Britian’s new chair of the Human Fertility and Embryology Authority, or IVF Chief, Suzi Leather, landed herself in hot water shortly after taking up her post. Showing what many have regarded as insensitivity to childless couples, she announced that “there’s more to life than having children” and “women should not be panicked into having families by the ticking of their biological clocks.”
       In case you’re wondering, Dr. Leather has not only a racy surname and a fast track medical career; she is also a proud parent of three children herself. You might well be forgiven for thinking that Dr. Leather is in the advanced stages of having her cake and eating it. However, Dr. Phil Boyle, a GP from Galway who specialises in infertility treatment has some sympathy with where Suzi Leather is coming from.
      “I would be supportive of what she is saying to some extent. There is a kind way of saying it and a way that can be open to misinterpretation. I would often give similar advice to people.

A lot of time the one thing that can stop people from conceiving is stress and we try and deal with this and get them out of a sense of panic and say, look, it’s good to look at all the positive things you have in your life. We know you want to have a child and let’s do everything we can to do that, but let’s not panic,” he said.
Dr. Boyle specialises in infertility and women’s health and is using an emerging reproductive technique that’s called natural procreative technology or NAPRO for short.
He has been working exclusively in that for the last four and a helf years and says “it is improving in effectiveness the longer that I have been working in it. It works for between 20% and 30% of couples that come to see me.”

His focus differs from IVF specialists around the country in that he encourages couples to try this method before having IVF because it is a less invasive technique.
    “Indeed recent research in the US shows that many couples are referred for IVF too early – about 60% of my patients would not have had IVF before they come to see me.”
     Surely he must appreciate the anguish that remarks such as Dr. Leather’s might cause some people? “There is more to life than having a child. Often I would say to patients of mine, count your blessings. You have a great relationship – look at the good things that are there in your life. I would try and ground my patients in reality and say sometimes no matter how good the treatment you may not have success at the end of it. That is not to be defeatist but realistic. Don’t regard your whole life as only having meaning if you have a child.”

What is the first piece of advice that Dr. Boyle gives a couple when they walk through his room full of hope?

“We give our patients a sense of control and don’t pretend that we can overcome things that we can’t. I also say to them: have fun while you’re going through the treatment – do the things you want to do and let this be somewhere in the back ground.”

One person who cannot sing the praises of Dr. Boyle enough is Louise McMullan, who turned to him after many years of trying for a child and after distressing and unsuccessful IVF treatment. He pinpointed a problem with her progesterone levels and she now has a healthy young girl, Alice. She is effusive in her praise of Dr. Boyle.

“I have nothing but praise for him. IVF is such a horrible experience but you are so desperate by the time you get to IVF that you would do anything. His treatment is designed for you and it makes sense.” However, she does not agree with Suzi Leather’s “tell it as it is approach.”
“When you are trying to have a baby and you can’t it takes over your whole life. You eat, breathe and sleep it. You would do anything for fertility. It makes you very, very sad indeed.”
For those who are unable to have children for whatever reason, they can at least be comfortable in the knowledge they at least have the support of men like Dr. Boyle and others on their side.
The bad news for many couples around the country is that Dr. Boyle has a waiting list of over a year. The good news for those who seek his help is that they will be treated with sensitivity and realism in equal measure.