# The Sex Education Show



## Nicksy (Aug 27, 2007)

Hi all, 

Did anyone see this show last night - it was very informative about infertility as a whole and really highlighted the fact that NHS funding and treatment is not available as recommended by NICE . 

The presenter of the show - Anna had her own fertility tested by Zita West and it basically showed that at the age of 37 she should not leave it any longer if she wanted to start a family.  This genuinely upset her as she always thought (probably like a lot of us) that there wouldn't be any problems with having a family!

Nicola

xx


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## lily67 (Jun 14, 2006)

Didn't watch it myself, but I wonder if ZW did the home AMH test that you can get to measure ovarian reserve??

It's nice to hear that there was a well balanced show on IF for a change, I will try and find a repeat.


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## JuliaG (May 4, 2006)

I watched it too, cried my eyes out when that woman spoke about her m/c and the famous woman's struggle to have kids    

Julia
xxxx


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## Hayleigh (Apr 29, 2008)

Hi

I also watched it.....must admit found it very emotional, especailly the lady who'd had the M/C truly heartbreaking and not to mention the couple who had 15 attempts and got an amazing BFP with just a 5% chance on their 15 tx WOW!!

Yes I must admit I too felt very sorry for Anna the presenter I feel that more tests were and should have been done?? Ummmm! but then again Im unsure as to what tests were carried out so.......

xxxxxx


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## Chedza (Jun 14, 2008)

Hi

I thought the parts that were good were the discussions about children with the audience and especially the woman re the miscarriage and how she said something about the emotional trauma of infertility and also the woman talking about adoption I thought was pretty cool . However, I felt that the stuff about IVF was a little to trivialised and glossed over the impact of this as though , yes well , if you have left it too late , then pop off and get yourself sorted out and everything will be fine. 
Even the stuff about the woman going for 15 attempts , I just thought , .... dont know it didnt sit right with me really .....
Sinita part also fab , like , well , there ARE alternatives . I reckon there have been better prgrammes to be honest .
Chedza


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## Eilidh M (Feb 20, 2005)

I wasn't expecting much from a show which featured a section telling grown men how to wash their bits, plus a close up of a male STI test for the second time in the series (unnecessary!); and I am not sure that the section on infertility really did much to change public perceptions.    I was delighted for the couple who succeeded following their 15th attempt of IVF, but how many couples can actually go through this so many times?  There was also no real reference to male infertility other than a jokey remark about male infertility declining with age, which was quickly contradicted by a member of the audience whose elderly relative had  
recently fathered a child.  Sorry, but the programme really didn't work for me .


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## kate28 (Jan 22, 2008)

i was actually pleased with the program, more because my sister who is currently 8 months preg phoned me afterwards to say whilst watching the program she realised what an insensitive b#tch she has been. (announced her preg at just 4 weeks, the day before my 30th Birthday and 2 weeks after my 2nd MC and in a non sensitive manor, and talks about nothing else)  I think it really opened her eyes to how i reg feel!!


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## holly01 (Feb 10, 2007)

Hi ladies just wondering if any of u know does this be repeated?
i missed it and always see it,but we had our own troubles yday,miscarried and had our op yday so wasnt in form for the oul telly last nite.
Thanks in advance


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## Nicksy (Aug 27, 2007)

Holly, 

I don't know about it being repeated honey!  I just wanted to send you a masiive   honey.  I am so sorry about your news.

Take care 
xxx


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## potluck (Feb 12, 2008)

Hi Ladies 

I agree there was some parts that just didn't show the full impact that IF has on you ............but others ie the lady who had suffered a miscarriage was truly heart breaking   .

Holly01 so sorry for your loss   , i'm not sure if this particular show will be repeated now ,but you can go to Channel 4 Free Catch Up & watch the episode.

                                                Good luck to everyone misty xx


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## Jane D (Apr 16, 2007)

Hiya

On the whole a good programme.  Lovely to see Sinitta talking about adoption.  Zita should have explained maybe a bit about ovarian reserve and fsh maybe and the need to get a bigger picture.  The dr explained about finding out age of mother at menopause to gauge your fertility potential, but I found this could create complacency within the uninformed.  My mum was 40 when she had me and then menopause 10 yrs after that.  My ovaries went into malfunction at the age of 34 shortly after I had my dd and now at 37, they have all but failed.  So bearing this in mind, would have loved a little bit about donor conception on the programme, so that women like me could see some light at the end of it all and of course something about donor sperm, and male factor for the male factor people out there too.  Really felt for the presenter, finding out like that regarding her own fertility.  On the whole a very good start and very useful for the uninformed.

Jane


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## martina79 (Jul 27, 2008)

Hi
i thought it was quite good to see fertility issues discussed on tv at all - they seem to be swept under the carpet as some kind of shameful secret or something that doesn't exist but dh & i both felt the programme was a bit blase about ivf & how tough it is to go through.  i also think it should have mentioned medical issues such as pcos, endometrius, blocked tubs, low sperm counts etc rather than focussing on primarily on age.
I too really felt for Sinitta and i thought it was wonderful she was so open about what she'd gone thru & now has her wonderful family.  i was also amazed at the couple who did all those cycles & finally had their baby when the clinic gave them a 5% chance - i don't know how they managed to keep going
still, i think it was a good introduction to this issue for many people - maybe it will help them understand what we've gone/are going thru 
xx


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## Pand (Jan 25, 2007)

Hi ladies,

A friend from ff has told me that there this a thread about the programme the other night.  The lady who had a natural BFP just before starting IVF then miscarried at 10 weeks was me.  Endemol contacted me through this site and told me they were doing a programme about IF and I so wanted to spread the message about the agony of infertility.  We were in London for hours filming and me and DH said so much about IF but unfortunately the show just concentrated on the bit about our mc so I was a bit gutted cos I thought I hadn't got the message across.  But can I just say, I am so touched by your messages and empathy.  It seems that perhaps it did come across even if it was just a little bit.  To the lady whose sister phoned to say she had been insensitive - it was all worth it just for her to realise how she has been behaving.  I wish you all the very best on your IF journeys and am so grateful for your kind words.

Lots of love 

Pand


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## kate28 (Jan 22, 2008)

Pand i just wanted to say well done you, you and your dh are very brave for doing the show.
its a shame they didn't show every thing you discussed, that must have been rather frustrating to you.

But Thank you both for helping my sister understand me a little bit more


best wishes 

Kate


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## JuliaG (May 4, 2006)

Pand - OMG that was so brave of you to talk about your m/c in front of all those people, you made me     , well done you   

Julia
xxxx


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## Chedza (Jun 14, 2008)

Pand

Just wanted to say that the bits that were shown said it all really and thank you for speaking about the emotional trauma of infertility. I think that society or the world beyond FF seems to think that infertility is a practical problem that can be fixed by continous IVF cycles, platitudes of "well you can always adopt" or "if you stop thinking about it , it will happen" , I think it was refreshing and brave of you to speak about the emotional side /impact of infertility and how devastating it is . I think maybe our culture /work environments /people need to stop and acknowledge this side before anyone can understand fully.
Thank you 
Chedza


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## martina79 (Jul 27, 2008)

Hi Pand
just want to say thanks to you for doing the programme - your story really touched me & made me cry
lots of love & luck in everything you do
xx


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## geraniums (Sep 24, 2008)

Hi Ladies

Pand, just wanted to say that I thought, both you and your husband spoke eloquently and movingly - thankyou.

On a note about the presenter's blood test.  I read an article that Anna Richardson had written in the clinic waiting room the day I was having my embryos implanted - bizarre co-incidence. In it, she did mention the test, but unfortunately I can't remember which one it was and haing done a quick google,  can't find the article either.  However, I do remember that she stated that Zita asked the camera crew to leave the room and gave her the results on her own; which is not what was shown in the programme.  In the article she said that her fertility level was almost zero, so perhaps what we saw was tempered by the fact that - as she said - the results were not what she was expecting at all.

I agree that the programme could have done with more depth, but by it's nature, it's a magazine type programme.  Perhaps it's something that Endemol, or another production company could follow up.

Geraniums


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## Queenie1 (Aug 21, 2008)

i also watched the programme and thought it was good as an insight into ivf but could have elaborate more on other areas. like you all i cried when watching about the m/c and 15 attempts and adoption and anna being told her results. the only bit that i was really annoyed about was the presenter anna spoke to women  about having children who had decided to have children later in life due to their careers and to busy enjoying themselves. i find that news and tv programmes seem to focus on women who leave it till they are in their mid 30's to try for children due to their careers and enjoying life. i do not come into this bracket i worked hard but do not have a career in which i want to climb the ladder in and the reason at the age of 36 i am on this rollercoaster is because i didn't meet the right person who i wanted to settle down with and start a family until my early 30's. 

queenie xx


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