Author: odollie

Cervical Screening Awareness

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The Importance of Cervical Screening

by Mr Jay Chatterjee, Consultant Gynaecologist

 

Gynaecological cancers include cancers of the female reproductive tract, namely of the cervix, ovary, fallopian tube, uterus, vulva and the vagina.

There are many factors that cause gynaecological cancers. Cervical Screening and awareness of early signs and symptoms can result in the early detection of these cancers when treatment is more likely to be successful and a complete cure is a possibility. Diet, exercise and lifestyle choices play a significant role in the prevention of cancer. Additionally, knowledge of family history can increase the chance of prevention or early diagnosis by determining if someone may have a gene which makes them susceptible to cancer.

Over three-quarters of all new cases of cervical cancer are diagnosed between the ages of 25 and 64 years. It is the most common cancer in women below the age of 35 years. The primary recognised cause of cancer of cervix is human papillomavirus infection (HPV). It is considered preventable as it has a recognizable precancerous condition and an accepted treatment modality for this precancerous stage. The NHS Cervical Screening Program is widely recognized to be one of the most successful cancer prevention programs in the world. Since its introduction, the number of cervical cancer cases has decreased by 7% year on year. The program aims to reduce the number of women who develop invasive cervical cancer (incidence) and the number of women who die from it (mortality). It does this by regularly screening all women at risk so that conditions which might otherwise develop into invasive cancer can be identified and treated earlier.

Ovarian cancer continues to be the most fatal of the female genital tract cancers. However, contrary to the commonly held perception, ovarian cancer is neither an asymptomatic disease nor a so-called ‘silent killer’. The initial presenting symptoms are often associated with other conditions, especially abdominal and gastrointestinal disorders till they become very obvious in advanced stage disease. A strong family history of certain cancers may indicate the presence of hereditary gene mutations. Irregular periods or post menopausal bleeding, lower abdominal, back ache and urinary frequency are symptoms which should prompt early investigation and referral to a specialist.

By Mr Jay Chatterjee, Consultant Gynaecologist, June 2019

 

To book your cervical screening or for more information, please complete the contact form below and a member of the team will be in touch within 12 working hours:

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Weekly News Round Up

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Weekly News Round Up: Fertility, Gynaecology, Pregnancy and Hormone Management

Welcome to our new weekly news round up. Each week we will post articles that have featured in the news that focus on Fertility, Gynaecology, Pregnancy and Hormone Management.

BBC News – ‘Three-person’ Baby Boy born in Greece

Doctors in Greece and Spain have found a way to overcome a woman’s infertility by producing a baby through three difference people. By making ‘Medical History’ this treatment could help infertile couples around the world.

Huff Post – Why Wait 12 weeks for your Early Pregnancy Scan

Why we should be talking more about Early Pregnancy and Miscarriage!

Medical News Today – What you should know about the Female Sex Hormone

The Female sex-hormone plays a vital role in sexual development, reproduction and general health. Our sex hormone levels change over time, but the most significant changes happen during puberty, pregnancy and menopause.

Friday 12th April 2019

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Egg Donation with The Surrey Park Clinic

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Egg Donation with The Surrey Park Clinic

Creating a family now comes in many differing ways and, since the birth of the first egg donation child in 1984, it’s an IVF option which has steadily grown to become a widely accepted and practiced treatment for female related infertility.

It’s incredibly painful and heart-breaking when couples realise that IVF isn’t going to be the answer for them and, whilst the use of donated eggs can offer hope, the choice isn’t always an easy one to make. Women are sometimes left with a sense of grief, mourning their own fertility, feeling increasingly overwhelmed and apprehensive about what the future may hold. However, as daunting as it might first appear, egg donation IVF is associated with increased rates of pregnancy success and, for some, will provide the best option of conceiving and carrying a child to birth.

Egg donation is typically suggested when IVF has repeatedly failed and although it’s understood that maternal age does impact the quality of eggs, external factors are also known play a role too. Genetics, environmental factors and medical conditions, including treatment for cancer, can all have a negative impact on a female’s fertility.

Despite the fact that egg donation IVF is a globally accepted procedure, proven to help many women conceive, the NHS currently offers no funding for this type of treatment. With couples forced to self-fund private medical care they can, unfairly, be left alone to research the increasingly confusing and complicated world of treatment protocols, additional options and fertility clinic data. It’s therefore only right that patients are under the responsibility of a sensitive clinic, who have their whole wellbeing at its core.

Alongside the wide range of fertility treatments available, Surrey Park Clinic offers an egg donation IVF service for patients embarking upon this route. Working in close partnership with Institute Bernabeu, in Spain’s Alicante, patients are fully supported by two clinics, receiving personalised and professional care throughout the process.

In April 2005 it became a legal requirement, in the UK, for all egg, sperm and embryo donors to become identifiable. From the age of 18, donor conceived children are entitled to access all identifying information about the person who donated. This, understandably, can make finding a donor in the UK a difficult task and patients can be left waiting, without a large amount of choice.

One of the reasons Surrey Park works in tandem with a Spanish clinic is due to the extensive donor databases across Spain. Spanish law requires complete anonymity of anyone who donates and, because of this, they have more readily available donors, when compared to the UK. This means there is typically no waiting time to find a donor and, once the paperwork and pre-treatment investigations have been completed, patients can usually proceed with their treatment immediately. The cost of egg donation IVF, in Spain, is also more favourable, when once again compared to the UK.

Spanish donors are fully screened and are young, healthy women, legally required to be under 35 years of age. Donations must also be altruistic. Spain was the first country, within Europe, to create definitive laws surrounding egg donation treatment and, since then, has become the most popular European destination for those seeking IVF with donated eggs. Donors are matched with recipients on ethnicity, blood type and phenotypes; hair and eye colour and body type, and medical teams are legally required to guarantee the greatest possible match on appearance and blood group, with the recipient.

For patients undergoing IVF with donated eggs at Surrey Park Clinic, one to one support is available during every stage, with consultants and nurses always on hand to answer any of the questions which inevitably arise. A fertility nurse will also help couples to fill in the necessary paperwork and join Skype calls, with the medical team in Spain, to truly strengthen the bond between the three parties involved.

Institute Bernabeu has a wonderfully supportive International team who all speak excellent English and assist with organising transfers and accommodation in Spain. Undergoing any IVF procedure is an anxious experience and both clinics believe that the logistical side, of the treatment, should be as worry-free as possible for all patients.

Recipient preparation takes place at Surrey Park Clinic and is consultant-led. Patients are partnered with a named consultant, who they work together with, in close proximity, throughout their journey. Whilst the procedure might take place in another country, consultants are still fully accessible throughout the complete treatment. All transfers are fresh, and synchronised with the donor, unless a medical reason prevents this, and mock transfers are always conducted by the medical team in Spain.

It’s perfectly natural to have doubts surrounding egg donation, either in the UK or overseas, and couples need to feel fully comfortable with their decision. Surrey Park Clinic provides the required implications counselling alongside additional, ongoing support, from their in-house counsellor.

Every person is unique and it’s the responsibility of fertility clinics to ensure that everyone is treated as an individual. Not all patients are the same and neither are the protocols used in assisted reproduction. Surrey Park clinic provides a sensitive and compassionate environment, understanding not only the intricacies of the IVF procedure, but also the importance of a tailormade service, which caters to every patient’s specific needs.

The people who walk through the doors at Surrey Park Clinic, are real people with hopes and dreams of becoming parents. No one asks to live with infertility and, when help is required, patients deserve kindness, as well as a professional and individualised treatment options.

For more information or to book your appointment please contact us

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The Surrey Park Approach

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It’s never straightforward discovering that assisted conception is required, in order to have a family. The information available can be overwhelming and daunting and, at times, it’s difficult to even know where to begin. Infertility most certainly has a language of its own. There’s also an element of hopelessness and despair, when realising that future dreams are dependent on doctors, nurses and medical science, coupled together with a big pinch of luck.

With the NHS cutting the number of funded cycles and tightening the criteria for those eligible, infertile couples are often left stranded, required to find a clinic themselves and self-fund their treatment. With no real guidance, it’s incredibly easy to be misled by statistics, misguided by the false hope of add-ons and mistaken over what treatment options are available. The range of differing advice, plethora of myths and complex data, can mean patients are left utterly bewildered during what is already a confusing and complicated time.

Every person is unique, and each fertility situation is individual. Whether it’s male or female factor, both or unexplained, no two cases are, or should be considered, the same; one size does not fit all when it comes to fertility treatments. Whether it be an initial consultation, IUI, IVF or ICSI, it’s incredibly important to find a clinic which offers honesty, compassion and a tailormade service, for all its clients.

IVF is often billed as a magical cure. However, the sad truth is; in vitro fertilisation won’t work for everyone. It’s therefore only fair and ethical that clinics are transparent, truthfully presenting the reality of each situation. Clients are real people who deserve kindness and fairness as well as a professional service.

The Surrey Park clinic prides itself on offering a unique fertility experience. Its consultant led approach ensures that every patient is matched with a named consultant, who is accessible to them throughout the whole of their medical care. Treatment should not have to be delayed because a doctor is too busy to make a quick decision. Consultants scan and fully immerse themselves in every case, analysing results and being on hand to make any changes to protocols, no matter how small, believing that patients and their well-being must be at the core of all they do.

Whilst fertility data is regulated, by the HFEA, understanding what clinics report can be mind-boggling. Advertised success rates aren’t always as they first appear, for instance, becoming pregnant can be a very different situation to having a live birth. It’s also important to understand that patients are not just a statistic and simply because a woman is of a certain age, or a man has been diagnosed with a specific condition, doesn’t mean that the odds for a successful outcome are the same as another couple with similar circumstances. Surrey Park compassionately manages expectations, never being scared to give patients the whole picture, but providing them with an individual and personalised success rate. When it comes to infertility treatment, nothing should be a surprise and a clinic must be accountable; it needs to have done everything it possibly can, to try to achieve a positive result and tend to the well-being of each patient.

The Surrey Park Clinic team

IVF is tough. It’s invasive, uncomfortable and immensely time consuming, it can feel like a full-time job just trying to keep on top of the scans, tests and appointments required for each cycle. Patients should not have to be shoehorned into a clinic’s opening hours, or rushed along a treatment conveyor belt, just to suit the employees. At Surrey Park, staff do their utmost to fit in around an individual’s needs, treatment should be patient-led, and everyone has the right to flexibility in order to ensure as little stress as possible is experienced.

Infertility is often described as a battle and, at times, it’s not only a battle to conceive it’s also a fight for treatment and access to medical teams. Patients should never have to solely become their own advocates, pushing for consultations or changes to procedures and the right to try another option. Consultants and clients absolutely need to work together, and Surrey Park acknowledges that anyone, who walks through their door, is entitled to transparency, and all the information required to make informed decisions about any next steps.

Mothers speak of how they will do anything for their child, yet so will those desperately hoping to become a mother too, those of us living with infertility. We inject, we undergo surgery, heartbreak and grief. We change our lifestyles, wait and hope, all whilst maintaining the façade of a normal life, getting up each morning and going to work, fitting anguish and clinic appointments into our daily routines. And all for no guarantees, simply for hope, for chance and a dream come true.

Determination can only get an infertile so far but, combine willpower with science and a fully supportive clinic, offering thoughtful and individualised treatment, and that really does go a long way in helping to achieve a positive outcome. Patients have a right to the high level of support and honesty a professional, compassionate clinic, like Surrey Park, provides, under a team holding their best interests at heart.

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Welcome to Mr Jay Chatterjee

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Mr Jay Chatterjee

As part of the development of the Surrey Park Clinic we are introducing more skilled consultants to offer our clients the very best in gynaecological and fertility care in Surrey, Hampshire and the surrounding areas.

Mr Jay Chatterjee is a senior Consultant Gynaecologist and a Specialist in Gynaecological and Gynaecological-oncological care and surgeon operating at The Royal Surrey Hospital and the Nuffield in Guildford.

He is skilled in advanced robotic surgery and fertility preserving surgery in gynaecological cancers. Mr Chatterjee is an expert and BSCCP accredited trainer in colposcopy.

You can learn more about these areas here:

 

Call 01483 454 016 to book your consultation

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Period pain: It really can make women perform worse in their jobs

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Period pains can reduce women’s attention spans and make them “slightly slower or slightly less accurate”, according to psychologists.

Women who are experiencing menstrual pains will also be less able to switch between multiple tasks, the University of Bath’s Department of Psychology found. The study, which claims to be the first of its kind to look at the effects of period pains on cognitive performance, asked 52 women to complete computer-based tasks when they were not on their menstrual cycle and then when they were.

When women had period pains, they were found to have a lower performance rating overall as they struggled with a range of attention-based jobs such as choosing between competing targets and dividing their attention between two tasks.

Dr Ed Keogh, who led the study, said: “I think the most interesting thing that we found is that this sort of common, everyday pain does have an effect on performance.

“We found across all these tasks a general dampening of performance. They [women who were menstruating] were slightly slower or slightly less accurate then when they’re not in pain.

“This shows that the effects of pain go beyond the sensory experience, affecting what we think and feel.”

The research, published in the journal Pain, shows that the effects of period pain are often overlooked and poorly understood.

Dr Keogh said it highlights the need for more research in this field to measure women’s existing coping strategies for period pain and to work on developing them to remove pain as a barrier to performance.

“If you understand what effects they have then you can try and do something about it,” he said. “We can do more research and look at how common is it? What about everyday tasks? How do people actually cope with it? I suspect they can cope with it very well and find their ways of dealing with it.”

He said some existing strategies that women use involve distracting themselves with TV or music, which can be helpful, as well as catastrophising the pain and worrying about it, which is not an effective coping strategy.

Period pain, or dysmenorrhea, affects more than 40 per cent of women on a regular basis. It is the leading cause of absenteeism from school and work among women in their teens and 20s.

Symptoms can include pain, nausea, and cramping, and up to 15 per cent of women suffering from such pain have reported it to be severe.

 

» Find out more about period problems Treatment at the Surrey Park Clinic

Read the Telegraph article

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House prices and 9 other surprising things that can affect your fertility

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The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development found that for every 10 per cent rise in house prices, the birth rate drops by 1.3 per cent.

With one in seven couples (approximately 3.5 million people) experiencing fertility problems in the UK, and more and more women delaying pregnancy for work or financial reasons, the question of what (beyond age) can impact the chances of conception is a hugely important issue.

Research suggests that the reasons behind unexplained infertility are varied, and sometimes, extremely unusual. Here are a few surprising discoveries.

1. Night shifts

Earlier this year, a study by Harvard University revealed that women who work night shifts are potentially more likely to suffer from infertility problems. Women working anti-social hours had a 28 per cent reduction in eggs, in comparison to those who worked during the day. Researchers believe that this could be due to the disruption of a woman’s circadian rhythm, caused by irregular shift patterns.

2. Heavy lifting

The same Harvard study that highlighted the impact of night shifts noticed the same effect on the egg count of women whose jobs involved heavy lifting. According to researchers, women seeking fertility treatment whose work included heavy lifting (such as nurses or interior designers) produced 14% fewer eggs than women who did not, and those that were produced were of a poorer quality. This could be due to the stress such repetitive physical exertion puts on the female body and its ability to reproduce.

3. Consuming too many soft drinks

A 2016 study indicated that the frequent consumption of soft drinks could limit a woman’s chance of becoming pregnant. The artificial sweeteners used in many diet versions were associated with higher rates of infertility, while added sugar was linked to a lower quality of eggs. While the impact of individual additives needs further scrutiny, it is key to remember that the regular consumption of both diet and regular soft drinks can lead to obesity and diabetes, both of which can impact fertility.

4. Eating the wrong things (even if you’re not overweight)

An unhealthy diet and obesity can reduce a couple’s chances of conceiving. Two American studies showed that a diet high in trans-fats can damage ovaries and cause lower quality embryos, as well as impacting a couple’s fertility. Fertility problems occur both to those who are overweight and those who aren’t, but who still eat an unhealthy diet. The good news is that 2016 research indicated that losing a relatively small percentage of body weight (in this instance, 9.7lb) can double a woman’s chances of conceiving. Dr Adam Balen, chairman of the British Fertility Society, recommended that women with a high BMI consider restricting calories to 1500 per day, and taking up 35-40 minutes of daily aerobic exercise.

5. A high-pressure work environment

Last year a study revealed that women working in finance were significantly less likely to conceive through IVF than teachers. Despite the fact that investment banks have some of the best employee health schemes, the pressure of a stressful work environment, combined with volatile markets means that female staff are more likely to skip appointments and forget to take medication. Working in a male-centric environment is also said to have an impact, with teachers and women in PR, sales and marketing (who also have a higher success rate) benefiting from the support of a female environment.

6. Wine o’clock

The notorious wine o’clock practised by professional women could potentially negatively impact their fertility. A Danish study of over 6000 women aged 21-45 indicated that those who drank over 14 servings of alcohol per week (equivalent to 7 glasses of wine – higher than NHS guidelines) lowered their chances of conceiving by 18%. The NHS advises that women trying to get pregnant give up alcohol altogether in order to minimise damage to a potential foetus.

7. Having your tonsils removed

A 2016 study showed that women who have had their appendix or tonsils removed are likely to be more fertile than others. The research, undertaken over 15 years, indicated that women who had had an appendectomy increased their chances of pregnancy by 34%, while those who had had a tonsillectomy increased them by 49%, and those who’d had both by 43%. This disproves the idea that an appendectomy could damage a woman’s chances of pregnancy, as previously thought. Fertility expert Prof Allan Pacey, from the University of Sheffield argued that the surgery could have a positive impact on a woman’s immune system, improving her fertility.

8. Kissing the wrong person

In a recent Italian study of women with unexplained primary infertility, 43% of participants were found to have HHV-6A, one of the human herpes viruses. The virus is undetectable in the blood, but it is replicated in the saliva glands, meaning that it can be unknowingly passed on by kissing someone already infected. More research is required, but the findings may signal a breakthrough for the millions of women whose infertility is simply “unexplained”.

9. Having a partner that sleeps too much (or too little)

The male proclivity for a lie-in could have a negative impact on a couple’s chances of conceiving. In a survey of over 700 American couples, it was found that men who slept for longer than 9 hours (or less than 6) per night, reduced their chances of conception by over 40%. This is likely to be due to the release of testosterone overnight. The study suggests that peak fecundity could be attained by an average of 8 hours a night, but scientists were quick to point out that forcing a male partner to sleep less in the hope of having a baby was more likely to make them grumpy, more than anything.

» Find out more about Fertility Treatment at the Surrey Park Clinic

Read the Telegraph article

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New alternative to HRT for menopausal women cuts hot flushes by 75%

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A breakthrough drug could transform the lives of millions of women undergoing the menopause, cutting hot flushes and night sweats by nearly three quarters.

The results, unveiled yesterday by British scientists, suggest the new drug could become an alternative treatment for the menopause. The Imperial College London team say the daily pills provide hope for the many women who do not want to take HRT because of safety concerns. They said countless women ‘suffer in silence’ because of a lack of treatment options – a problem which could be solved by the new drug.

Their NHS-funded trial of the drug – which for now is known only by the code name MLE4901 – showed taking the pills reduced the number of hot flushes or night sweats by an average 73 per cent, and also cut their severity and impact. Study leader Professor Waljit Dhillo of Imperial, who presented the paper at the Endocrine Society annual conference in the US yesterday, said: ‘For day to day living and work, that’s a significant impact on quality of life.

‘If we can reduce flushing by 73 per cent it’s a game-changer for those patients.’

The menopause, which commonly strikes women in their late 40s and early 50s, is triggered when the body stops making it the oestrogen hormone. This change causes a wide range of symptoms, including mood swings, joint pain and lack of concentration. But hot flushes and night sweats are the most common symptoms, affecting 70 per cent of women going through the menopause. For many women, hot flushes are little more than an uncomfortable inconvenience. But for some, frequent severe episodes can lead to clothes and bed sheets drenched in sweat, as well as relentless waking from sleep which has a knock-on impact on their daily life.

Hormone replacement therapy – or HRT – for decades has been the go-to treatment for the menopause, tackling the symptoms by providing oestrogen as the body stops producing it. But many women go without the drug because their doctors are reluctant to prescribe it.

The number of women taking HRT plummeted after scares in in the early 2000s raised fears of side effects, including breast and ovarian cancer. Many are instead are left to deal with the symptoms unaided – or put on antidepressants, which come with their own problems, or unproven herbal remedies such as black cohosh or red clover.

The new treatment approaches the problem in a different way to HRT, therefore avoiding the side effects that women are worried about. MLE4901 works by blocking a receptor in the brain linked to hot flushes. This means it only works for the one symptom – rather than the broad approach of HRT – but because hot flushing is the most common symptom of the menopause experts say it could benefit many women.

For day to day living and work, that’s a significant impact on quality of life. ‘If we can reduce flushing by 73 per cent it’s a game-changer for those patients

Professor Waljit Dhillo of Imperial College London

The trial on 28 menopausal women, each of whom were experiencing seven or more hot flushes a day, saw remarkable results. The drug, taken every day for four weeks, reduced the average number of flushes by nearly three quarters.

The team is now embarking on a much larger trial with many more women, but estimate it could be available in Britain within five years.

Professor Dhillo added: ‘A lot of women are choosing not to take HRT because it is oestrogen-based. This new drug is a pill which blocks the NK3 receptor, so it won’t have the side effects associated with oestrogen. These are exciting findings which could be practice-changing.’

Co-author Dr Julia Prague said: ‘For millions of women their menopausal symptoms are intolerable, so many are suffering in silence because it is a taboo subject and treatment options are limited. It was so exciting to see the lives of those who participated in the study become transformed when their flushes improved once taking the new drug. They could sleep through the night, and be less embarrassed in the daytime; they told me they felt “human again”.’

Elaine Barker, aged 61, one of the participants in the study, said: ‘I heard about this study and was interested in taking part. ‘I felt that if the study worked it would be of use to menopausal women now, and for future generations.

‘I was a sufferer still of daily and nightly hot flushes and anything that could improve the quality of my life would be worthwhile. When taking the tablets my flushes noticeably reduced and I woke less often at night and my quality of sleep improved.’

The study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research – the research arm of the NHS – and the Medical Research Council.

Mary Ann Lumsden, senior vice president of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: ‘Hot flushes are the most common symptom of the menopause in the western world; experienced by three out of four menopausal women, with 20 per cent severely affected.

‘This new study, which suggests the effectiveness of MLE4901 in reducing the frequency and severity of hot flushes, is welcome news for women going through the menopause and an exciting development for healthcare professionals. However, it is a small, short term trial, and much further research is needed.’

‘The most effective treatment to date has been HRT, however, evidence shows vitamin E supplements and some antidepressants may help ease hot flushes in some women. Women are also recommended to cut out coffee and tea, stop smoking, keep the room cool using a fan, spray their face with cold water, wear loose clothing, and cut down on alcohol.’

» At the Surrey Park Clinic we have years of experience treating the symptoms of menopause, bringing relief to many women. Find out more about menopause Treatment at the Surrey Park Clinic

Read the Daily Mail article

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Physically Demanding Jobs And Night Shifts ‘Linked To Poor Fertility In Women’

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Research found that a physically demanding job or work schedules outside of normal office hours may lower a woman’s ability to conceive.

It is the first study of its kind to measure whether workplace factors might affect a woman’s biological capacity to have a baby.

For the study, published in the journal ‘Occupational and Environmental Medicine’, researchers looked at indicators of “ovarian reserve” in 473 women attending one fertility clinic.

The “reserve” refers to a woman’s number of remaining eggs and level of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), which rises as a woman ages and represents dwindling fertility.

The average age of participants was 35 and they had an average BMI of 23. They were quizzed about the jobs they did, as well as the level of physical exertion required for their roles and the hours and patterns worked.

Researchers discovered that while type of workload did not seem to make any difference to FSH levels, women with physically demanding jobs had a lower reserve of eggs than those whose work did not regularly require heavy lifting.

Among women going through IVF, those with physically demanding jobs had a lower total reserve of eggs and fewer mature eggs – representing reductions of nearly 9% and nearly 14.5%, respectively – when compared with those who didn’t do heavy lifting.

For women working evening, night or rotating shifts, their reserves were found to follow a similar pattern.

These women had fewer mature eggs, on average, than those working shifts within normal working hours. The difference was even greater among those specifically working evening and night shifts, possibly because of disruption to the body clock, researchers suggested.

Women who were overweight (BMI of 25 and above) and whose job was physically demanding, also had fewer mature eggs.

“These findings have clinical implications,” wrote the researchers. “As women with fewer mature oocytes [eggs] would have fewer eggs which are capable of developing into healthy embryos.”

They added that the results “suggest that occupational factors may be more specifically affecting oocyte production and quality, rather than accelerating ovarian ageing”.

Professor Geeta Nargund, medical director of Create Fertility, branded the findings as “very interesting”.

“It is well known that sleep disturbance can have negative impact on hormonal rhythms and metabolism, particularly with melatonin and cortisol levels,” she told The Huffington Post UK.

“An interaction between melatonin and follicle stimulating hormone has been previously reported.

“We need further large studies to confirm these findings before we can advise women if their night shifts have a potential negative impact on their egg quality and IVF outcome.”

» Find out more about Fertility Treatment at the Surrey Park Clinic

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