Content creator Éadaoin Fitzmaurice realised how important having children would be for her before she hit her 30s, but following a history of challenging reproductive hiccups, she began feeling anxious that achieving her dream would be difficult. Here, she writes about her journey to understanding her fertility more.
Within days of entering my late 20s I felt an overwhelming shift in my stream of consciousness. Was it my frontal lobe finally being developed or was biology playing its part? I'm not sure, but from that day I knew I wanted kids, and that feeling hasn’t left me since.
Around this time my niece was one. Seeing first-hand how much joy she brought to our family, how much closer we all became as a result, how fun it was to see us all being silly and playful again, the question I never knew the answer to before now, became a definite yes.
Yes, I definitely want to be a mother.
There were lots of new emotions surrounding this decision. I found myself looking at women in coffee shops with a buggy and feeling this undeniable sense of longing. I got giddy when I looked at my boyfriend and imagined half him and half me.
However, the strongest emotion of them all, I must admit, was anxiety. Growing up I had always had issues with my period. I went on the pill at 18 because of serious cramps and then got the coil at 22 because the pill wasn’t working for me. Going from doctor to doctor throughout the years with no reason, no real answer, just a way to ease pain, now felt much heavier when it could put this decision at risk.
The anxiety was something I couldn’t shake and it started to consume me. I spoke to my boyfriend and we decided to get some answers. I knew we weren’t ready for kids just yet, but for me, information is power. That’s when we both booked into a fertility clinic to get a fertility check.
Before I continue, let me highlight something very important. The point of this article is not to convince you of what you should or should not do when deciding to have kids. It is purely to share my personal experience. I do urge anyone considering any medical procedure to do their own research first.
With my 30s fast approaching, I went to Repromed* in Dundrum for my fertility check.
According to the Repromed site: "Women are born with up to a million eggs, but by the time you reach puberty, there are only about 300,00 remaining. Then, with each passing month during your period, your ovaries release up to 500 eggs. This is why women aged 38 and over may have difficulty having a family due to a low egg reserve."
For the average women, our egg reserve really begins to decline in our 30s. If we ran into problems with conceiving a few years down the line, and it’s something I could have helped out with by freezing my eggs when I was a bit younger (and there was more of them), then why not?
When it comes to fertility checks there are a few options. You can speak with your GP or gynaecologist, many offer this service. Alternatively, there are specialised fertility clinics across Ireland. This is what we opted for.
The fertility check involved two appointments. First a consultation with an AMH blood test, which took less than 15 minutes. Then a second appointment where we ran through my blood test results and what they mean, plus a hysteroscopy (an internal scan) where the results are given straight away.
The first test is an AMH blood test. According to Repromed: "Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) is a hormone produced by the ovaries. As you grow older, the amount of AMH produced by the ovaries reduces. By measuring the level of AMH, we can get an accurate indication of your egg count relative to your age."
This test gave me a rough idea of my egg count. If it were low after this exam, this would be when I would have considered freezing my eggs so that I could use them if we struggled to conceive down the line.
The doctor that ran through my results with me was super knowledgeable and explained the egg freezing process to me in great detail. She was open to answering anything and really put my anxious mind at ease. Thankfully, my egg count was really good.
The second appointment was a scan. This was not only helpful in regards to a fertility check, but the doctor was also able to check my coil placement for me, and looked at my womb and ovaries.
Being able to talk to a medical professional who really cares about fertility and didn’t brush off female health issues, really was the highlight of this experience for me. Someone who really took the time to talk through every detail with me and wasn’t rushing me out the door for their next appointment. It felt like a really safe space, a space where if my results were not what I was hoping for, that I would have felt cared for.
Whether or not we will have issues down the line, who knows for sure, as there are many things at play when it comes to conceiving.
One thing is for sure: since my fertility check that overwhelming anxiety is gone. I feel calm about it now. Information is powerful and choice is important. I’m glad that I became aware of the option to take a fertility test, as I feel set up for whatever comes my way now. I feel like I understand it more and that eases my racing mind. That was my main objective for the fertility check, so for me, it was definitely a worthwhile experience.
There are various ways to investigate your own fertility and finding one that suits your needs, health concerns and body is a personal journey. Always consult your GP when seeking information about your reproductive health.
*Eadaoin's fee at Repromed was covered as part of an online collaboration over a year ago. Her opinions shared in this piece are her own, with no oversight from the clinic. The cost of a fertility test at Repromed is €355, however it is covered under VHI health insurance.
Other fertility clinics and pricing options around Dublin include:
- Merrion Fertility Clinic, €500
- Beacon CARE Fertility, €275
- Waterstone Clinic: AMH test €125; ultrasound €120
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ.
If you have been affected by issues raised in this story, please visit: www.rte.ie/helplines.
