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Offering virtual infertility support in a revolutionary way

Announcement posted by Your Fertility Hub 27 Jul 2021

Perth-based organisation are changing the experience of infertility. Here's how!

Changing the experience of infertility through a revolutionary approach to fertility care


27 July 2021



Perth-based ‘Your Fertility Hub’ are supporting thousands of women worldwide to live better through infertility through their innovative approach to fertility support and wellness. 


For most women and couples, the journey through infertility is one of the toughest of their lives. Typically, not much support and advice is offered outside of medical care and individuals are left floundering - finding their own way through the confusing web of advice and not knowing where they can turn for support. 


Your Fertility Toolbox changes all that and believes that no one should have to do this alone. A web-based app - the Toolbox contains a private members-only community filled with light and positivity plus a huge toolbox of resources focused on the mind and body - such as recipes, yoga classes, meditations and mindset support. All members are supported by coaches who are there to motivate, inspire and provide both individual and group support. 


The app is the brainchild of Karenna Wood, internationally renowned and award-winning fertility coach who has helped over 3000 women to travel through and out of infertility more positively.


Karenna says “Infertility is a devastating experience, one which many outside of it can’t even comprehend. It impacts on every area of your life and is strongly linked to high stress, anxiety and even depression.


“There’s not enough support out there. Even though we have mandatory counselling within every fertility clinic here in Australia, often people aren’t willing to use this service and they need support at every step - not just during treatment or in a clinic setting. It’s those moments of loss and despair from a pregnancy announcement, hitting a key milestone or in the middle of the night when you believe this pain will never end. That’s when people need round the clock access to holistic support.”


“Your Fertility Toolbox is about everything apart from the medical side. There’s already so much focus on what you need to do to get pregnant. Instead we are just there for support, inspiration and motivation and teaching members practical things they can do to feel better now, even whilst still trying. For example, we support our members to keep motivated on their diet, learn about relaxation techniques, how to foster hope, keep moving with our gentle yoga classes and how to bring back joy into their lives.”


“We’ve had an amazing response from both individuals and within the fertility industry with clinics and practices now joining as corporate members so they can offer the Toolbox to all their clients.”


Former Toolbox member Bayley who has recently given birth said ‘After a natural conception I had a miscarriage which I found difficult to deal with, following a year of trying my partner and I went to a fertility specialist and was given a diagnosis of unexplained fertility.  Despite undertaking psychology I was still  struggling with the miscarriage and was having difficulty dealing with having to undergo IVF.

 

“I found Your Fertility Toolbox via the Your Fertility Hub podcast. The toolbox helped me to gain perspective and turn what I perceived to be a negative experience (IVF) into a positive one. After the 1:1 chat with Karenna I felt more positive. The one thing that really sticks with me is that Karenna kept telling me I wasn’t broken which was a constant negative thought I had. Karenna also wrote some beautiful affirmation cards for me specific to my needs. 

 

“All these tools combined as well as working through the worksheets in the fertility toolbox I was able to recognise my fears more clearly and change my mindset to a more positive outlook. The ongoing support from Karenna and being able to access and utilise the toolbox helped me manage going through IVF and change my mindset which helped me to achieve a pregnancy and I now have a beautiful girl. I now recommend this toolbox to everyone I know struggling with infertility.”


Current Toolbox Member, Bridget couldn’t have managed without the Toolbox on her gruelling 5 year journey through IVF, miscarriage, surgery and now cutting-edge treatment as their last chance “After four years of trying by ourselves and saving for IVF but not getting there yet, I felt broken. It was then that I realised I couldn't do this alone. I was searching for meditations on YouTube when I came across one by Karenna. This led me to the Toolbox, where I discovered an amazing community of support and a wealth of knowledge and tools to help me cope with my journey. 


“I honestly can say that the Toolbox was a game changer for me. Infertility makes you feel so incredibly alone, but I don't feel alone in it anymore. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you do.”


As Your Fertility Hub is a profit-for-purpose organisation, all members also know they are helping more women TTC through donations to international infertility and miscarriage charities. 


Reaching over 200,000 people globally and with over 3000 members of our innovative Toolbox - we're changing the way people experience and talk about infertility.



ENDS


Media Contact: 

Karenna Wood

karenna@yourfertilityhub.com

0458 240 587 


 Links:



Attached images:

  • Toolbox main screen on a phone

  • Karenna holding one of our physical toolboxes which are sent out to corporate members of the toolbox to help them promote the Toolbox, including positive affirmation cards people can take away

  • Karenna in her home office in the Perth Hills (the she-shed at the bottom of the garden!)

  • Karenna on the cover of national parenting magazine ‘Offspring’ 

  • Bayley’s newborn daughter - Willow Ivy

Many more images plus full size images available here - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1_A4WXUnUPNdKDxJ6p9QI4K8spxCmgbaq?usp=sharing 



Interviews: 


Both Bridget and Bayley are available for interview, however Bridget would wish not to be photographed as she is keeping her journey private. 


Both are based on the east coast of Australia.


Let us know if you require further members for interview and specify any specific location or story type. We have members all over the world who would love to share their story and their journey to the Toolbox. 


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Bridget’s full story:


We started trying for a baby 5 and a half years ago now. The first few months were exciting, hopeful and everything they were meant to be. We were trying at the same time as a few friends and after 6 months, when they were all pregnant and I wasn't, the first seeds of doubt were sown. Little did I know the magnitude of what lay ahead. 


Our initial tests showed no issues with me and a low sperm count for my hubby. We were told we likely needed IVF but to keep trying as it could happen naturally. It took us a long time to save for ivf as we were also saving for a house. Naively I didn’t feel the pressure of time - I assumed IVF would work first time for us, but also held onto the belief that we would get pregnant before needing to take that step - it would just take a bit longer, but it would happen. So I believed. 


Right before we were due to begin, my husband lost his job and we had to use all our savings to keep afloat. By the time we had saved again, Covid hit and we couldn't begin treatment. 4 years had now past. We had been trying every month, tracking ovulation, testing, hoping, praying for a miracle, riding that rollercoaster of hope, crushing disappointment, despair. I was devastated that it hadn't happened and terrified of IVF. 


Our new specialist ran tests prior to our cycle and found that my husband's sperm count was now normal, however my AMH blood test showed very low ovarian reserve. I also needed thyroid medication and laparoscopy surgery to look for endometriosis. It was then that I realised I couldn't do this alone. I was searching for meditations on YouTube when I came across one by Karenna. This led me to the Toolbox, where I discovered an amazing community of support and a wealth of knowledge and tools to help me cope with my journey. The surgery confirmed stage 3 endometriosis and I then had to commence 3 months of brutal Down Regulation before starting IVF. I felt so broken. The medications put me in a state of artificial menopause and the side effects were horrendous. 


Finally, we could begin our first IVF cycle, but it ended with only 1 embryo to transfer and it didn't implant. I was utterly heartbroken. I took a month off and did a second cycle which resulted in a cancelled transfer and then a FET (frozen embryo transfer). I will never forget taking the home pregnancy test and seeing, for the first time in my life, those 2 pink lines. I was finally pregnant, the nightmare was over. 


Karenna, so closely invested in my journey was filled with emotion and happiness for me, as were the amazing community members in the Toolbox. They celebrated this happiness with me and I can't explain how wonderful that felt. I didn't know that my world would come crashing down. I miscarried at 5 weeks 2 days. The pain of losing our first baby after everything we had been through is indescribable and yet our situation got even worse. 


Testing following my miscarriage revealed that my husband and I are a partial DQ Alpha match. This means that my body recognises our embryos as 'altered self' (cancer) and my immune system destroys them.  To stand a chance of having a baby we now need to bank embryos, fly interstate to get LMIT therapy and do heavy immune suppresion protocols for transfers. 


I am about to start my 5th IVF cycle. We have one perfect embryo awaiting PGS results. It is a long and gruelling journey we are on, but I no longer feel alone. I have meditations specifically designed for the different stages of my IVF cycles, I have podcasts, articles, recipes, motivation. I have a support community where people truly understand what infertility is like. Where we all cheer each other on and lift eachother up on our darkest days. I have Karenna, who is there whenever I need her, to calm me, motivate me, advise me, comfort me. She helps me to keep that flame of hope burning, to believe that against all the odds, I will be ok and that I will one day hold my baby in my arms. If I am quiet within the community, she checks in to make sure I'm ok. She remembers where I am in my journey. 


I honestly can say that the Toolbox was a game changer for me. Infertility makes you feel so incredibly alone, but I don't feel alone in it anymore. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all you do xxx