Once you have emotionally accepted a diagnosis of infertility it is wise to take some time out to carefully consider your next steps. You will have to consider what options you have, the treatments available, their success rates, their cost or possibly whether to consider an alternative path which does not involve treatment at all. Whatever your ultimate decision is it is likely that you will have trodden a long road to get there. A road often bumpy with many, potentially contradictory road signs is not one which inspires confidence in those who lives have already been blighted with the disappointment of not being able to successfully achieve and maintain a viable pregnancy as quickly as they thought.
Infertility – information sources
There are a multitude of information sources that are offered to prospective fertility patients sometimes helping, sometimes promoting, sometimes promising and understandably this can create confusion and doubt. With this at the forefront of their minds a group of experienced fertility professionals have launched FertiAlly.com.
Fertility questions answered by experts
FertiAlly.com is no-nonsense fertility platform designed to provide anyone affected by infertility access to leading practitioners via free, bite-size videos in response to questions posed by the patients themselves. No subject is off limit from questions relating to the emotional challenges people with infertility face to technical responses about specific treatments and work carried out in the IVF laboratory. The videos are freely available online from FertiAlly.com or from its dedicated YouTube channel. For the first time patients are able to view answers to pertinent questions from home.
Aleksander Wiecki, one of its Founders explains the rationale,
“We have assembled more than 100 leaders in the field of fertility; a list which is constantly growing, to respond to fertility questions and issues that are most important to patients. We cover everything from conditions such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and endometriosis which may be preventing someone getting pregnant to discussing different IVF ICSI treatment options and genetics. We wanted to create an online space which enabled us to bring professionals into the homes of those experiencing infertility and enable them to begin to plan their own fertility journey’s”.
Comprehensive and balanced perspective on infertility issues
If you take a look at the various questions posed on FertiAlly.com you will see that there is sometimes more than one answer from the resident professionals. This is key to the unique nature of the platform which allows viewers to receive opinions and thoughts from different experts which may differ. Rather than causing confusion the honesty and transparency reflects the complexity of infertility and illustrates the importance of personalised treatment. The emphasis is on allowing the patient introductory access to issues of importance whilst suggesting (without bias or promotion) a path to follow. Experts may for instance refer individual enquiries to specialist agencies or websites.
Resident experts participate in FertiAlly.com in order to improve the overall patient experience of infertility, its diagnosis and potential treatment. They represent different countries (FertiAlly.com is an international site although all communication is conducted in English) and sometimes treatment providers. The information shared by the experts however is independent and does not promote their employer(s); advice and guidance is led by the science and viewers can be assured that the answers they receive are accurate and evidence based. Video content is balanced and its aim to ensure patients and prospective patients have sufficient information available to be able to make an informed decision about their fertility futures.
Compare fertility experts’ opinions and treatment options
The platform is particularly useful for patients who are seeking an international perspective and one which allows them to compare opinions, treatment options and availability. Once again the site is not prescriptive, patients can not book treatment directly with any of the experts but it does provide an invaluable tool for assessing what help is available. In many ways, FertiAlly acts as a short cut in the fertility journey; it allows patients to skip to the points of the journey which are appropriate to them; enables them to gather specific information and signposts them to the next stage. The next stage may be the decision to choose a particular medic to discuss diagnosis; the type of treatment to consider or even identifying the specific treatment provider.
With no waiting lists and complicated booking procedures patients can access FertiAlly.com from the comfort of their homes 24/7 and have instant access to information provided by recognised leaders in the field. By accessing the videos viewers will also be investing in fertility support for future patients. Each time is video answer is published FertiAlly.com will make a 5 Euro donation to the European Fertility Society (ESF). The Society is a not for profit organisation established to maintain the interests and safety of fertility patients via the creation of guidelines and documentation designed to promote best practice in the fertility field.
