New fertility clinic opens in Shrewsbury
A new fertility clinic has opened its doors in Shrewsbury and hopes to be able to offer women and same-sex couples the chance to seek affordable treatment so they can start families of their own.
The NFS Hub has opened in Yeomanry Road, Battlefield, and is currently offering scans and blood tests after completing its registration with the Care Quality Commission.
It has also been inspected by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority and hopes to gain a licence to become an IUI fertility clinic.
Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) is used in couples where there is reduced sperm motility, psychosexual issues or hostile cervical mucus.
It is also offered to same-sex couples and single women using donor sperm.
Working alongside a woman’s own menstrual cycle, IUI involves regular scanning.
This helps to assess the optimal time when sperm can be placed into the uterus in a simple procedure similar to a smear test.
The clinic has been opened by grandmother-of-three Sandra Bateman, 45, and mother-of-two Joanne Carwardine, 54.
They both live in Shrewsbury and are psychotherapists and specialist fertility counsellors.
It has consultation, clinic and treatment ares, as well as a recovery room, an areafor blood tests and a sperm storage room.
Speaking about the IUI treatment it hopes to offer in the future, Mrs Carwardine said: “It’s purely for couples who are struggling, single ladies and same-sex couples who need to use donor sperm.
“We want to help the same-sex couple group as much as we can.”
Mr Carwardine said they wanted to make sure people do not have to use companies where they can be taken advantage of.
She said: “We are trying to eradicate as much as possible the grey market, where exploitation can happen.
“The idea is that you would purchase sperm from the sperm bank, and have it delivered here where you would have the IUI treatment.
“We are not for profit. The idea is to keep the cost of IUI treatment as low as possible.
“We want people to have access to fairly priced treatment so that they can have a family.”
NFS offers an extensive range of diagnostic ultra sound scans as part of fertility investigations and assisted conception treatment.
It also carries out infection screening for both partners, including HIV and Hepatitis B and C, as well as other specialist blood tests.
For more information visit nfshub.co.uk
