Insights
Research summaries and clinician explainers. Every article is reviewed before it is published.
IVF Prep Timeline with Dr Divpreet
Dr Divpreet Sacha runs us through her recommendations prior to IVF, in an IVF timeline! Intro from Dr Divpreet IVF can feel like a whirlwind of appointments, protocols, and waiting, and for many, it’s easy to feel like the process is entirely out of your hands.
15 May 2025
Black Maternal Health Week & your microbiome
This week marks Black Maternal Health week. Learn with ScreenMe why your microbiome also matters in this context. The Reality: Black Women Face Greater Risks in Pregnancy In the UK and globally, Black women are significantly more likely to experience complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
28 Apr 2025
Egg health & your vaginal microbiome…
Egg health isn’t just about your ovaries… Your vaginal microbiome may be playing a bigger role than you think. Why your vaginal microbiome is important Your vaginal microbiome is a key part of your immune system and natural defence system. When balanced, it helps to protect your reproductive health, fighting off pathogens and preventing inflammation.
20 Apr 2025
4 ways your seminal microbiome may influence your fertility!
The seminal microbiome is an ecosystem of bacteria, yeast, viruses, fungi and other microorganisms found in semen. Occasionally, the composition of these organisms becomes unbalanced, known as dysbiosis! Pathogenic bacteria can overgrow and may cause a range of health concerns such as: infections, infertility, prostatis and more.
8 Apr 2025
Group B Strep (GBS): what you should know
What is it? GBS is a type of bacteria that can live either in the rectum or the vagina. This means any gender can have this bacteria present. How common is GBS? Very common. 2 to 4 women out of 10 will have GBS. Is GBS a health concern? Usually, no.
3 May 2024
Prevotella bacteria: what does this mean & what you can do
What is Prevotella bacteria? Prevotella species are a bacterial species present in the vaginal, seminal, gut microbiomes. These are gram-negative bacteria, which means they has strong cells walls and can therefore be difficult to treat even with antibiotics[1]. When can Prevotella be useful?
16 Apr 2024
Ureaplasma: 6 things you should know
Ureaplasma is a group of bacteria which is often found in the reproductive, respiratory and urinary tracts of men and women. 2. What are the symptoms? Often you are symptomless if you have Ureaplasma. However, some common symptoms include: 3. How can Ureaplasma impact me?
31 Jan 2024
Miscarriage risk: 4 ways your vaginal microbiome may impact this!
Approximately 15% of clinically recognised pregnancies end in miscarriage. Chromosomal problems account for around half of these pregnancies but for the other 50% the reason has been mostly unknown[1]. Therefore, it is really important for research to try and understand why this may be the case, so that we can prevent such.
31 Jan 2024
Acupuncture for fertility with Rachel Sherriff
Hi, I’m Rachel Sherriff and I’m an acupuncturist specialising in fertility. I came to acupuncture through my own fertility journey when I had acupuncture throughout my last and successful round of IVF and then again after my son to help with some health concerns.
31 Jan 2024
Trichomonas Parasite: causes, symptoms, treatment & more!
The trichomonas vaginalis parasite can cause Trichomoniasis, which is a sexually transmitted infection. This is the most common STI which is nonviral. How do I get it? This is a sexually transmitted parasite, so is transmitted if you have sex without a condom.
30 Aug 2023
Does your vaginal health impact IVF success?
The need Fertility issues are increasingly experienced or discussed, for example 19% of all couples are unable to conceive after a year of unprotected sex, with 10% of all couples still being unable to conceive after 2 years of unprotected sex. This means that ART [assisted reproductive technologies] like IVF, are becoming much more commonplace.
14 Aug 2023
4 ways your vaginal health could be limiting your fertility
Your vaginal microbiome is really important in a whole range of health outcomes including: recurrent UTIs, BV, STDs, vaginal dryness, and more, however today we will focus on the role of vaginal health in your fertility and chances of success. Note: when discussing the vaginal microbiome, we will often reference the relative amounts of bacteria present.
2 Aug 2023