In this episode of the HSE Talking Health and Wellbeing podcast, host Noreen Turley and guest Professor Mary Wingfield, Consultant Obstetrician Gynaecologist at the National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, discuss various aspects of fertility. Mary explains that there are a number of things that can affect your fertility, including age, body weight and smoking, and fertility problems affect both men and women equally and, in some cases, there is no known cause. She also tells us that there are things you can do to improve your chances of conceiving such as having a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing your alcohol intake, stopping smoking, reducing stress, having regular unprotected sex etc. 

We hear advice on what you can do if you are experiencing fertility problems, with the first step being to talk to your GP who will do some initial tests with you and may refer you to one of the new HSE Regional Fertility Hubs for further investigations if needed. These new HSE hubs provide free services to people experiencing fertility problems. We also hear about the different types of HSE-funded treatments such as IUI, IVF and ICSI, which are available for people who meet the access criteria. Throughout the podcast, Noreen and Mary explore common fertility problems in both men and women, the importance of early fertility education, and the psychological impact of fertility treatments. For more information, visit hse.ie/fertility for valuable resources and insights. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out to us at healthandwellbeing.communications@hse.ie

Lastly, if you know someone who might benefit from or be interested in this topic, please share this episode with them.

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