You should avoid unprotected sex in the month you start treatment, but once you begin the stimulating injections you can have sex as normal. Sex can be a little uncomfortable in the later stages of ovarian stimulation because the ovaries are swollen. Most couples prefer not to have sex after the embryo transfer, although there is no medical reason to refrain at this stage, unless your gynaecologist specifically advises you to do so.

It is illegal in the UK to have fertility treatment and test specifically for gender. The chance of having a baby of either sex is more determined by your family history than anything else, and although there are many ‘old wives tales’ about sexual position, who orgasms first, and the phase of the moon, none of these contribute at all! Remember the man determines which sex the baby will be. Y sperm (makes a boy) are lighter, faster and more delicate than x sperm (makes a girl). Men who frequently scuba dive are more likely to have a girl because the y sperm are affected by the effect of pressure on the testes. Various diets have been advocated to encourage pregnancy with a girl or boy. These theoretically alter the acidity of vaginal secretions making them favour an x or a y sperm.

Termination either by medical or surgical means should have no impact at all on your future fertility unless the procedure is complicated by infection. Rarely these days, a surgical termination results in scarring inside the womb that may reduce fertility.

IVF has no effect on the age at which your periods will stop. The eggs that are retrieved at the time of egg collection are the ones that have been programmed to grow in that particular month. Nature normally selects just one for ovulation and the rest simply die, but with IVF, the hormone injections ensure that all the eggs in the group have enough ‘food’ to grow. The total number of eggs in your ovaries are therefore unaffected by the treatment.

Once the embryos have been replaced in the womb cavity, they cannot slide out again. It is completely safe to go to the toilet immediately after the transfer and go about things as normal.

No UK insurance policies cover fertility treatment, but often investigations are covered. Some international policies will pay for fertility treatment.

Couples quite often have more sex during pregnancy, although sickness in the early stages and being generally large and a bit uncomfortable in the last stages may take their toll. Certainly there is no medical reason not to have sex unless you doctor advises against it because you have had bleeding, or early contractions, or a history of premature delivery.

• Pate
• Liver
• Raw Fish
• Shellfish
• Unpasteurised cheese and all blue cheese
• Any food containing raw egg (like posh chocolate mousse and real mayonnaise)
• Keep oily fish intake eg tuna to twice a week at most (mercury contamination)
• Be careful with take aways, or previously cooked food kept in the fridge for over 24 hours
• There is no evidence that you should avoid peanuts in pregnancy, unless you are allergic to them yourself
• Minimise caffeine intake (2 cups of coffee/tea a day is ok)
• Minimise or better still eliminate food and drink containing artificial sweeteners, and artificial preservatives and additives…now is the time to get the cook books out and be healthy
• I recommend organic produce when possible
• Remember not to eat for two in pregnancy. Gaining too much weight will only leave you feeling quite depressed afterwards with the prospect of having to lose it all again. An additional 500 calories is all that is required daily, and healthy snacks are much better than an extra slice of chocolate cake.
• Don’t diet in pregnancy.

Yes, apparently it is licensed for use in pregnancy, but I think probably best avoided.

Always check with your Doctor, midwife or pharmacist before taking any medicines in pregnancy, even over the counter remedies. Many medicines are safe to use, but avoid any unnecessary treatments.

There is no problem flying before you know if you are pregnant, and after 12 weeks until 32 weeks. Some domestic airlines will accept women up to 36 weeks of pregnancy. Flying is inadvisable if there are pregnancy complications what mean early delivery is likely. Always ask your Doctor or midwife before you fly. Flying in early pregnancy is a controversial issue. Many women do fly in the early stages and come to no harm. Miss Matthews feels quite strongly that flying in the early stages of pregnancy should be avoided, unless the journey is absolutely essential. Miscarriages are more common in frequent flyers, possibly because of the hormone upset that is associated with crossing time zones, or the increased radiation exposure.

Yes you can! The chances are small, and it is more likely if your periods are irregular or prolonged but it should not be a time to avoid contraception because sperm can survive for up to 6 days.

Although the risk of pregnancy is extremely small in your late 40s and 50s, it is not impossible. Contraception is recommended until two years after you last period. This is obviously more difficult to predict if you are on HRT. Ask your gynaecologist for advice.

The combined pill is best avoided with a history of clots, migraines or liver problems. The mini (progesterone only) pill is safer. Always discuss any issues with your family planning doctor or Gynaecologist.

Many women are very happy using the contraceptive injection every 3 months, and often they have no periods at all after a while. Caution is advised for women on it for over 5 years as it can result in thinning of the bones (osteoporosis) especially if there is a family history or if you smoke. The injection is not recommended if you are thinking of pregnancy in the near future, because the return of your fertility can be delayed after it is stopped.