In an eggshell...
- Fertility and Fajitas is an event hosted by Amilis where you get to test your fertility
- You get to meet like-minded people, experts, and even get a hormone panel done, all over some chit-chat and fajitas
- This takes the pressure off of long waiting times and referrals and makes fertility testing more accessible
If you’d told me years ago that we’d be going to events where we have some fajitas, meet new friends, chat and get our fertility tested too, I’d go “say, whaaaat”?
The reality is, fertility testing is too complicated in the UK. But what if you don’t have to sift through resources or wait throughout your GP referrals and long waiting times?
Fertility testing or talking about your reproductive health doesn’t always have to be confusing, or complicated.
In fact, a fun way we’re going about it, is via Fertility and Fajitas.
Ever since we kicked off Fertility and Fajitas, we’ve had an incredible response from women wanting to know more about their fertility, wanting to get tested, or just bringing a friend along to get their fertility tested.
So, here’s a fun dive into what the event is all about, and why you shouldn’t miss out on the next one!
Fertility Testing in the UK: A Peek at Current Scenarios
Today, new data from the RCOG (Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists) shows us startling numbers regarding our healthcare system.
With around 591,000 women and people in England currently on a waiting list for gynaecology hospital care, and 31,000 waiting over a year, these findings reflect a crisis, at the least.
To add onto it, nearly 9 in 10 healthcare professionals (89%) think that these waiting times are impacting their patients’ lives.
So, at Amilis we decided: this narrative, no more.
We posed ourselves this one question: What if testing your fertility or assessing your reproductive health doesn’t have to revolve around GP referrals and long waiting times, anymore?
The answer? We built a platform that offers affordable fertility testing, starting at half the price of fertility clinics, free consultations with top fertility clinics in the UK, and specific doctor consultations based on your medical history or diagnosis.
Yep, we’re closing the gap and bringing timely, affordable and accessible healthcare to women in the UK.
How does Fertility Testing Work in the UK?
In the UK, if you’re looking to test your fertility, you can either do so via a private clinic or visit your GP for a referral to NHS services if you meet the eligibility criteria.
But here’s the reality:
- You can be referred to NHS services via your GP, but only if you meet the eligibility criteria
- NHS clinics have longer waiting times compared to private clinics
- Contacting a fertility clinic can help you avoid long waiting times, but private testing and initial consultations can be expensive
And if you’re waiting for a diagnosis or already have one, such long wait times or costs can keep you from getting the timely care you deserve.
A Stepping Stone- our AMH test
This got our team wondering- if we were to make fertility testing more affordable and accessible- where would we start?
On this journey, we landed on the AMH test. In fact, it’s one of the most accessible ways to test your fertility. It’s a biomarker that’s released by the eggs in our ovaries, giving us an indirect sneak peek into our ovarian reserve.
Unfortunately, the AMH test is not available preventatively on the NHS and you can only get it if you've been struggling to get pregnant for a year or two.
Which, let’s be honest, leaves out a huge chunk of the population.
It’s also then that our team at Amilis decided to do something about it.
And we did.
We launched the UK's cheapest AMH test for just £80.
Now that the affordable part was done, we had to make it accessible. We partnered with Randox Health to provide in & out appointments. You’ll be able to select a date and a slot based on your preference at your nearest Randox clinic, and be in and out in 10 minutes for a simple blood test.
After the test, you’ll also receive a personalised report from Amilis, like this one:
This breaks down exactly what your AMH levels mean for your age, a clear description of what the levels mean, and egg-freezing success rates age-wise.
What’s an AMH test?
Anti Mullerian Hormone or AMH is a hormone produced by growing follicles (which contain eggs) in our ovaries. Measuring the AMH level helps us assess our ovarian reserve (kind of checking how many eggs are in the basket 🧺)
It’s also one of the most accessible and affordable markers of our fertility.
📺 A little recap before we dive in. As women, we are born with all the eggs we’ll ever have. These eggs are housed in cell sacs called follicles, within ovaries.
Every menstrual cycle, a bunch of follicles are chosen in the race to produce the egg of the month. Of which, one follicle becomes dominant and releases a mature egg, and the rest undergo cell death.
Now, this egg reserve is finite, though. It decreases with age and every menstrual cycle as more and more follicles are recruited to release eggs.
AKA, your AMH also decreases with age, as your egg reserve does. But there are other factors that might affect or accelerate this decrease, and without a timely AMH check, you’d never know about it.
📚Freebie alert: Download our free AMH guide
Why should I get an AMH test?
In your late 20s, 30s & 40s, tracking your AMH levels can be a life-saver for your future fertility and here’s why:
- If your AMH levels are low for your age, it may indicate a depleted egg supply and a very low level can even signal early menopause. Catching this early allows you to take action - whether that is managing symptoms, thinking of family planning, or freezing your eggs if recommended.
- A high AMH is sometimes a signal of Polycystic ovaries (which can prevent you from ovulating normally) or any other underlying conditions.
Of course, the AMH blood test is just one among the list in a full hormone panel- but it's still an affordable & quick way to check in on your ovarian reserve.
Based on your results, or whether you’re planning to conceive, whether the symptoms can affect your future fertility and your healthcare provider’s opinion, you can go for added tests or a full hormone panel.
What’s Fertility and Fajitas then?
Fertility and Fajitas is a fun event hosted by Amilis Fertility (that’s us 👋) where we host a safe space for women to walk in, have a chat, have some fajitas, make new friends- and oh, get their AMH or hormones tested, without the nervousness of long waiting lines and commutes, waiting for a doctor's appointment or applying via the NHS.
The thing is, part of making fertility testing accessible to millions of women in the UK also includes spreading the word.
And we just decided to do it the fun way. Over some fajitas!
How does Fertility and Fajitas work?
Here’s a quick overview of what really happens at our events:
- You can pre-register and walk in at the event (usually conducted at our partnered Randox clinics) and have a quick chat with our team, and get comfortable!
- For AMH testing, you’ll get a ticket from the lab, and you’ll be called in based on your ticket number
- You’ll also have the option to go for a full hormone panel test as well
- Until then, have some fajitas 🌮 (they’re delicious, we promise, here’s a sneak peek)
- In between, our founders, Yasmin and Sarita do a Q&A- you’ll get to introduce yourself and listen to the other girlies as well!
- Our medical advisor Dr Vivienne attends these too, so make sure to shoot any medical questions on egg freezing or reproductive health that you may have, at her
- After your blood test, you’ll receive a personalised AMH report detailing what the results mean, and what egg-freezing success rates look like, age-wise
And that’s what it’s like, in a nutshell. You get to chat around, make some friends, snack on some fajitas while learning about your fertility, and getting your AMH tested or a full hormone panel done, in an inclusive, safe space.
Can’t make it to the event? Get your Fertility Tested anyway!
Since our event was a hit across the UK, we’ll soon be hosting Fertility and Fajitas in Birmingham, Manchester and other cities soon!
And if you aren’t in town, can’t make it to the event, or if you made it but want to refer someone you know to nudge them about their fertility too, then we’re still here!
You can always opt for our affordable AMH test and full hormone panel- and get the same support and benefits that we offer our attendees too! With Amilis you get:
- Discounted costs on AMH and ultrasound tests
- Free consultations with top fertility clinics in the UK
- Free 1-1 calls with the Amilis team to help you on every stage of your journey
And if you’re up for our next event, don’t forget to register for our other events too!
See you there!
