the confidence to continue trying at home knowing that I’m doing everything I can. Most importantly it has allowed me to prepare myself mentally and physically about what to expect with fertility options.
Given that NHS appointments are often short, with not much time for questions, having access to myTamarin fertility experts has made everything so much clearer and myself and my partner feel a lot calmer about the process. Knowing that I can reach out to Buki via the app to send her a message, or easily book in a consultation is extremely reassuring and I am grateful to have myTamarin support through my employer. I was finding the stress of everything was really impacting my personal and working life - now I have a lot more structure and understanding about my future and I am so grateful for Buki and myTamarin.
If you want to find out more about myTamarin support and how we can help your employees across fertility and family forming, pregnancy loss, early parenthood, childcare, menopause, and elder care please book in a call with us today to find out more!
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