'It gives people that extra chance': Couple welcome opportunity to get second round of free IVF
On Monday, the Government announced couples who already have a child and meet all other access criteria for the publicly funded assisted human reproduction treatment will be eligible for a free treatment plan.
It will include one full cycle of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
Siobháin O'Reilly and her husband Dean from Co Donegal have been married for five years and have no children.
They previously spoke to the Irish Examiner about their IVF journey and infertility after trying to get pregnant since they got married, but without success.
'Unfortunately, we did get pregnant, and unfortunately, we miscarried four times," said Siobháin, aged 30.
'We had a lot of tests done to get to the bottom of it. It's been very difficult at times.'
The couple had their first round of IVF treatment in 2024 on the public scheme.
Doctors successfully retrieved 13 eggs recently, but unfortunately only one survived.
They now want to try IVF treatment for a second time, in the hope they will be successful.
Health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said since the publicly funded assisted human reproduction (AHR) has so far seen 2,500 couples being referred by reproductive specialist consultants here.
While the O'Reilly's have not had any children, they said they would apply for the treatment as they believe they meet much of the criteria.
'We will apply for it and see how it goes' said Siobhain. 'No matter what, it is a great thing to have the second round available because it gives people that extra chance.
'We have not been successful yet, but we retrieved 13 eggs recently, one has only survived, which was such a shame.
'We are now undergoing tests for immunity to see do I need to change my medication. IVF is a big commitment, but at least there is a chance for people trying for a baby because the money is a lot. It would have cost us around €4,500 upwards, but there are also lots of extra tests too and consultant fees.
'Our journey started in January 2024, we have to do our injections every day and then travel from Buncrana to Co Kildare to the clinic in Clane. There is a lot to do.
'We are trying to manage your jobs as well. You could be booked for a Monday, but they might want to push those injections out to another day, and you have to try and juggle everything.'
Siobhain said they meet the criteria in terms of being resident in Ireland, they have been referred by a consultant, and they have had a previous IVF cycle.
But they have not had a successful round of IVF and have no children.
'If we are not successful receiving the funds, things might change further down the road'
The last baby the couple lost was in October 2023, at seven weeks. "It was very challenging, so we had more tests done, and it revealed I only had one kidney and a unicornuate uterus," said Siobháin.
The Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) Act 2024 was signed into law in July last year.
A supplementary bill to deal with issues such as parentage and citizenship in surrogacy arrangements as well as donor-assisted conception is also being worked on.
Speaking on Monday Ms MacNeill ad: 'We are making significant progress in relation to AHR legislation, and formal drafting of the Health (Assisted Human Reproduction) (Amendment) Bill is nearing completion.
'One critical piece in the AHR jigsaw is the establishment of a regulatory authority. Good progress has been made in relation to the establishment of the Assisted Human Reproduction Regulatory Authority.'
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Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
School meals fuss throws the baby out with the bathwater
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There's a growing rhetoric in the past year suggesting that food labels are misleading and that the information can't be trusted. Nothing could be further from the truth. It seems some wellness influencers have positioned themselves as experts, but have clearly never read any of the EU food regulations. Nor do they understand how to interpret nutritional information and health claims on the label. Food labelling is highly regulated. People who confidently read lists of ingredients into the void in supermarkets have a lot to answer for as their videos amount to scaremongering of perfectly safe ingredients. Some might argue that influencers give correct information sometimes. That may well be the case, but a broken watch is also right twice a day Many people also believe that if is there is a long list of ingredients with words that are unfamiliar, sound scary, or may be difficult to pronounce, then the food is deemed to be "bad" according to them. Pyridoxine, ascorbic acid, and phylloquinone are just Vitamins B6, C, and K. Nothing to be afraid of, trust me. The nutritional value of an uneaten school lunch is zero. Compromise is key. There is no such thing as a good food or a bad food. It is the overall diet that counts, not the inclusion or exclusion of a few specific foods that might be high in fat, salt and/or sugar. Using such a simplistic approach would result in very nutritious processed foods being incorrectly categorised and banned — such as cheese. Unless a child's diet consists of just one or two foods, then it is the overall combination of foods in the diet that will determine if it is nutritionally adequate to support growth and development. Even the HSE's own food pyramid has processed high in fat, sugar, and salt foods on the top shelf; they are allowed once or twice per week as part of a healthy diet, so why are they being banned in school meals? Sensory issues Parents have the option to completely avoid whatever meals they personally perceive to be unhealthy by just not ordering them. Alternative meals are always available. What about neurodivergent children and those with sensory issues around food texture and colour? How are they going to be impacted by the exclusion of such foods? Nuance is needed here instead of the sledgehammer approach. Parents are supposed to be gatekeepers for their children's health. There is an onus on parents to seek advice from reliable sources. A recent study carried out in DCU, which analysed 67,000 videos on social media platform TikTok, found that only 2.1% of nutrition content was accurate; the remainder was misleading or potentially harmful. Another study in Ireland found that only 6.1% of nutrition-related posts were classified as being of good quality. 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Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Migraine: why the debilitating condition is more than a big headache
STORM Floris on August 4 was a literal headache for migraine sufferers. When the Irish Examiner spoke to Dr Sabina Brennan the following day, she was still suffering. 'I spent all of yesterday vomiting and overcome with pains in my legs and an intense headache, and I'm exhausted today,' says the 63-year-old neuroscientist and psychologist from Dublin. 'My migraines are often triggered by the atmospheric pressure changes that precede a storm.' Two things about Brennan make her a typical migraine sufferer. One, she is a woman. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), migraines affect three times as many women as men. The other is that her migraines are far more severe than headaches and can't be treated by popping a pill. 'People associate migraines with headaches,' Brennan says. 'I've had migraines since I was a child, and they certainly involve headaches, but they also involve much more than that.' Brennan's headaches vary and can be debilitating. 'Sometimes, they are like an icepick digging into the trigeminal nerve that runs down the sides of my face,' she says. 'Other times, they are creepy crawly headaches that feel like spiders coming over the top of my head, and I also get headaches that consist of severe pain on one or the other side of my head, often around my eyes.' Her other symptoms vary, too. She can get nausea and vomiting, pains in her legs, an extra sensitive sense of smell, blurred vision, ringing in her ears, light-headedness, dizziness, and brain fog. Dr Paul Shanahan, a consultant neurologist specialising in headaches at the Beacon Hospital in Dublin, says that migraine is far more than a headache. 'It's a brain disorder that affects about 17% of women and 6% of men,' Shanahan says. 'It involves multiple regions of the brain, which results in a wide range of neurological symptoms. Pain is the most obvious, but there are many others. There is even a small proportion of people who get migraines without any headaches at all.' In a typical attack, he says, 'there's a throbbing or pounding headache on one or both sides of the head, accompanied by sensitivity to light or sound. There may be nausea or vomiting. 'In 30% of cases, the attack may be preceded, or accompanied, by an aura, which consists of visual disturbances like seeing lights, zigzag patterns, or shimmering patches; sensory disturbances, like pins and needles or numbness; speech disturbances, like difficulty finding words; or symptoms like weakness on one side, which can look like a stroke. There is also fatigue and brain fog, and it's not unusual for these symptoms to persist after the headache has settled.' Dr Sabina Brennan pictured at her home outside Shercock, Co. Cavan. Photo: Lorraine Teevan Not taken seriously The World Health Organisation reports that 40% of people suffer from some form of headache disorder, ranging from migraine and tension headaches to cluster headaches and headaches caused by medication overuse. Migraines have been part of our health landscape since at least 400 BC, when Hippocrates wrote about them. However, they seem to be on the increase. A study published earlier this year examined global migraine trends between 1990 and 2021 and found that migraine prevalence had increased by 58%. Naomi Thornton, information and support officer with the Migraine Association of Ireland, says migraine affects half a million people here. 'It disrupts their work and family life and overall wellbeing. The level of disability experienced by these individuals can have a significant effect on their quality of life.' A 2017 study that tracked the impact of 328 diseases worldwide found that migraine was the second most disabling in terms of years. It was the first most disabling for women under the age of 50. Yet despite the toll of migraine on people's lives, it isn't always taken seriously as a health condition. 'People with migraines report feeling dismissed or misunderstood at work and school and even within the health system,' says Thornton. This dismissive attitude is reflected in the funding afforded to migraine studies. Historically, they have received far less attention than conditions that affect fewer people, such as asthma and diabetes. Shanahan suggests two reasons for this disparity. One is that migraines, unlike other causes of disability, are usually intermittent. 'They are also fairly invisible,' he says. 'This has led to them being under-treated.' Tom Zeller, science writer. Pic: Kristine Paulsen Tom Zeller is an American science writer and author of the recently published The Headache: The Science of a Most Confounding Affliction and a Search for Relief. He has also suffered from cluster headaches for more than 30 years. His research revealed that gender bias explains why migraines have historically been under-studied and under-treated. 'Most people who present with migraine are women, and women's health has historically been given short shrift over the years,' Zeller says. 'In my research, I've come across accounts of doctors telling women they are too nervous or stressed and need to relax more. I've even heard of women being told that having more sex with their husbands would ease their headaches.' Zeller also refers to 'the cultural baggage' attached to headaches. 'We often call things like having to do our taxes a headache,' he says. 'This downplays the effects of a migraine and makes us disregard it as a real neurological disorder. Combine this with the fact that migraines are multifactorial and hard to diagnose and treat and you begin to see why we are only now beginning to understand them.' Hormonal influence? Shanahan has long been convinced that hormonal changes in women may cause migraines. Before puberty, migraine rates are about the same in boys and girls. However, one in five women with migraines is more prone to getting attacks around their menstrual period, and migraines reduce for many women during the later stages of pregnancy and after menopause. 'Hormones are probably not the only factor,' he says. 'But evidence points to strong hormonal influences.' That evidence includes a 2018 University of Arizona study, which found a link between higher levels of the female hormone oestrogen and lower levels of a sodium proton exchanger called NHE1, which controls pain signalling in the brain. There also appears to be a link between migraine and mental health, with various studies, including one from the University of Toronto in 2018, demonstrating that people who suffer from migraines are more likely to also suffer from mental health conditions, such as anxiety, depression, and even bipolar disorder. 'It's no surprise that someone with a disabling neurological condition who experiences regular and severe pain might struggle with their mental health,' says Shanahan. 'But the data also shows that a prior history of depression is associated with an increased risk of subsequent migraine. Whether this is cause and effect or whether there may be a common factor underpinning both conditions is not fully clear. 'It's important to be aware of the connection, though, as identifying both problems is the first step to dealing with them.' So what are the options? Shanahan outlines the range of treatments available. 'The best approach for people who get infrequent headaches is usually a painkiller, like paracetamol, or migraine-specific medications, like Triptan,' he says. 'But painkillers, however helpful on the day, do not make headaches any less frequent and, if taken too often, can make them worse. So anyone getting headaches more than five days a month should consider preventative medications.' Treatment traditionally consisted of medications developed for other conditions, such as epilepsy, depression, and hypertension. However, the release of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) inhibitors in 2018 represented a new era for migraine sufferers. The CGRP protein is released during a migraine attack and seems to cause the increased sensitivity of the sensory and pain systems. CGRP inhibitors interfere with the release of this protein. There are now six CGRP inhibitor drugs available here in Ireland. After decades of debilitating migraines, Brennan now has an effective treatment plan. She takes monthly CGRP inhibitor injections and daily tablets to stave off attacks and keeps painkillers on hand for when attacks do occur. She also gets medicinal Botox to treat migraine-associated stiffness and soreness in her neck and shoulders. 'All of these have been gamechangers for me,' she says. 'I now have far fewer migraines and know what to do if, and when, I get them.' These advances are a shift away from the historical gender bias and downplaying of the impact of the condition. 'There is still room for improvement in services, as access to specialist care is limited and there are long waiting lists to see neurologists and healthcare specialists, but migraine is increasingly being recognised as a serious health issue,' says Thornton. 'There is more research being carried out than ever before, and greater understanding and more treatment options as a result. 'It's encouraging for those living with migraine.' Visit the Migraine Association of Ireland's website, for further information and support Tackling pain Expert advice on what to do if you regularly get migraines: 1. Get a diagnosis The World Health Organisation reports that many people with headache disorders are not diagnosed because headaches are not perceived as serious by the general public and lack of awareness that effective treatments exist. 'Many people with migraine don't even know they have the condition,' says consultant neurologist Dr Paul Shanahan. 'They have to be diagnosed to access treatment.' 2. Don't try to treat the condition yourself 'Managing alone can lead to complications such as causing more frequent headaches due to overuse of painkillers,' says Joanne Thornton from the Migraine Association of Ireland. 'Treatment is different for everyone depending on their circumstances, which is why it's so important to seek professional help.' 3. Learn to identify your triggers 'Why an individual attack happens on a given day can be down to a multitude of factors which vary from person to person,' says Shanahan. 'Some of these — like poor sleep, missing meals and consuming alcohol — may be avoidable.' 4. Talk to others 'When I was younger, I assumed everyone had to go to bed for two days before their period,' says psychologist Dr Sabrina Brennan. 'It was only by talking to other people, especially doctors and neurologists, that I learned more about my condition and how to manage it.' 5. Don't give up if a treatment doesn't work Just because one medication doesn't suit you doesn't mean there aren't others you can try. There are also lifestyle changes you can make to help keep migraines at bay. Keeping a diary might help you pinpoint what might be the best changes for you. 6. Be kind to yourself Brennan says it's common for migraine sufferers to feel judged. 'There's a scepticism out there that maybe we're hypochondriacs and that our experience isn't as bad as we say it is,' she says. 'I'd love for everyone to accept that people with migraines have a neurological condition and are doing their best to manage it.' 7. Stay involved Following groups like the Migraine Association will keep you up to date with all the latest developments in how to prevent and treat migraines.
Irish Examiner
5 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Increasing use of agency staff by HSE for care of older people 'a healthcare risk', advocates warns
A doubling of agency staff use for older people's services by the HSE is a healthcare risk and the "canary in the coalmine", warning of serious problems, Age Action has warned. It follows a report in the Irish Examiner showing money paid to agencies in this sector almost doubled from €64.5m to €118.9m last year. Despite pledges to rein this in, it reached €52.1m spent already by May. Camille Loftus, head of advocacy and public affairs with Age Action, said she was disturbed but not surprised by the findings. 'A reliance on agency staff in healthcare services is a healthcare risk,' she said. If you look at instances where there have been errors, failure in care, medical misadventure, you will find very frequently that the use of agency staff was a factor. She stressed this was not because temporary workers might not be qualified, but 'it does mean they are not familiar with the healthcare setting in which they're working'. She suggested if a nursing home or homecare service was short-staffed enough to need agency help, they were unlikely to have time to offer thorough training on the day. 'If you can see a pattern where a sector in the health service is heavily staffed by people who are not full-time employed, that is an indication of a problem and it is absolutely a risk,' she said. Low salaries are common in social care for older people, especially in nursing homes, she added. 'We saw the kind of failures that can occur when a provider is consistently understaffed in that RTÉ Investigates programme on nursing homes,' she said. 'At least part of that problem was persistent understaffing. You will remember that horrific scene of that woman standing there with a man desperate to use the bathroom, and she knowing she couldn't leave over 20 people unattended — that's an understaffing problem.' Undercover footage shot at two homes run by Emeis Ireland was shared by RTÉ in June to widespread outrage. In general, Ms Loftus said: 'When you're dealing with residents where dementia might be an issue, a constant turnover of staff where people don't know residents' preferences is worrying. It's risky, it makes it more likely something will go wrong for the patient. The pressures are only likely to continue, with the projected rise in people living longer. She raised concerns about how this is being managed by the HSE and Government. 'The agency staffing numbers are like a canary in the coalmine, it's a warning to us that in this system — which we all think is creaking at the seams — that those fissures are becoming critical now,' she said. The HSE said agency staff were used to cover holidays, sick leave or maternity leave, as well as when short-staffed. It acknowledged recruitment as a challenge, saying this was the case for health services worldwide now. The data was released by the HSE to Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane. He criticised the HSE's staff policy — pay and numbers strategy — as ineffective, calling for 'an ambitious and realistic workforce plan'.
