June 29, 2024 • 41 mins
Fertility expert Dr Simon McDowell joins the Weekend Collective to discuss why fertility is declining worldwide - and how prospective parents can prepare for the best chances to conceive.
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
You're listening to the Weekend Collective podcast from News Talks
ed B.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
You are not ah sax bar sax. You're my sax bomb.
You can give it to you do. Come along, shack, Sack.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
You're my sax bomb.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
You can turn from here on. Sham me up, Sack Sack,
You're my sack. You can't give you to do. Come along,
shack and welcome back to the Weekend Collective.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
I'm Tim Beveridge and you can give us a call
anytime during this one hundred and eighty ten eighty. And
we have a new guest for the art Extiosis thinking
I'm not sure for quite the right selection. But of course,
if you do want to have children, often the starting
point is to be a bit of a sex bomb.
But I can't think of any other way to to
sick way out of that song. But we have a
new guest on the show and he is a fertility
(01:01):
expert and his name is Dr Simon mcdawson.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Simon good, how are you?
Speaker 4 (01:07):
Yeah, good day, good, how are you? I don't think
I've ever had that that entrance before, but I'll take it.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Yes, actually maybe you should take it. It's just like
here he is he's the man, he's the fertility expert. Anyway,
maybe we should probably be a little bit more serious
about that. But Tay, look, just before we get into it,
we're gonna have a chat about fertility among other things.
But if you're listening eight hundred eighty t and eighty,
if you have any questions, here's a chance to talk
to an expert. If you've just got a simple question
about whether it's about how you prepare yourself to conceive
(01:35):
or to help conceive, or whatever, any questions around fertility,
then we'd love to hear from you on eight hundred
eighty ten eighty.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
But actually I thought, just because your first.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Time on the show, Simon, what's your bag baby, tell
us about what you do and how you got there.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
Yeah, sure, thanks having on the show. So I grew
up in Hamilton, South Hamilton, went down to went down
to Icago, did my degree down there, ended up up
in Wellington when overseas came back. When overseas came back,
spent some time Ossie and England's doing a bit more
training and then I've been back in the back in
Wellington for about a little bit more than a decade now,
(02:14):
how much.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Back and forth was was was training from university to
med school to different expertises.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Oh, the early stuff was probably more you know, just
getting out there oe type stuff. So sort of junior doctor,
went to went to Melbourne and then sort of made
my way to England and you know, did a bit
of traveling and stuff and then and then sort of
came back and got into specialty training and then then
the travel from there was more more work related. But
it's nice. You know, it's good to travel. You sort
of want to take those opportunities and you know, spend
(02:43):
a year at overseas it's quite quite nice. But you know,
was going to come home, you know, mchewey.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
And obviously you love Wellington because you're living there. One
would hope that that's the answer.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
Uh yeah, I do. I do. I spent my first
year of med school, the second part of my med
school here and I must have been I fell in
love with the city and you know where it can
be amazing and sometimes not so good, but that's it's
a good city, got character.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Can't on a good day, you can't beat it. Actually,
just before we get into how you got into a
step into fertility, how what was the most enjoyable part
of the world for you to practice medicine, and what
did you and I guess from a medical point of view,
obviously let's forget the party scene in a particular town. Yeah,
but what was the what was the best place to
(03:25):
practice medicine for you? Let's leave Wellington out.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Leave Wellington out. I look London, sort of an East London.
I worked a little bit the mainy sort of Loking
locuming and emergency department and stuff. And I remember, I
remember there was a poster on the wall of the
ed which was a malaria treatment chart, and I thought
that was I thought, oh my gosh, you must get
(03:49):
that like once every decade, and they were like, oh,
we get you know, one a week. So I think
probably London was my favorite because you actually got so yeah, yeah,
you know, it was such a you know, melting pot
of people, and yeah, it was a really interesting place
to work. You saw a lot of pathology you wouldn't
expect to see in London. Yeah, I didn't expect.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Actually on the malaria things, well, we won't delve on
dwell on this topic, but that what did that mean?
You have to be immunized or something, because that is
kind of contagious. But I don't know it's oh.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
I think it's let's passed on, you know, mosquitoes and stuff.
So I don't think it's sort of contagious.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
No, but blood to blood. Yeah that's right.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
Yeah that's right. Yeah, you got it.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Yeah, yeah, Okay, I know how did you get into
you know, how did you get from East London Eds
to fertility?
Speaker 4 (04:39):
So I decided sort of quite early on that I
wanted to do O G. I kind of I really
liked the you know, sort.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Of ecology by the way, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
Yeah that's right. Yeah, Yeah, that's right. And I think
a lot of R doctors we we sort of get
into it through eb cterrics, you know, that's kind of
the exciting part of it. I was always keen to subspecialize,
and there's a few different subspecialties, and fertility just kind
of made sense. It had a mixed sure of physiology
and surgery, you know, and it it just sort of
(05:10):
ticked all the boxes, I suppose, And you know, I'm
dealing with, you know, people that are really intelligent and
they know a lot about what's happening, and and you know,
you can really sort of make a difference. It's it's
it's a you know, it's a part of medicine where
you know, you you get these outcomes. You know, people
have a family that which they may not have got
if you went there and or if our team wasn't there,
(05:32):
And you know, that's a it's a pretty satisfying area.
We can be bloody said as well, but it's you know,
it's a really good, fascinating area and a really you.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Know, medicine of course must have it's amazingly uplifting moments.
But also medicine sometimes you know, there isn't the answer
for people, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
So you you're.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Really at the you're really at the call face of
disappointment as well sometimes.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Of course, Yeah, I think that's right, and I think
that's something you learn as you become older. Certainly I
have in medicine, you you know, having a sort of
being at peace with you don't know and what you
can't fix it. Certainly as a more junior doctor, I
probably struggled over that, but now I'm sort of you
brave enough to say I don't know and I'm not
sure what's going on, and you know, humans a complicated.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
It's a funny sense.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
The thing with fertility and we had my wife and
I went through three miscarriages I think before we had
our family, and then all of a sudden, I mean,
second child came along far too early, but anyway, which
is great, but it's funny. As a guy, I didn't
(06:38):
actually I remember when we had the second loss because
it was early on and I didn't feel anything.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
It was weird.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
And then I called my mom up from the hospital
and I told her what had happened, and I completely
broke down, and it came from nowhere, and.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
It was a funny.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
It's a weird thing to for people haven't been through
it to understand.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
I don't even know why, isn't it funny?
Speaker 3 (07:03):
It's literally I was calm and let's get we better
go to the hospital and all that sort of stuff.
And then I call up mum and say hey, by
the way, and I couldn't complete my sentence, and it's
it's a it's a strange grief that you can't understand,
isn't it.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
It is? And I think you know the triggers, you
can the sort of triggering things, and it might be
you know, just talking about it and and you know guys,
you know, perhaps more than woman probably just avoid those
conversations and you know they come at a cost, you know,
where it all comes out in a mad rush. You know,
I think talking about experiences and and you know guys
(07:40):
as well, and I think I think it is fair
to say guys to probably you know, don't vocalize it
as much as we should. Yeah, so no, it's I mean,
it's sometimes you need something close you don't have a
chat to really.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
And it's quite you know.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
I mean, now I mentioned now I still get emotional
thinking about it, but you know we've had a happy
ending with a couple of wonder lovely girls. But now
just tell us, because you are one of your specialties
you do.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Somebody to do with sub it's a type of.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Laparoscopic surgery that you also do as well. Does that
mean that is that in connection with fertility and increased
the ability to create better outcomes through surgery as well
or what tell us.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
About that question?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
Question?
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Tell us about.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
That I got there. It does. I mean fertility. We've
got this amazing treatment which is IVF and it's and
it's very good, not not you know, not a full
proof treatment, but it's a very good treatment for all
types of fertility issues. But you know, fertility surgery still
is a big part of what we do if we
(08:49):
can restore fertility, if we can if we can get
someone fertile for all of their children, not just sort
of you know, I V each time, that's always a
more desirable goal. You need to take into the counter
age and other aspects. So now I do you're quite
a bit of surgery and to be trust, very common
cause of infertility. It doesn't always cause infertility, but it
is a common cause of infertility. So a lot of
(09:10):
the surgery do is around that serve.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Involved broadly speaking, because what is endomor indoms.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
Where the it's where the inside lining of the uteriss
grows on the outside, and it can cause inflammation, scarring, pain,
It can distort the anatomy, you know, it's like glue.
Everything gets stuck together, and those power organs that the
ovaries and tubes shouldn't be sort of moving gently in
the know, the wash of the ocean, you know, like
sort of seaweed, and also can create a very inflammatory environment.
(09:40):
And so enderbitrisis is incredibly inflammatory and affects all part
of the fertility process. That the egg getting to the tube,
the tube getting the egg getting fertilized by the sperm,
the sperm getting to the egg, and then the ember
are getting down the tube. So you know, depending on
how bad it is, it may affect it in different ways. Yeah,
but it's you know, it's a very common problem, and
(10:02):
it may be you know, there may be co problems,
there may be other issues, but for many patients, that
is their only issue.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
So I have a suspicion that the answer to this
question is what's more more straightforward than I want to suggest,
But we are having declining fertility rates. Is that, broadly speaking,
just because we're all having kids later or there are
there many other issues that you can paid a broader
picture with that. When it comes to fertility, I.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
Think it's a I think you know, there's lots of
different reasons for it. It's a big issue. I was
at a conference conference recently in the Philippines and this
was a big part of the talk there, and a
lot of a lot of the Southeast Asian countries have
got incredibly low fertility rates. So you know, we all
need to be having two point one or two point
two children to maintain the population, and in countries like
(10:50):
South Korea they're down at point point eight to eight,
you know, really, you know, I think tai one was
the lowest at point eight seven. Japan's been low for
a long time, one point one point three. So yeah,
it is a big issue. And you know, always reflect
on sort of movies in the seventies eighties, and it
was always like overpopulation and you know, not enough resources,
(11:11):
and it seems like the opposite has happened. We're actually
you know, struggling to maintain our economies by lack of populations.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
So yeah, I mean, yeah, I carry on, no, carry on.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
So I think there's lots of factors. I think it's
you know, people are having kids later, people are more educated,
you know, gender imbalances, they don't want to you know,
you know, woman taking time out to have children put
them lower down the you know that sort of chain
or sort of you know hierarchy of going up that
chain cost you know, having kids as expensive, fertility treatments
(11:46):
expensive and reduce family size. You know. I think I
always remember I'm the I'm the youngest of three and
my mum was twenty nine when she had me, and
she was like the oldest one in the hospital in Hamilton.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
And pretty chicken.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Yeah, I know. And I've got three kids and my
wife was thirty when we had our first, so you know,
it's a total reversal.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Yeah, what about the basics sperm counts. I remember when
we were going through we had fertility treatment for our
first and one of the facts that came out forgetting
my own sperm count and all that sort of stuff.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
No want to.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Overshare, but historically speaking, I think I read somewhere that
sperm counts on average are way way down.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Is that actually right compared to like post.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
War Yeah, I think there is. There's been quite a
lot of reports out about that, and you know, it's
probably a bunch of things. I think there's a lot
more testing done than I've come back, So I think
I do wonder. I do sort of wonder if that
sort of plays into it. I've got a lot more information,
but you know, it's probably to do with, you know,
stuff in our environment. There's something called indign denstructors like
(12:55):
plastics that can affect all different parts of health, and
they probably affect our fertility health as well. So I
don't know a lot about why, but I think that
is a common area of concern. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Yeah, I had a layman under thinking that after a
war there's this sort of biological need to reproduce or something,
and maybe that played a part of it. But I'm
making that completely up just as my own.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
I mean, it's interesting, you know why there was such
a baby boom in the fifties and stuff, you know,
box of shorts.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
I mean, that is part of it, isn't it. You
If guys, if you, if you're talking to the mail
in the in the equation, is that still the advice?
It's like, what do you wear? Boxes or briefs? Get
rid of the briefs, get into the boxes, give the boy.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
I don't. I don't. Some of those things become a
little bit of eban myth, I say, I think, and
I must have better. I don't inquire about people's underwear.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
I was given some advice to actually the person I
won't say who it was, but she was fantastic. But
she she said, look, we don't know too much about this,
but probably wouldn't hurt.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
It wouldn't hurt.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Yeah, I mean, I think that's right. A lot of
this stuff is around that that it wouldn't hurt, you know,
sort of removing potential barriers rather than us having extremely
strong evidence of benefits. I don't. I always think about cyclists,
you know, people that come in cycling, and you think, well,
they're sitting on their testicles and they must get pretty
pretty pretty hot. But I don't know of any studies
to show cyclists have more infertility really that I'm aware of. Yeah,
(14:35):
I not. There may be, but not that I'm aware of.
But it'd be a very difficult study to run, wouldn't it.
But I think it's about those things are small, and
when you're looking at having a baby, you just, I
guess you just want to do every little thing thing
you can do which doesn't have a huge impact on
the way you're managing your life. So you know, maybe
trying to keep the testicles a bit cooler is not
a bad idea. We know that some people, some men
(14:58):
can have varicacials, which are sort of dilated veins at
the top of the testicle, and we think that may
impact on on the testacles and the sperm in terms
of heat. You know, therese more hot blood beer, so
that you know, does lead into that same sort of
discussion around you know, underwear boxes versus briefs.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
But boxes now because they look better. I think we've
got used to saying, you know, because we've seen Granddad
and the briefs and it's like, no whatever, whatever avoids that. Look,
I'm going with the boxes.
Speaker 4 (15:27):
I don't know. I'm with you you, okay.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
Well, are there things that in New Zealand we because
I think we might be short of a few vital
sort of minerals from what I understand, do the supplements
make a difference?
Speaker 2 (15:44):
And if so?
Speaker 3 (15:45):
And actually we can talk about Obviously I'm a bloke,
so I'm focused on blokes things. But let's face it,
as the women who have the babies, what are the
things that couples can do diet wise or supplement wise
or anything that can you know, they want to have
a want to have a child. Is there are there
things they can be doing which are going to smooth
the path.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Yeah, it's a good question. Look, I think that I'm
quite pragmatic about this, and you know, you couldn't sort
of take the approach of no alcohol, no this, no,
that cut it all out. And perhaps that is, you know,
the safest thing to do. But I don't think we
need to take all of those fun things out of
our lives, you know, having a glass of wine, you know,
(16:27):
having a cup of coffee. Just go for it. You know,
there's no evidence that that sensible intake of things like
you know, alcohol and coffee is going to you know,
mental toe of fertility. I think, you know, don't smoke.
That's an easy one, you know, smoking and vaping as well.
Vaping seems to be the new smoking. We'll certainly that
(16:47):
sort we see and and we know that that we'll
have an impact on fertility. You know when we take
when there's been studies to show that the eggs are
within a follicle on the ovary, and when they take
out the fluid from the from the follicle, we can
actually encounter, you know, see some of those smoking toxins
in there, which is kind of when you think about it.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
That which what'd say that again.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
So follicles a little cyst on the ovary and that's
where the where the egg resides. So when when it ovulates,
the follicle bursts and the egg comes out. So when
we're doing IVF and we stimulate the ovaries, we have
a whole bunch of follicles come about so we actually
suck the fluid out of the out of those little cysts,
out of those little follicles, and hopefully get the egg.
But you can actually sort of analyze the fluid and
(17:27):
and sort of see what's there. And there's been studies
shown that you know, cigarette toxins are in that, so
it's you know, it's.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Well if actually that would instantly put me off vaping,
if I was a woman and thinking of because I mean,
you've just given such I mean it sounds almost makes
me cross my legs, isn't it. But we're talking about
a tiny microscopic level.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
But it's there. You go, there's science for you.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Yeah, no, it's exactly. It's kind of it's kind of
crazy when you think about it that way. Supplements, I
again take a very pragmatic approach there. I think there
are no fertility superfoods. I mean, I think for millennia
people have said you should eat this, you shouldn't eat that.
I think if you've got a vaguely healthy, balanced diet,
then that is fine. I don't think that a multi
(18:11):
vitamin there's no evidence that it's helpful for fertility. Lots
of people do it. I don't never want to make
anyone feel silly about what they're doing. They go crazy,
go for it, but I think, you know, just eating
a sensible, healthy diet is enough for men. There is
some evidence that antioxidants for them and it and easin
is helpful if men.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Is selenium one of them.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
I don't know much about that. I'm afraid I couldn't.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
I was told about that we had a we had
an insufficiency of selenium in our soils or something.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
So yeah, well I think maybe, I mean, yeah, I
think that's right. But you know, to sort of connect
that to improving someone's fertility is it's there's a lot between,
you know, those two points to actually make a strong connection.
We know that for men having IVF, where they have
a sort of low spim counc or low motility, then
(19:04):
antioxidants may be helpful. And I think people have extrapolated
from that, well it might help us get pregnant at home,
and there isn't evidence to support that. But again, go
for it, you know, Okay, yeah, no harm.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
Okay, we're going to take a break now. If you've
got any questions for Simon McDowell, Doctor Som McDonell, he's
a fertility expert.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
And you've got any.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
Questions, even if you're asking for a friend, then we'd
love to hear from you. On eight hundred eighty ten eighty,
we're going to continue having a chat about the best
way you can prepare yourself for having a baby, getting
pregnant being the first stage of it. Give us a
call eight hundred eighty ten eighty And as I say,
the text is nine two nine two, The lines are open.
It's twenty six past five News Talks d B.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
Well, yes, there we go.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
I think that is I think this is sexual Healing
by Marvin Gay, isn't it, Joseph, Yes, that's correct. We're
talking to fertility and yes, that is possibly the most
common way of conceiving these days, but we are if
you don't if it's not necessarily the only way, And
that's why we're having a chat with Simon mcdoal, fertility expert.
I think we're gonna have to next time you're on
the show, Simon, we're gonna just to keep on rolling
(20:32):
out the sort of smooth you know, let's get it
on sort of tunes. I think, hey, how much does
stress pay pay a negative or non part in conceiving.
Speaker 4 (20:47):
Yeah, it's a good it's a common question we get asked,
and and it's and it's quite a I mean, we
can't measure stress, and and I can't if I say, hey,
just stop stressing, that's kind of the most un helpful
comment you can make. So I think that, you know,
I think stress is not good for us for lots
of different reasons. But it's very difficult to manage. You know,
if someone's you know, worried they're not getting pregnant because
(21:09):
of their stressful job, well stop working, and then you
don't have money to pay the bills, so then it
becomes stressful. So I think that we just have to
manage those things as much as we can. I certainly
would never say to someone I think you're having miscarriage
or struggling because of stress. You know, I had one
patient once tell me. If one more person tells me
(21:31):
just go on holiday, that's what worked for us, I'm
going to stab them. And you know, sometimes I think
we you know, even when we try and hop out
our friends and family that are struggling to say, look,
you just got to stop worrying about it. You know,
when we stop thinking about it that's when it happened. Look,
I think there's people and war zones around the world
getting pregnant every day, you know, And I think stress
(21:52):
is something we just have to manage and avoid. But
I would resist putting an element of blame to it,
if that makes sense.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
I think actually I've got a text here just saying
does And I wonder if this ties into who knows?
But it seems that here's the question, does having your
first baby make it easier to conceive the second? Because
I mean, I mean I can only go from our
example is that first child was you know, a journey.
(22:23):
Second child was upon us before we knew it, And
I just I just wondered if there is any biological,
physiological reason that once you had a child.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
Yeah, it's a question I've been asked a number of times,
and I don't know of any sort of scientific answer
for that. I think that you know, if you've been
trying to get pregnant for twelve months, you know, compared
to thirty six months, well the person that's been having
unprotected six for thirty six months will have more pregnancies
(22:52):
than the person here has twelve. So I think the
more and more and more people try, I think, the
more the chances are that they may become pregnant. But yeah,
I don't know if having a baby loosens the lid,
if that makes sense. But it's a very very common
sort of question out there. Yeah, any scientific plausibility.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
Okay, because I'm going to ask some dumb lay questions
because I can, because if I have something silly, it
doesn't matter because I don't know. So here's something I'm
just building on what you said that you talk about
people having sex for thirty six months rather than just twelve.
Is there anything and that when you are in your twenties,
your sex driver is higher and you actually are probably
(23:32):
doing it to have a lot more than people who
are trying to conceive a little later, and so they
have the numbers game on their side as well because
simply they're doing it more.
Speaker 4 (23:44):
Perhaps, I mean, that is a theory idea I can't
I can't confier will deny it.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
I mean, I guess you're talking about thirty six months
of having sex. Yeah, if you're I don't know frequency.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
Younger people get pregnant more readily than older people. You know,
it is harder to get pregnant as you become older,
and that impact is far more apparent woman than men.
You know, so I think you know, you know, a
couple of twenty year olds trying to get pregnant, even
if the guy has got a bit of a low
spem count, you know, probably there's some high quality sperm
there and some high quality eggs, and then faly is
(24:18):
likely to meet me.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
Yeah, okay, I mean, of course, any question I asked
could be the sort of question you've been asked by
a client as well. Anyway, I like a patient, should
I say.
Speaker 4 (24:28):
Not that one?
Speaker 2 (24:29):
But really? Oh?
Speaker 4 (24:31):
Okay, no, no, that's it's a good theory. I haven't
thought about it.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
So come back to me next time. Next time you're
on what are the birth rates?
Speaker 2 (24:41):
These are?
Speaker 3 (24:42):
We're getting through quite a few texts on this one.
How a second, I'm just going through because we've got
a lot of got Okay, Simon, is there a best
time to get pregnant? And also is there an age
where being an age that would be bad for getting pregnant? Well,
I would imagine as you get older, but the best
time to get pregnant so we want.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
Yeah, So for a fertility specialist, the only answer I
can give is the best time to get pregnant was yesterday,
you know, given those eight related factors as we talked about.
So I mean a concept I'd like people, you know,
really to think about as planning for their last child.
We see a lot of couples where, you know, they
got their first child, you know, no worries, sort of
thirty five, thirty six, but by the time they're trained
(25:27):
for their second or perhaps their thirds, you know, the
thirty eighth, thirty nine, and they've just reached a tipping
point where it's very, very difficult. So flipping it around
and thinking all right, hey we might want two kids,
or we hey we might even want three, so we
really have to think about or how old are we
going to be, if that makes sense. I think if
people want two kids and even the possibility of a third,
(25:49):
I think trying for your first by your early thirties ideally,
you know, would be what the recommendation I would give.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Yeah, if you're thinking about it, start having a go yeah, okay, look,
don't listen to me. People will listen to listen. Assignment
on this one. Okay, what are the birth rates in
comparison first world to third world?
Speaker 2 (26:09):
Do we have any data on that.
Speaker 4 (26:11):
Yeah, I think they. You know, the third world is
definitely higher. I don't. You know. All of the sets
I've got around the replacement rates are really from those
first world countries, you know, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, stuff like that,
that are are very low. I think that there are
still challenges in some of those other other countries, but
(26:33):
it's certainly the sort of propping up the world population probably.
I know from the study from some of the stuff
I've got Vietnam has one of the sort of high
high batility rates compared to many of the other southeastising countries.
And why that is I don't know.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
But data on how old people are when they're having
babies in those countries.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
There is, but I don't have it. You don't have
to younger, but it's young absolutely, yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
And in first world countries, we're people have careers they
want to pursue. I mean, logically, there are some logical
deductions you can sort of make. I guess, can't you that?
And OECD countries where women have careers they want to
pursue and they might put it off a bit, it
would make sense. I guess that there might be that
would be reflected in birth statistics.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
Is that right? Or no?
Speaker 4 (27:20):
Oh? Absolutely? I think you know the you know, it
wasn't that long ago. You kind of got married, you
bought a house, and then you had a kid and
you started your family, and you know that's how hard
is that now? You know? Really difficult?
Speaker 3 (27:34):
Oh well, the house thing, I mean we blame the
housing market for Actually that sounds a ridiculous thing to say,
but if we were doing a more broader talk back topic,
you could say, how much is you know, put your
ambitions to buy a house affecting on your chances of
having a baby when you want it?
Speaker 4 (27:49):
It is? It's huge. I mean, I think, you know,
having kids is expensive, and I think if we want
to really try and improve utility rates, it's you know,
there are sort of financial factors and encomic factors we
need to look at. I mean, an interesting thing to
think about is as people have less kids and the
average age of the population increases, we have more people
not paying taxes, and you know that will have economic
(28:12):
consequences which really can be quite quite substantial.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
Okay, I put a few I want to put a
few urban myths to rest.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
If in fact, they are urban myths.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
So for guys, does saving up abstaining help you with
having yeah, you know, delivering a high number of sperm?
Speaker 4 (28:33):
Yep? So men, So the less you ejaculate, lest you ejaculate,
the volume increases, but the volume also includes more dead
and dying sperm. Okay, So the more you ejaculate, the
lower the volume of the ejaculate, but the better the
quality of the sperm. So we actually have no data
to show that having you know, sex bloody three times
(28:56):
a day versus you know, every day is so sort
of once once or twice a week is potentially any different.
A good rule of thumb should be ejaculating two or
three times a week, you know, so they should be
over that sperm. So saving it up as something we
would recommend avoiding.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
Okay, good, I mean that was actually the advice I
got was to get cracking.
Speaker 4 (29:17):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
I'm sorry. If people are having your dinner early, and
you know, somebody sent me a text same ham having
my dinner right now, it's like we're only talking biology here, people,
We're not talking.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Explicit stuff anyway, Just to deal with it.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
But that that's that was the advice that. In fact, Yeah,
I just thought I put that out there because I
have spoken to a lot of guys who think, oh,
you know, and their first question, which was dispelled by
the expert they spoke to, was no, no, no, it's
not a case of saving up for a rainy day.
Let's get into it. That's right, Okay, got lots of
(29:51):
questions here. I guess the is I'm fleshing out this
question from Sally. It's saying, talk about the emotional stress
on couples, struggling and all that.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
Yeah, and I.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
Does the emotional it's tied into the stress thing, simon.
I guess about if you are getting really emotional about things, Okay,
that's a mental health issue. But does that impact on fertility?
And I'm guessing we don't know.
Speaker 4 (30:22):
Look, I think in terms of the impact on fertility,
you know, from a stats point of view, would probably
be quite difficult. But the emotional burden, the burden of treatment,
the burden of failure, the burden of miscarriages is absolutely huge.
And and those things can you know, become cumulative. I
think you know the rate of people splitting up through
(30:42):
fertility treatment, you know, it's much higher than those not
having fertility treatment. So you know, it takes its toll
on people in lots of different ways. And I think,
you know, the wider friends and family as well. I mean,
you know, the more we talk about it, it's great,
you know, but also it can be very hard for
the for our closest you know, the closest people to us,
because they really want us to have that, you know,
(31:03):
that that thing we want, which is a t older
a family, and so it's hard to measure, but it's
it's significant.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
Yeah, because I think that advice you talked about when
you talked about the best time to get pregnant is
yesterday is and I have spoken to you know, we're
given the battle that we had at firstly I was
talking to other people about when when suddenly you were
under almost under prescription too try hard for a baby,
(31:31):
and that can put a lot of pressure on a
relationship because it's, you know, something that felt like it
should be just in the moment of you know, in
a relationship suddenly became something like we've you know, it's
Wednesday night, We've got all it's.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
You know, And that that is a.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
Tough one, isn't it, Because you still want people to
try and conceive naturally if they can.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
That's right, And I guess it's the cruel reality, isn't it,
you know, of the situation. And I guess you know,
people taking time to you know, to remember the stuff
outside of fertility, and it is really important. But you know,
we're a living, busy lives, and you know, I guess
things can sometimes end up on a bit of a schedule
for many many of our patients.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
How easy is it to work out because when a
woman's ovulating.
Speaker 4 (32:18):
Yeah, it's a good question. And look, I think there's
lots of apps out there and people use urine cats
and stuff and go for it. People go crazy. But
we would recommend people just to have regular, unprotected sex.
You know, I think trying to time it carefully is
not you know, in a way, it doesn't make sense.
You know, we also get told when we're teenagers, hey,
we're a condom. You know you'll get pregnant. And some
(32:40):
of our mates, did you know they didn't get pregnant
when the condo brookes once or they're just a bit
useless once. So to go from that you have to
sort of really carefully time it. You know, those are
so very different ends of the spectrum. So some people
are some woman a lot of ovulator ratically as well,
their cycle won't be consistent. It may range, you know,
seventeen days even more. So, you know, trying to pinpoint
(33:01):
ovulation in some situations, I think people may actually, you know,
they only they really sort of focus on having sex
in this period and maybe they do actually miss the
boat because it's a later ovulation. So if you haven't
sex two or three times a week, you know, regardless
where you're at in the cycle, you will get the
timing right. Okay, So I think you know that's a
general thumb. You know, you use your apps, look at
(33:21):
all that kind of stuff, but you still want to
be having sex broadly at least twill three times a week.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
What about I remember this advert years ago. It ended
up with the line and folic acid for reproduction, and
somebody's texted me about folic acid. What what's the role
of follic acid for?
Speaker 4 (33:39):
Just to prevent spina bifitter so spina bist an narsty
or neuritube defect, quite an narsty spinal condition. It doesn't
help people become pregnant, but it's really more of a
public health measure. Those who are taking folic acid preconceptually
will have lower rates of spina bifida. I believe in
New Zealand we don't fortify our breed with fol eight.
So I think that's that's part of I don't know
(34:02):
too much about that, but yeah, it's it's purely to
reduce that id and when you are pregnant. A lot
of people take it beforehand, but it's really when you
are pregnant for sort of help development of the fetal brain.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
But well, these about but these are I mean, these
are important things to know because a lot of people,
you know, they love the pink Himalayan sort of sultan things.
It's like, well, that's not I dosed. I mean salts
where we get iding from generally? Isn't it all vitamins?
Speaker 4 (34:27):
That's exactly right, Yeah, no, exactly. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
That's just just one last question, because time has flown.
What are the treatments that are available now? Are there
any specific things that stand out to you that have
changed that changed the game for people who might twenty
years ago have struggled to conceive in terms of YE
fertility associates.
Speaker 4 (34:48):
Yeah, so, I mean, our standout performer in terms of
treatment has been IVF. You know, IVF has continued to
increase in success rates and become more refined. You know,
it is our kind of you know itsel that's our
higher paid player on the team, if that makes sense.
(35:09):
So things like insemination remain very simple, if anything, probably
you know, we've found that early recourse to IVF treatment
and many situations is he so actually sort of being
brave enough to talk to our patients and actually say, hey, look, IVF.
You know it is your best your best step. You
know there are other options or you know this all that,
(35:30):
but this, this will be people's best best option. So
you know, I think it's forty years since we're the
first child born in New Zealand with IVF. I think
that was not too long ago, and forty five the
first child born in England. So you know, it's it's
been a massive, amazing colesion of technology and knowledge.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
Yeah, hey, Simon, thanks so much for joining us.
Speaker 3 (35:53):
And people can reach you in Wellington and I think
you wake for Field Clinic as part of Fertility Associates, right,
and I think.
Speaker 4 (36:00):
We're on the we're on the TIRA, so Fertility Associates
Wellington on the tear.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
The wrong wrong address there.
Speaker 4 (36:05):
Sorry, I do some work there as well.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
Good stuff.
Speaker 4 (36:08):
So yeah, ready music probably shouldn't said that.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
I think you can mention so much for thanks so
much for coming on the show. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
No worries. Thanks very dumb.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
Yeah, good, we'll catch you again.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
That's something from Fertility Associates and you know, if you
if you wanted to speak to a doctor, then give
them a call. And anyway, we'll be back in just
a moment to wrap sport with Elliot Smith, who is next. Yes,
(36:51):
that wraps up the parents squad actually, because now it
is that time of day at eleven minutes to six.
Speaker 1 (37:00):
Good weekend, collective sports.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Rat and look he's in the studio. I wish we
had the cameras on because he's pretty in pink today
Elliot Smith and now Elliott I just need you to
acknowledge that I did predict. It's not over yet, but
I did predict the Warriors would come back and beat
the Broncos.
Speaker 5 (37:17):
Yeah, it is half time and they lead sixteen six
over the Broncos this afternoon at Mount Smart Stadium. You
did predict it. Yeah, congratulations, there are still forty minutes
to go.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
I did call the Chiefs and the Blues at the
other week.
Speaker 5 (37:29):
You said the Blues would win comfortably in the final.
Speaker 3 (37:31):
If I recall right, And I also predicted that the
Titans would beat the Warriors.
Speaker 5 (37:35):
You did, and so you're on track for three from three.
Speaker 2 (37:38):
I just wish I had the money on it.
Speaker 5 (37:40):
Yeah, you should have. You should have look id caution
to say there are still forty minutes to go, and
in a Warriors game, there is plenty of time for
the game to go one of two directions. So we
wait and see. But a very good start from the Warriors.
A couple of tries from Chanelle Harris Tavita could have
been a third. I just had one ruled out before halftime.
But sixteen six at the break, you'd take that from
(38:00):
the Warriors' perspective against the Broncos. So, yes, they're missing
some their State of origin players who are being rested
this week coming off the game on Wednesday night, but
buying large, a pretty good start from the Warriors.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
Actually, I guess who cares who they're resting. What matters
is on the pitches.
Speaker 5 (38:13):
Two points is up for grabs, so that's what you
need to do, and these are the games to the
Warriors perspective that you need to win. Coming off the
back of that humiliation last week on the Gold Coast,
they need to balance back and all the signs are
pretty positive so far this afternoon.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (38:29):
I always find it one of the more fatuous sort
of discussions that you hear about who's missing from the
field in sport, because it's like, Okay, you do it
briefly and let's move on to who's on the pitch.
Speaker 5 (38:40):
Yeah, that's right. Although I think in the NL it
is important because you've got the state of origin period
where some teams do get weakened by things, and this
traditionally has been a very strong period for the Warriors,
where they go through last week obviously belted by the
and they're playing a Broncos, you know, a team dominated
by state of origin players. There are a few players out.
But having said that, you know it's the same as
(39:00):
week one of the competition. There are still two points
for a win, so do you take those if you
get in the saft Now.
Speaker 3 (39:05):
We've had the all blacks named and the captain all
that sort of thing, when it's actually the when's the
first game for the All Blacks.
Speaker 5 (39:10):
This time next week, well not exactly this time next
week sevenar five, next Saturday night against England in Dunedin.
Speaker 3 (39:15):
That is actually hitting the ground running, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
How are England looking?
Speaker 5 (39:20):
England have had a game under their belts. They played
Japan last week relatively comfortable. Then obviously they've had the
Six Nations a bit earlier on in the years, So
if you're comparing the two, you know, new slate for
the All Blacks versus England coming in with a bit
more time under their belts, then that's obviously a benefit
for England. They're in the country at the moment, training
(39:41):
away and so you know, I guess it's we'll find
out next Saturday night.
Speaker 2 (39:45):
Won't be very much.
Speaker 5 (39:46):
Looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (39:47):
And of course the Mario Blacks they're playing.
Speaker 5 (39:50):
Japan tonight, so that's at ten o'clock over in Japan,
so that's another one with a lot of those players.
And that Mex just coming off the Super Roggy playoffs
and now into multi All Blacks mode. They haven't had
a lot of time together. I mean that squad was
only selected on Tuesday. They're now playing it game on
Saturday night, which is quite remarkable, isn't it So the quivery,
quick turnaround for the moldy All Blacks.
Speaker 2 (40:12):
But they're looking as a team.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
What's the selections looking strike?
Speaker 5 (40:15):
Yeah, I mean there's got the strong base of a
few players that missed out on All Black selection, a
few players that perhaps you know, you don't know too
much about. Is the case sometimes of the moldy All
Blacks that you have to dig a little bit deeper
to find moldy heritage in certain positions. But really looking
forward to watching that game tonight. All Blacks played Japans
that later on in the year, so interesting to get
(40:36):
a prac on on how things are tracking. But yeah,
the big game for the All Blacks next Saturday night
seven or five. Life here on News Talks.
Speaker 3 (40:41):
Absolutely I'm looking forward to hearing your call on that, Elliott,
And good to see you mate, Thanks for coming home,
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
There we go, Elliott Smith, the voice of.
Speaker 3 (40:48):
Rugby and Carago Chicken before get.
Speaker 2 (40:54):
And thanks so much for listening and stay tuned for
Roman Travers.
Speaker 3 (40:58):
He's got a special, very special guest joining him to
take calls about his stories and incredible career. Barry Holland
will be in with from seven to eight with Roman
Travers and join us again tomorrow. We've got Davis similar O'Connors.
Speaker 2 (41:13):
Or what was I saying?
Speaker 3 (41:13):
It was about to give the wrong Samin Brown? What
has I had the wrong name for singing? The Ministry
of Minister of Transports joining us. Enjoy your night, We'll
catch you soon and have a great evening.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
For more from the Weekend Collective, listen live to news
Talks it'd be weekends from three pm, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Collective podcast from News Talks
ed B.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
You are not ah sax bar sax. You're my sax bomb.
You can give it to you do. Come along, shack, Sack.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
You're my sax bomb.
Speaker 2 (00:25):
You can turn from here on. Sham me up, Sack Sack,
You're my sack. You can't give you to do. Come along,
shack and welcome back to the Weekend Collective.
Speaker 3 (00:40):
I'm Tim Beveridge and you can give us a call
anytime during this one hundred and eighty ten eighty. And
we have a new guest for the art Extiosis thinking
I'm not sure for quite the right selection. But of course,
if you do want to have children, often the starting
point is to be a bit of a sex bomb.
But I can't think of any other way to to
sick way out of that song. But we have a
new guest on the show and he is a fertility
(01:01):
expert and his name is Dr Simon mcdawson.
Speaker 2 (01:05):
Simon good, how are you?
Speaker 4 (01:07):
Yeah, good day, good, how are you? I don't think
I've ever had that that entrance before, but I'll take it.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Yes, actually maybe you should take it. It's just like
here he is he's the man, he's the fertility expert. Anyway,
maybe we should probably be a little bit more serious
about that. But Tay, look, just before we get into it,
we're gonna have a chat about fertility among other things.
But if you're listening eight hundred eighty t and eighty,
if you have any questions, here's a chance to talk
to an expert. If you've just got a simple question
about whether it's about how you prepare yourself to conceive
(01:35):
or to help conceive, or whatever, any questions around fertility,
then we'd love to hear from you on eight hundred
eighty ten eighty.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
But actually I thought, just because your first.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
Time on the show, Simon, what's your bag baby, tell
us about what you do and how you got there.
Speaker 4 (01:50):
Yeah, sure, thanks having on the show. So I grew
up in Hamilton, South Hamilton, went down to went down
to Icago, did my degree down there, ended up up
in Wellington when overseas came back. When overseas came back,
spent some time Ossie and England's doing a bit more
training and then I've been back in the back in
Wellington for about a little bit more than a decade now,
(02:14):
how much.
Speaker 3 (02:14):
Back and forth was was was training from university to
med school to different expertises.
Speaker 4 (02:21):
Oh, the early stuff was probably more you know, just
getting out there oe type stuff. So sort of junior doctor,
went to went to Melbourne and then sort of made
my way to England and you know, did a bit
of traveling and stuff and then and then sort of
came back and got into specialty training and then then
the travel from there was more more work related. But
it's nice. You know, it's good to travel. You sort
of want to take those opportunities and you know, spend
(02:43):
a year at overseas it's quite quite nice. But you know,
was going to come home, you know, mchewey.
Speaker 3 (02:48):
And obviously you love Wellington because you're living there. One
would hope that that's the answer.
Speaker 4 (02:52):
Uh yeah, I do. I do. I spent my first
year of med school, the second part of my med
school here and I must have been I fell in
love with the city and you know where it can
be amazing and sometimes not so good, but that's it's
a good city, got character.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
Can't on a good day, you can't beat it. Actually,
just before we get into how you got into a
step into fertility, how what was the most enjoyable part
of the world for you to practice medicine, and what
did you and I guess from a medical point of view,
obviously let's forget the party scene in a particular town. Yeah,
but what was the what was the best place to
(03:25):
practice medicine for you? Let's leave Wellington out.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Leave Wellington out. I look London, sort of an East London.
I worked a little bit the mainy sort of Loking
locuming and emergency department and stuff. And I remember, I
remember there was a poster on the wall of the
ed which was a malaria treatment chart, and I thought
that was I thought, oh my gosh, you must get
(03:49):
that like once every decade, and they were like, oh,
we get you know, one a week. So I think
probably London was my favorite because you actually got so yeah, yeah,
you know, it was such a you know, melting pot
of people, and yeah, it was a really interesting place
to work. You saw a lot of pathology you wouldn't
expect to see in London. Yeah, I didn't expect.
Speaker 3 (04:11):
Actually on the malaria things, well, we won't delve on
dwell on this topic, but that what did that mean?
You have to be immunized or something, because that is
kind of contagious. But I don't know it's oh.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
I think it's let's passed on, you know, mosquitoes and stuff.
So I don't think it's sort of contagious.
Speaker 2 (04:27):
No, but blood to blood. Yeah that's right.
Speaker 4 (04:29):
Yeah that's right. Yeah, you got it.
Speaker 3 (04:31):
Yeah, yeah, Okay, I know how did you get into
you know, how did you get from East London Eds
to fertility?
Speaker 4 (04:39):
So I decided sort of quite early on that I
wanted to do O G. I kind of I really
liked the you know, sort.
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Of ecology by the way, isn't it.
Speaker 4 (04:49):
Yeah that's right. Yeah, Yeah, that's right. And I think
a lot of R doctors we we sort of get
into it through eb cterrics, you know, that's kind of
the exciting part of it. I was always keen to subspecialize,
and there's a few different subspecialties, and fertility just kind
of made sense. It had a mixed sure of physiology
and surgery, you know, and it it just sort of
(05:10):
ticked all the boxes, I suppose, And you know, I'm
dealing with, you know, people that are really intelligent and
they know a lot about what's happening, and and you know,
you can really sort of make a difference. It's it's
it's a you know, it's a part of medicine where
you know, you you get these outcomes. You know, people
have a family that which they may not have got
if you went there and or if our team wasn't there,
(05:32):
And you know, that's a it's a pretty satisfying area.
We can be bloody said as well, but it's you know,
it's a really good, fascinating area and a really you.
Speaker 3 (05:41):
Know, medicine of course must have it's amazingly uplifting moments.
But also medicine sometimes you know, there isn't the answer
for people, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (05:49):
So you you're.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
Really at the you're really at the call face of
disappointment as well sometimes.
Speaker 4 (05:54):
Of course, Yeah, I think that's right, and I think
that's something you learn as you become older. Certainly I
have in medicine, you you know, having a sort of
being at peace with you don't know and what you
can't fix it. Certainly as a more junior doctor, I
probably struggled over that, but now I'm sort of you
brave enough to say I don't know and I'm not
sure what's going on, and you know, humans a complicated.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
It's a funny sense.
Speaker 3 (06:18):
The thing with fertility and we had my wife and
I went through three miscarriages I think before we had
our family, and then all of a sudden, I mean,
second child came along far too early, but anyway, which
is great, but it's funny. As a guy, I didn't
(06:38):
actually I remember when we had the second loss because
it was early on and I didn't feel anything.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
It was weird.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
And then I called my mom up from the hospital
and I told her what had happened, and I completely
broke down, and it came from nowhere, and.
Speaker 2 (06:55):
It was a funny.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
It's a weird thing to for people haven't been through
it to understand.
Speaker 2 (07:00):
I don't even know why, isn't it funny?
Speaker 3 (07:03):
It's literally I was calm and let's get we better
go to the hospital and all that sort of stuff.
And then I call up mum and say hey, by
the way, and I couldn't complete my sentence, and it's
it's a it's a strange grief that you can't understand,
isn't it.
Speaker 4 (07:18):
It is? And I think you know the triggers, you
can the sort of triggering things, and it might be
you know, just talking about it and and you know guys,
you know, perhaps more than woman probably just avoid those
conversations and you know they come at a cost, you know,
where it all comes out in a mad rush. You know,
I think talking about experiences and and you know guys
(07:40):
as well, and I think I think it is fair
to say guys to probably you know, don't vocalize it
as much as we should. Yeah, so no, it's I mean,
it's sometimes you need something close you don't have a
chat to really.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
And it's quite you know.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
I mean, now I mentioned now I still get emotional
thinking about it, but you know we've had a happy
ending with a couple of wonder lovely girls. But now
just tell us, because you are one of your specialties
you do.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Somebody to do with sub it's a type of.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Laparoscopic surgery that you also do as well. Does that
mean that is that in connection with fertility and increased
the ability to create better outcomes through surgery as well
or what tell us.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
About that question?
Speaker 4 (08:27):
Question?
Speaker 2 (08:27):
Tell us about.
Speaker 4 (08:28):
That I got there. It does. I mean fertility. We've
got this amazing treatment which is IVF and it's and
it's very good, not not you know, not a full
proof treatment, but it's a very good treatment for all
types of fertility issues. But you know, fertility surgery still
is a big part of what we do if we
(08:49):
can restore fertility, if we can if we can get
someone fertile for all of their children, not just sort
of you know, I V each time, that's always a
more desirable goal. You need to take into the counter
age and other aspects. So now I do you're quite
a bit of surgery and to be trust, very common
cause of infertility. It doesn't always cause infertility, but it
is a common cause of infertility. So a lot of
(09:10):
the surgery do is around that serve.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
Involved broadly speaking, because what is endomor indoms.
Speaker 4 (09:17):
Where the it's where the inside lining of the uteriss
grows on the outside, and it can cause inflammation, scarring, pain,
It can distort the anatomy, you know, it's like glue.
Everything gets stuck together, and those power organs that the
ovaries and tubes shouldn't be sort of moving gently in
the know, the wash of the ocean, you know, like
sort of seaweed, and also can create a very inflammatory environment.
(09:40):
And so enderbitrisis is incredibly inflammatory and affects all part
of the fertility process. That the egg getting to the tube,
the tube getting the egg getting fertilized by the sperm,
the sperm getting to the egg, and then the ember
are getting down the tube. So you know, depending on
how bad it is, it may affect it in different ways. Yeah,
but it's you know, it's a very common problem, and
(10:02):
it may be you know, there may be co problems,
there may be other issues, but for many patients, that
is their only issue.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
So I have a suspicion that the answer to this
question is what's more more straightforward than I want to suggest,
But we are having declining fertility rates. Is that, broadly speaking,
just because we're all having kids later or there are
there many other issues that you can paid a broader
picture with that. When it comes to fertility, I.
Speaker 4 (10:28):
Think it's a I think you know, there's lots of
different reasons for it. It's a big issue. I was
at a conference conference recently in the Philippines and this
was a big part of the talk there, and a
lot of a lot of the Southeast Asian countries have
got incredibly low fertility rates. So you know, we all
need to be having two point one or two point
two children to maintain the population, and in countries like
(10:50):
South Korea they're down at point point eight to eight,
you know, really, you know, I think tai one was
the lowest at point eight seven. Japan's been low for
a long time, one point one point three. So yeah,
it is a big issue. And you know, always reflect
on sort of movies in the seventies eighties, and it
was always like overpopulation and you know, not enough resources,
(11:11):
and it seems like the opposite has happened. We're actually
you know, struggling to maintain our economies by lack of populations.
Speaker 2 (11:19):
So yeah, I mean, yeah, I carry on, no, carry on.
Speaker 4 (11:22):
So I think there's lots of factors. I think it's
you know, people are having kids later, people are more educated,
you know, gender imbalances, they don't want to you know,
you know, woman taking time out to have children put
them lower down the you know that sort of chain
or sort of you know hierarchy of going up that
chain cost you know, having kids as expensive, fertility treatments
(11:46):
expensive and reduce family size. You know. I think I
always remember I'm the I'm the youngest of three and
my mum was twenty nine when she had me, and
she was like the oldest one in the hospital in Hamilton.
Speaker 2 (11:57):
And pretty chicken.
Speaker 4 (12:00):
Yeah, I know. And I've got three kids and my
wife was thirty when we had our first, so you know,
it's a total reversal.
Speaker 3 (12:06):
Yeah, what about the basics sperm counts. I remember when
we were going through we had fertility treatment for our
first and one of the facts that came out forgetting
my own sperm count and all that sort of stuff.
Speaker 2 (12:19):
No want to.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
Overshare, but historically speaking, I think I read somewhere that
sperm counts on average are way way down.
Speaker 2 (12:29):
Is that actually right compared to like post.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
War Yeah, I think there is. There's been quite a
lot of reports out about that, and you know, it's
probably a bunch of things. I think there's a lot
more testing done than I've come back, So I think
I do wonder. I do sort of wonder if that
sort of plays into it. I've got a lot more information,
but you know, it's probably to do with, you know,
stuff in our environment. There's something called indign denstructors like
(12:55):
plastics that can affect all different parts of health, and
they probably affect our fertility health as well. So I
don't know a lot about why, but I think that
is a common area of concern. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:07):
Yeah, I had a layman under thinking that after a
war there's this sort of biological need to reproduce or something,
and maybe that played a part of it. But I'm
making that completely up just as my own.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
I mean, it's interesting, you know why there was such
a baby boom in the fifties and stuff, you know,
box of shorts.
Speaker 3 (13:26):
I mean, that is part of it, isn't it. You
If guys, if you, if you're talking to the mail
in the in the equation, is that still the advice?
It's like, what do you wear? Boxes or briefs? Get
rid of the briefs, get into the boxes, give the boy.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
I don't. I don't. Some of those things become a
little bit of eban myth, I say, I think, and
I must have better. I don't inquire about people's underwear.
Speaker 3 (13:54):
I was given some advice to actually the person I
won't say who it was, but she was fantastic. But
she she said, look, we don't know too much about this,
but probably wouldn't hurt.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
It wouldn't hurt.
Speaker 4 (14:09):
Yeah, I mean, I think that's right. A lot of
this stuff is around that that it wouldn't hurt, you know,
sort of removing potential barriers rather than us having extremely
strong evidence of benefits. I don't. I always think about cyclists,
you know, people that come in cycling, and you think, well,
they're sitting on their testicles and they must get pretty
pretty pretty hot. But I don't know of any studies
to show cyclists have more infertility really that I'm aware of. Yeah,
(14:35):
I not. There may be, but not that I'm aware of.
But it'd be a very difficult study to run, wouldn't it.
But I think it's about those things are small, and
when you're looking at having a baby, you just, I
guess you just want to do every little thing thing
you can do which doesn't have a huge impact on
the way you're managing your life. So you know, maybe
trying to keep the testicles a bit cooler is not
a bad idea. We know that some people, some men
(14:58):
can have varicacials, which are sort of dilated veins at
the top of the testicle, and we think that may
impact on on the testacles and the sperm in terms
of heat. You know, therese more hot blood beer, so
that you know, does lead into that same sort of
discussion around you know, underwear boxes versus briefs.
Speaker 3 (15:14):
But boxes now because they look better. I think we've
got used to saying, you know, because we've seen Granddad
and the briefs and it's like, no whatever, whatever avoids that. Look,
I'm going with the boxes.
Speaker 4 (15:27):
I don't know. I'm with you you, okay.
Speaker 3 (15:31):
Well, are there things that in New Zealand we because
I think we might be short of a few vital
sort of minerals from what I understand, do the supplements
make a difference?
Speaker 2 (15:44):
And if so?
Speaker 3 (15:45):
And actually we can talk about Obviously I'm a bloke,
so I'm focused on blokes things. But let's face it,
as the women who have the babies, what are the
things that couples can do diet wise or supplement wise
or anything that can you know, they want to have
a want to have a child. Is there are there
things they can be doing which are going to smooth
the path.
Speaker 4 (16:06):
Yeah, it's a good question. Look, I think that I'm
quite pragmatic about this, and you know, you couldn't sort
of take the approach of no alcohol, no this, no,
that cut it all out. And perhaps that is, you know,
the safest thing to do. But I don't think we
need to take all of those fun things out of
our lives, you know, having a glass of wine, you know,
(16:27):
having a cup of coffee. Just go for it. You know,
there's no evidence that that sensible intake of things like
you know, alcohol and coffee is going to you know,
mental toe of fertility. I think, you know, don't smoke.
That's an easy one, you know, smoking and vaping as well.
Vaping seems to be the new smoking. We'll certainly that
(16:47):
sort we see and and we know that that we'll
have an impact on fertility. You know when we take
when there's been studies to show that the eggs are
within a follicle on the ovary, and when they take
out the fluid from the from the follicle, we can
actually encounter, you know, see some of those smoking toxins
in there, which is kind of when you think about it.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
That which what'd say that again.
Speaker 4 (17:07):
So follicles a little cyst on the ovary and that's
where the where the egg resides. So when when it ovulates,
the follicle bursts and the egg comes out. So when
we're doing IVF and we stimulate the ovaries, we have
a whole bunch of follicles come about so we actually
suck the fluid out of the out of those little cysts,
out of those little follicles, and hopefully get the egg.
But you can actually sort of analyze the fluid and
(17:27):
and sort of see what's there. And there's been studies
shown that you know, cigarette toxins are in that, so
it's you know, it's.
Speaker 3 (17:35):
Well if actually that would instantly put me off vaping,
if I was a woman and thinking of because I mean,
you've just given such I mean it sounds almost makes
me cross my legs, isn't it. But we're talking about
a tiny microscopic level.
Speaker 2 (17:46):
But it's there. You go, there's science for you.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Yeah, no, it's exactly. It's kind of it's kind of
crazy when you think about it that way. Supplements, I
again take a very pragmatic approach there. I think there
are no fertility superfoods. I mean, I think for millennia
people have said you should eat this, you shouldn't eat that.
I think if you've got a vaguely healthy, balanced diet,
then that is fine. I don't think that a multi
(18:11):
vitamin there's no evidence that it's helpful for fertility. Lots
of people do it. I don't never want to make
anyone feel silly about what they're doing. They go crazy,
go for it, but I think, you know, just eating
a sensible, healthy diet is enough for men. There is
some evidence that antioxidants for them and it and easin
is helpful if men.
Speaker 2 (18:32):
Is selenium one of them.
Speaker 4 (18:34):
I don't know much about that. I'm afraid I couldn't.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
I was told about that we had a we had
an insufficiency of selenium in our soils or something.
Speaker 4 (18:43):
So yeah, well I think maybe, I mean, yeah, I
think that's right. But you know, to sort of connect
that to improving someone's fertility is it's there's a lot between,
you know, those two points to actually make a strong connection.
We know that for men having IVF, where they have
a sort of low spim counc or low motility, then
(19:04):
antioxidants may be helpful. And I think people have extrapolated
from that, well it might help us get pregnant at home,
and there isn't evidence to support that. But again, go
for it, you know, Okay, yeah, no harm.
Speaker 3 (19:18):
Okay, we're going to take a break now. If you've
got any questions for Simon McDowell, Doctor Som McDonell, he's
a fertility expert.
Speaker 2 (19:24):
And you've got any.
Speaker 3 (19:24):
Questions, even if you're asking for a friend, then we'd
love to hear from you. On eight hundred eighty ten eighty,
we're going to continue having a chat about the best
way you can prepare yourself for having a baby, getting
pregnant being the first stage of it. Give us a
call eight hundred eighty ten eighty And as I say,
the text is nine two nine two, The lines are open.
It's twenty six past five News Talks d B.
Speaker 2 (20:10):
Well, yes, there we go.
Speaker 3 (20:12):
I think that is I think this is sexual Healing
by Marvin Gay, isn't it, Joseph, Yes, that's correct. We're
talking to fertility and yes, that is possibly the most
common way of conceiving these days, but we are if
you don't if it's not necessarily the only way, And
that's why we're having a chat with Simon mcdoal, fertility expert.
I think we're gonna have to next time you're on
the show, Simon, we're gonna just to keep on rolling
(20:32):
out the sort of smooth you know, let's get it
on sort of tunes. I think, hey, how much does
stress pay pay a negative or non part in conceiving.
Speaker 4 (20:47):
Yeah, it's a good it's a common question we get asked,
and and it's and it's quite a I mean, we
can't measure stress, and and I can't if I say, hey,
just stop stressing, that's kind of the most un helpful
comment you can make. So I think that, you know,
I think stress is not good for us for lots
of different reasons. But it's very difficult to manage. You know,
if someone's you know, worried they're not getting pregnant because
(21:09):
of their stressful job, well stop working, and then you
don't have money to pay the bills, so then it
becomes stressful. So I think that we just have to
manage those things as much as we can. I certainly
would never say to someone I think you're having miscarriage
or struggling because of stress. You know, I had one
patient once tell me. If one more person tells me
(21:31):
just go on holiday, that's what worked for us, I'm
going to stab them. And you know, sometimes I think
we you know, even when we try and hop out
our friends and family that are struggling to say, look,
you just got to stop worrying about it. You know,
when we stop thinking about it that's when it happened. Look,
I think there's people and war zones around the world
getting pregnant every day, you know, And I think stress
(21:52):
is something we just have to manage and avoid. But
I would resist putting an element of blame to it,
if that makes sense.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
I think actually I've got a text here just saying
does And I wonder if this ties into who knows?
But it seems that here's the question, does having your
first baby make it easier to conceive the second? Because
I mean, I mean I can only go from our
example is that first child was you know, a journey.
(22:23):
Second child was upon us before we knew it, And
I just I just wondered if there is any biological,
physiological reason that once you had a child.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
Yeah, it's a question I've been asked a number of times,
and I don't know of any sort of scientific answer
for that. I think that you know, if you've been
trying to get pregnant for twelve months, you know, compared
to thirty six months, well the person that's been having
unprotected six for thirty six months will have more pregnancies
(22:52):
than the person here has twelve. So I think the
more and more and more people try, I think, the
more the chances are that they may become pregnant. But yeah,
I don't know if having a baby loosens the lid,
if that makes sense. But it's a very very common
sort of question out there. Yeah, any scientific plausibility.
Speaker 3 (23:11):
Okay, because I'm going to ask some dumb lay questions
because I can, because if I have something silly, it
doesn't matter because I don't know. So here's something I'm
just building on what you said that you talk about
people having sex for thirty six months rather than just twelve.
Is there anything and that when you are in your twenties,
your sex driver is higher and you actually are probably
(23:32):
doing it to have a lot more than people who
are trying to conceive a little later, and so they
have the numbers game on their side as well because
simply they're doing it more.
Speaker 4 (23:44):
Perhaps, I mean, that is a theory idea I can't
I can't confier will deny it.
Speaker 3 (23:49):
I mean, I guess you're talking about thirty six months
of having sex. Yeah, if you're I don't know frequency.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
Younger people get pregnant more readily than older people. You know,
it is harder to get pregnant as you become older,
and that impact is far more apparent woman than men.
You know, so I think you know, you know, a
couple of twenty year olds trying to get pregnant, even
if the guy has got a bit of a low
spem count, you know, probably there's some high quality sperm
there and some high quality eggs, and then faly is
(24:18):
likely to meet me.
Speaker 3 (24:19):
Yeah, okay, I mean, of course, any question I asked
could be the sort of question you've been asked by
a client as well. Anyway, I like a patient, should
I say.
Speaker 4 (24:28):
Not that one?
Speaker 2 (24:29):
But really? Oh?
Speaker 4 (24:31):
Okay, no, no, that's it's a good theory. I haven't
thought about it.
Speaker 3 (24:35):
So come back to me next time. Next time you're
on what are the birth rates?
Speaker 2 (24:41):
These are?
Speaker 3 (24:42):
We're getting through quite a few texts on this one.
How a second, I'm just going through because we've got
a lot of got Okay, Simon, is there a best
time to get pregnant? And also is there an age
where being an age that would be bad for getting pregnant? Well,
I would imagine as you get older, but the best
time to get pregnant so we want.
Speaker 4 (25:06):
Yeah, So for a fertility specialist, the only answer I
can give is the best time to get pregnant was yesterday,
you know, given those eight related factors as we talked about.
So I mean a concept I'd like people, you know,
really to think about as planning for their last child.
We see a lot of couples where, you know, they
got their first child, you know, no worries, sort of
thirty five, thirty six, but by the time they're trained
(25:27):
for their second or perhaps their thirds, you know, the
thirty eighth, thirty nine, and they've just reached a tipping
point where it's very, very difficult. So flipping it around
and thinking all right, hey we might want two kids,
or we hey we might even want three, so we
really have to think about or how old are we
going to be, if that makes sense. I think if
people want two kids and even the possibility of a third,
(25:49):
I think trying for your first by your early thirties ideally,
you know, would be what the recommendation I would give.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Yeah, if you're thinking about it, start having a go yeah, okay, look,
don't listen to me. People will listen to listen. Assignment
on this one. Okay, what are the birth rates in
comparison first world to third world?
Speaker 2 (26:09):
Do we have any data on that.
Speaker 4 (26:11):
Yeah, I think they. You know, the third world is
definitely higher. I don't. You know. All of the sets
I've got around the replacement rates are really from those
first world countries, you know, Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, stuff like that,
that are are very low. I think that there are
still challenges in some of those other other countries, but
(26:33):
it's certainly the sort of propping up the world population probably.
I know from the study from some of the stuff
I've got Vietnam has one of the sort of high
high batility rates compared to many of the other southeastising countries.
And why that is I don't know.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
But data on how old people are when they're having
babies in those countries.
Speaker 4 (26:55):
There is, but I don't have it. You don't have
to younger, but it's young absolutely, yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
And in first world countries, we're people have careers they
want to pursue. I mean, logically, there are some logical
deductions you can sort of make. I guess, can't you that?
And OECD countries where women have careers they want to
pursue and they might put it off a bit, it
would make sense. I guess that there might be that
would be reflected in birth statistics.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
Is that right? Or no?
Speaker 4 (27:20):
Oh? Absolutely? I think you know the you know, it
wasn't that long ago. You kind of got married, you
bought a house, and then you had a kid and
you started your family, and you know that's how hard
is that now? You know? Really difficult?
Speaker 3 (27:34):
Oh well, the house thing, I mean we blame the
housing market for Actually that sounds a ridiculous thing to say,
but if we were doing a more broader talk back topic,
you could say, how much is you know, put your
ambitions to buy a house affecting on your chances of
having a baby when you want it?
Speaker 4 (27:49):
It is? It's huge. I mean, I think, you know,
having kids is expensive, and I think if we want
to really try and improve utility rates, it's you know,
there are sort of financial factors and encomic factors we
need to look at. I mean, an interesting thing to
think about is as people have less kids and the
average age of the population increases, we have more people
not paying taxes, and you know that will have economic
(28:12):
consequences which really can be quite quite substantial.
Speaker 3 (28:15):
Okay, I put a few I want to put a
few urban myths to rest.
Speaker 2 (28:18):
If in fact, they are urban myths.
Speaker 3 (28:20):
So for guys, does saving up abstaining help you with
having yeah, you know, delivering a high number of sperm?
Speaker 4 (28:33):
Yep? So men, So the less you ejaculate, lest you ejaculate,
the volume increases, but the volume also includes more dead
and dying sperm. Okay, So the more you ejaculate, the
lower the volume of the ejaculate, but the better the
quality of the sperm. So we actually have no data
to show that having you know, sex bloody three times
(28:56):
a day versus you know, every day is so sort
of once once or twice a week is potentially any different.
A good rule of thumb should be ejaculating two or
three times a week, you know, so they should be
over that sperm. So saving it up as something we
would recommend avoiding.
Speaker 3 (29:11):
Okay, good, I mean that was actually the advice I
got was to get cracking.
Speaker 4 (29:17):
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 3 (29:19):
I'm sorry. If people are having your dinner early, and
you know, somebody sent me a text same ham having
my dinner right now, it's like we're only talking biology here, people,
We're not talking.
Speaker 2 (29:27):
Explicit stuff anyway, Just to deal with it.
Speaker 3 (29:30):
But that that's that was the advice that. In fact, Yeah,
I just thought I put that out there because I
have spoken to a lot of guys who think, oh,
you know, and their first question, which was dispelled by
the expert they spoke to, was no, no, no, it's
not a case of saving up for a rainy day.
Let's get into it. That's right, Okay, got lots of
(29:51):
questions here. I guess the is I'm fleshing out this
question from Sally. It's saying, talk about the emotional stress
on couples, struggling and all that.
Speaker 2 (30:05):
Yeah, and I.
Speaker 3 (30:08):
Does the emotional it's tied into the stress thing, simon.
I guess about if you are getting really emotional about things, Okay,
that's a mental health issue. But does that impact on fertility?
And I'm guessing we don't know.
Speaker 4 (30:22):
Look, I think in terms of the impact on fertility,
you know, from a stats point of view, would probably
be quite difficult. But the emotional burden, the burden of treatment,
the burden of failure, the burden of miscarriages is absolutely huge.
And and those things can you know, become cumulative. I
think you know the rate of people splitting up through
(30:42):
fertility treatment, you know, it's much higher than those not
having fertility treatment. So you know, it takes its toll
on people in lots of different ways. And I think,
you know, the wider friends and family as well. I mean,
you know, the more we talk about it, it's great,
you know, but also it can be very hard for
the for our closest you know, the closest people to us,
because they really want us to have that, you know,
(31:03):
that that thing we want, which is a t older
a family, and so it's hard to measure, but it's
it's significant.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
Yeah, because I think that advice you talked about when
you talked about the best time to get pregnant is
yesterday is and I have spoken to you know, we're
given the battle that we had at firstly I was
talking to other people about when when suddenly you were
under almost under prescription too try hard for a baby,
(31:31):
and that can put a lot of pressure on a
relationship because it's, you know, something that felt like it
should be just in the moment of you know, in
a relationship suddenly became something like we've you know, it's
Wednesday night, We've got all it's.
Speaker 2 (31:42):
You know, And that that is a.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
Tough one, isn't it, Because you still want people to
try and conceive naturally if they can.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
That's right, And I guess it's the cruel reality, isn't it,
you know, of the situation. And I guess you know,
people taking time to you know, to remember the stuff
outside of fertility, and it is really important. But you know,
we're a living, busy lives, and you know, I guess
things can sometimes end up on a bit of a schedule
for many many of our patients.
Speaker 3 (32:11):
How easy is it to work out because when a
woman's ovulating.
Speaker 4 (32:18):
Yeah, it's a good question. And look, I think there's
lots of apps out there and people use urine cats
and stuff and go for it. People go crazy. But
we would recommend people just to have regular, unprotected sex.
You know, I think trying to time it carefully is
not you know, in a way, it doesn't make sense.
You know, we also get told when we're teenagers, hey,
we're a condom. You know you'll get pregnant. And some
(32:40):
of our mates, did you know they didn't get pregnant
when the condo brookes once or they're just a bit
useless once. So to go from that you have to
sort of really carefully time it. You know, those are
so very different ends of the spectrum. So some people
are some woman a lot of ovulator ratically as well,
their cycle won't be consistent. It may range, you know,
seventeen days even more. So, you know, trying to pinpoint
(33:01):
ovulation in some situations, I think people may actually, you know,
they only they really sort of focus on having sex
in this period and maybe they do actually miss the
boat because it's a later ovulation. So if you haven't
sex two or three times a week, you know, regardless
where you're at in the cycle, you will get the
timing right. Okay, So I think you know that's a
general thumb. You know, you use your apps, look at
(33:21):
all that kind of stuff, but you still want to
be having sex broadly at least twill three times a week.
Speaker 3 (33:27):
What about I remember this advert years ago. It ended
up with the line and folic acid for reproduction, and
somebody's texted me about folic acid. What what's the role
of follic acid for?
Speaker 4 (33:39):
Just to prevent spina bifitter so spina bist an narsty
or neuritube defect, quite an narsty spinal condition. It doesn't
help people become pregnant, but it's really more of a
public health measure. Those who are taking folic acid preconceptually
will have lower rates of spina bifida. I believe in
New Zealand we don't fortify our breed with fol eight.
So I think that's that's part of I don't know
(34:02):
too much about that, but yeah, it's it's purely to
reduce that id and when you are pregnant. A lot
of people take it beforehand, but it's really when you
are pregnant for sort of help development of the fetal brain.
Speaker 3 (34:13):
But well, these about but these are I mean, these
are important things to know because a lot of people,
you know, they love the pink Himalayan sort of sultan things.
It's like, well, that's not I dosed. I mean salts
where we get iding from generally? Isn't it all vitamins?
Speaker 4 (34:27):
That's exactly right, Yeah, no, exactly. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (34:30):
That's just just one last question, because time has flown.
What are the treatments that are available now? Are there
any specific things that stand out to you that have
changed that changed the game for people who might twenty
years ago have struggled to conceive in terms of YE
fertility associates.
Speaker 4 (34:48):
Yeah, so, I mean, our standout performer in terms of
treatment has been IVF. You know, IVF has continued to
increase in success rates and become more refined. You know,
it is our kind of you know itsel that's our
higher paid player on the team, if that makes sense.
(35:09):
So things like insemination remain very simple, if anything, probably
you know, we've found that early recourse to IVF treatment
and many situations is he so actually sort of being
brave enough to talk to our patients and actually say, hey, look, IVF.
You know it is your best your best step. You
know there are other options or you know this all that,
(35:30):
but this, this will be people's best best option. So
you know, I think it's forty years since we're the
first child born in New Zealand with IVF. I think
that was not too long ago, and forty five the
first child born in England. So you know, it's it's
been a massive, amazing colesion of technology and knowledge.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
Yeah, hey, Simon, thanks so much for joining us.
Speaker 3 (35:53):
And people can reach you in Wellington and I think
you wake for Field Clinic as part of Fertility Associates, right,
and I think.
Speaker 4 (36:00):
We're on the we're on the TIRA, so Fertility Associates
Wellington on the tear.
Speaker 2 (36:04):
The wrong wrong address there.
Speaker 4 (36:05):
Sorry, I do some work there as well.
Speaker 2 (36:07):
Good stuff.
Speaker 4 (36:08):
So yeah, ready music probably shouldn't said that.
Speaker 2 (36:13):
I think you can mention so much for thanks so
much for coming on the show. I really appreciate it.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
No worries. Thanks very dumb.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
Yeah, good, we'll catch you again.
Speaker 3 (36:27):
That's something from Fertility Associates and you know, if you
if you wanted to speak to a doctor, then give
them a call. And anyway, we'll be back in just
a moment to wrap sport with Elliot Smith, who is next. Yes,
(36:51):
that wraps up the parents squad actually, because now it
is that time of day at eleven minutes to six.
Speaker 1 (37:00):
Good weekend, collective sports.
Speaker 3 (37:03):
Rat and look he's in the studio. I wish we
had the cameras on because he's pretty in pink today
Elliot Smith and now Elliott I just need you to
acknowledge that I did predict. It's not over yet, but
I did predict the Warriors would come back and beat
the Broncos.
Speaker 5 (37:17):
Yeah, it is half time and they lead sixteen six
over the Broncos this afternoon at Mount Smart Stadium. You
did predict it. Yeah, congratulations, there are still forty minutes
to go.
Speaker 3 (37:27):
I did call the Chiefs and the Blues at the
other week.
Speaker 5 (37:29):
You said the Blues would win comfortably in the final.
Speaker 3 (37:31):
If I recall right, And I also predicted that the
Titans would beat the Warriors.
Speaker 5 (37:35):
You did, and so you're on track for three from three.
Speaker 2 (37:38):
I just wish I had the money on it.
Speaker 5 (37:40):
Yeah, you should have. You should have look id caution
to say there are still forty minutes to go, and
in a Warriors game, there is plenty of time for
the game to go one of two directions. So we
wait and see. But a very good start from the Warriors.
A couple of tries from Chanelle Harris Tavita could have
been a third. I just had one ruled out before halftime.
But sixteen six at the break, you'd take that from
(38:00):
the Warriors' perspective against the Broncos. So, yes, they're missing
some their State of origin players who are being rested
this week coming off the game on Wednesday night, but
buying large, a pretty good start from the Warriors.
Speaker 3 (38:10):
Actually, I guess who cares who they're resting. What matters
is on the pitches.
Speaker 5 (38:13):
Two points is up for grabs, so that's what you
need to do, and these are the games to the
Warriors perspective that you need to win. Coming off the
back of that humiliation last week on the Gold Coast,
they need to balance back and all the signs are
pretty positive so far this afternoon.
Speaker 2 (38:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (38:29):
I always find it one of the more fatuous sort
of discussions that you hear about who's missing from the
field in sport, because it's like, Okay, you do it
briefly and let's move on to who's on the pitch.
Speaker 5 (38:40):
Yeah, that's right. Although I think in the NL it
is important because you've got the state of origin period
where some teams do get weakened by things, and this
traditionally has been a very strong period for the Warriors,
where they go through last week obviously belted by the
and they're playing a Broncos, you know, a team dominated
by state of origin players. There are a few players out.
But having said that, you know it's the same as
(39:00):
week one of the competition. There are still two points
for a win, so do you take those if you
get in the saft Now.
Speaker 3 (39:05):
We've had the all blacks named and the captain all
that sort of thing, when it's actually the when's the
first game for the All Blacks.
Speaker 5 (39:10):
This time next week, well not exactly this time next
week sevenar five, next Saturday night against England in Dunedin.
Speaker 3 (39:15):
That is actually hitting the ground running, isn't it.
Speaker 2 (39:19):
How are England looking?
Speaker 5 (39:20):
England have had a game under their belts. They played
Japan last week relatively comfortable. Then obviously they've had the
Six Nations a bit earlier on in the years, So
if you're comparing the two, you know, new slate for
the All Blacks versus England coming in with a bit
more time under their belts, then that's obviously a benefit
for England. They're in the country at the moment, training
(39:41):
away and so you know, I guess it's we'll find
out next Saturday night.
Speaker 2 (39:45):
Won't be very much.
Speaker 5 (39:46):
Looking forward to it.
Speaker 2 (39:47):
And of course the Mario Blacks they're playing.
Speaker 5 (39:50):
Japan tonight, so that's at ten o'clock over in Japan,
so that's another one with a lot of those players.
And that Mex just coming off the Super Roggy playoffs
and now into multi All Blacks mode. They haven't had
a lot of time together. I mean that squad was
only selected on Tuesday. They're now playing it game on
Saturday night, which is quite remarkable, isn't it So the quivery,
quick turnaround for the moldy All Blacks.
Speaker 2 (40:12):
But they're looking as a team.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
What's the selections looking strike?
Speaker 5 (40:15):
Yeah, I mean there's got the strong base of a
few players that missed out on All Black selection, a
few players that perhaps you know, you don't know too
much about. Is the case sometimes of the moldy All
Blacks that you have to dig a little bit deeper
to find moldy heritage in certain positions. But really looking
forward to watching that game tonight. All Blacks played Japans
that later on in the year, so interesting to get
(40:36):
a prac on on how things are tracking. But yeah,
the big game for the All Blacks next Saturday night
seven or five. Life here on News Talks.
Speaker 3 (40:41):
Absolutely I'm looking forward to hearing your call on that, Elliott,
And good to see you mate, Thanks for coming home,
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
There we go, Elliott Smith, the voice of.
Speaker 3 (40:48):
Rugby and Carago Chicken before get.
Speaker 2 (40:54):
And thanks so much for listening and stay tuned for
Roman Travers.
Speaker 3 (40:58):
He's got a special, very special guest joining him to
take calls about his stories and incredible career. Barry Holland
will be in with from seven to eight with Roman
Travers and join us again tomorrow. We've got Davis similar O'Connors.
Speaker 2 (41:13):
Or what was I saying?
Speaker 3 (41:13):
It was about to give the wrong Samin Brown? What
has I had the wrong name for singing? The Ministry
of Minister of Transports joining us. Enjoy your night, We'll
catch you soon and have a great evening.
Speaker 1 (41:29):
For more from the Weekend Collective, listen live to news
Talks it'd be weekends from three pm, or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
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