Australia’s first, holistic pregnancy planning kit designed to empower and assist couples embarking on the journey to start or grow a family through natural conception, is now available in pharmacy.

Developed by Sydney-based Fertility Specialist and Gynaecologist, Dr Raewyn Teirney, the conceivepleaseTM Fertility Kit addresses fertility from a holistic couple’s perspective, rather than as a woman’s only issue.

“Australia’s decline in fertility rates over the past four decades1,2 has sparked a rise in the number of couples seeking professional support. 2,5

“One-in-six couples of reproductive age experience issues conceiving, with males and females almost equally affected by fertility issues,” said Dr Teirney.

“While the potential causes of male and female infertility are many and varied, lifestyle factors, including nutrition intake, and timed sexual intercourse, play a large role in natural conception.

“The conceivepleaseTM Fertility Kit is designed to help both men and women get fertility-fit, to ultimately heighten the chance of conception,” Dr Teirney said.

“The Fertility Kit acts as a one-stop fertility shop. The Kit comprises a clinically-rigorous, holistic, four-step plan with supporting products and medical devices to aid male and female fertility, to assist couples with starting or extending a family through natural conception, or with nurturing an ongoing pregnancy.”

The conceiveplease™ Fertility Kit offers:
1. Pre-conception health and support;
2. Menstrual cycle monitoring for ovulation;
3. Timed sexual intercourse; and
4. Testing for pregnancy.

The preconception health and support section of the conceiveplease™ Fertility Kit comprises one month’s supply of “his and hers” essential vitamins comprising antioxidants clinically proven to support male and female reproduction.

“Women need a minimum daily dose of 400mcg of folic acid in their bloodstream for the development of their baby’s central nervous system within the first four weeks of development, at least one month prior to conception, and for a minimum of the first 12 weeks of pregnancy,” said Dr Teirney.

“Iodine is also vital for foetal brain development.

“Similarly, poor sperm quality can reduce the chance of conceiving. Ways to improve the health of sperm include maintaining a healthy weight, quitting smoking, and improving vitamin D intake through daily supplementation containing antioxidants such as the conceiveplease™ SpermPlus for Men Only Vitamins,” Dr Teirney said.

There are four strategies couples can follow to detect a woman’s most fertile time – monitoring basal body temperature; testing for the luteinising hormone (LH) surge; monitoring cervical secretions; and monitoring for secondary fertility signs – all of which can be tracked and tested using the conceiveplease™ Fertility Kit. .            

“Women with a regular menstrual cycle will have a particular biphasic pattern of body temperature and will notice a small drop in temperature at ovulation – about 0.2⁰C – so it’s important to have sexual intercourse at this time.This can be detected using the conceiveplease™ digital high speed thermometer,” said Dr Teirney.                    

“Ovulation is triggered by the production and release of the LH from the brain’s pituitary gland. This can be monitored in the urine using the conceiveplease™ OneStep Urine LH ovulation predictor testing sticks.                                         

“Following a positive result with the OneStep LH test stick, ovulation should occur within 24-48 hours, and sexual intercourse should ideally occur just prior to, and around ovulation time. Couples are then aware when they should be having regular – once a day – sexual intercourse to increase the possibility of conception,” Dr Teirney said.

“Research shows women with more awareness of their fertile days have an increased chance of falling pregnant.Once detected, this can be plotted on the conceiveplease™ Fertility Calendar.”

The conceiveplease™ Fertility Kit also includes educational and instructional tools along with conceiveplease™ OneStep Urine HCG pregnancy testing sticks to aid the detection of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) in early pregnancy.

Internationally renowned Fertility Specialist and Gynaecologist, Professor Bill Ledger, University of NSW and Royal Hospital for Women, Sydney contends knowledge is power when it comes to conception.

"We are increasingly aware that women have a finite number of fertile years during which they can start their family.

“It's important that couples understand the best age, the best time in the cycle, and best ways to improve their fertility health and fitness, in order to optimise their chances of conceiving,” said Prof Ledger.

“This information is particularly relevant as women continue to wait later in life before deciding to try to have a baby. 

“The conceiveplease™ Fertility Kit offers couples valuable information, knowledge and tools to set them on their journey to natural conception,” Prof Ledger said.

Dr Teirney explains infertility can prove a distressing and disabling life event that can trigger clinical depression.

“Although causes of infertility are many and varied, some common causes include certain lifestyle factors that can be improved to increase a couple’s chance of conceiving.

“Couples where both partners are smokers have a two-fold chance of infertility.7 Smoking affects the quality of the eggs and sperm by a process called oxidative stress,” said Dr Teirney.

“Furthermore, research shows it is much harder to conceive when either the man or woman has a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25, and significantly more so when greater than 30.

“In addition to quitting smoking and achieving a healthy weight, reviewing alcohol consumption, following a healthy diet, commencing a daily intake of the appropriate vitamins and antioxidants, monitoring ovulation, engaging in regular sexual intercourse and taking care of yourself can heighten your chance of conception,” Dr Teirney.

“Given infertility afflicts men and women equally, it’s important that both sexes play their part in conception.”

About Dr Raewyn Teirney
Dr Raewyn Teirney is a leading Fertility Specialist and Gynaecologist who has spent the past 15 years helping thousands of people to conceive. She currently works as a Visiting Medical Officer (VMO) fertility sub-specialist at The Royal Hospital for Women, and in private practice with IVF Australia, at Maroubra and Kogarah.

Dr Teirney is conversant with the frustrations many encounter in their bid to start, or extend a family, and is renowned for her caring approach and the time she invests in her patients, exploring the plethora of conception options available. She focuses on fertility issues affecting women living with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis and fibroids, and has published extensively on PCOS, and lectured and trained many sub-specialists on the topic.