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Against The Odds

We will be forever grateful to Professor Shehata, Ms Edge, Mr Jan and the nursing team at the CRP clinic. We now have a beautiful, healthy, 10 month old daughter who was very much born against the odds.

I came across Professor Shehata’s details on the Tommy’s charity website. He was also referenced quite a bit on an IVF messaging board that I followed. By this point, we had been trying unsuccessfully for a baby for 5 years.

I had had 5 IVF embryo transfers, including the last 2 with donor eggs and I had experienced 2 implantation failures and 3 early miscarriages. I knew that I had low egg reserve following cancer treatment some years earlier, but I also felt that something else was at play which was causing the early miscarriages. However, I felt I was getting nowhere when I raised this with my IVF clinic.

Professor Shehata was incredibly detailed in his testing and he diagnosed me with very high Natural Killer Cells. He also advised me to have key hole surgery to remove 9 fibroids which were outside the uterine cavity.

Some months after the surgery with Mr Jan, which was a complete success, I started a drug regime to suppress my Natural Killer cells and then had a 6th embryo transfer at my IVF clinic.

Following a positive pregnancy test, I was monitored throughout pregnancy by the CRP and they also treated me in the early stages of pregnancy for a subchorionic hematoma, which might otherwise have resulted in early miscarriage.

The level of care provided is exceptional and the kindness of the staff is also amazing. I wish that the work of the CRP could have a broader reach, as I believe many more women would benefit from their treatment. I also wish we had found Professor Shehata sooner and avoided some of the heartache of repeated IVF failure and early miscarriage.

I would recommend the clinic to anyone who has experienced similar issues.

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Our Journey to Teddy

In December 2022, I sadly suffered my third miscarriage. At that point, we decided it was time to get a second opinion.

We had consistently been told that the reason for our baby losses was due to my weight and that we were simply “unlucky.”

After doing some research, we found Professor Shehata at the CRP Clinic. From our very first appointment in January 2023 right through to today, the whole team have been amazing.

I was diagnosed with high NK cells and given a treatment plan. Without the CRP Clinic, our baby boy Teddy would not be here today.

Professor Shehata, Ms Edge, and Mr Jan are truly incredible at what they do. Geri and Marianna were also extremely supportive, especially during the IVF process.

Thank you all for everything you’re doing – we are so deeply grateful. Our little man is only here because of the care and treatment we received.

Don’t Tell Me To RELAX – A Fertility Podcast

Professor Hassan Shehata joins Hannah Pearn on her podcast to discuss the complexities of reproductive immunology, particularly focusing on recurrent miscarriages and IVF failures.
They discuss:
  • How Reproductive Immunology focuses on the immune system’s role in pregnancy.
  • Why recurrent miscarriage is not typically caused by chromosomal abnormalities.
  • How investigation should begin after two miscarriages, or one if late.
  • How Male factors are often overlooked in miscarriage investigations.
  • How testing protocols vary between NHS and private sectors.
  • Why Natural killer cells play a significant role in recurrent miscarriage.
  • How IVF does not improve outcomes for recurrent miscarriage patients.
  • Why medications like prednisolone may have immune modulation effects.
  • How microbiome testing is an emerging area but lacks conclusive evidence.

 

The Most Precious Gift

Where do we start thanking Professor Shehata and the CRP Clinic for the most precious gift we could ever have dreamed of, our Son Charlie born 16/06/2024.

We first came to the CRP Clinic back in February 2022. With no clear reason as to why we suffered four miscarriages, we self referred to the NHS side of the Recurrent Miscarriage Clinic to try and determine the issue. Having been with them for a year and experiencing a further loss during this time, we clearly needed further help. This is where Professor Shehata and his team at the CRP Clinic came to our rescue.

Under the care of Professor Shehata and Dr Marianne Edge, having determined whilst with the NHS that the reason for the losses was due to a extreme level of NK Cells, they navigated us through different courses of medication in order to find the correct prescription for me.

Unfortunately we did suffer another loss during this process however they never gave up on us and persisted to get us back on track and make our dreams come true.

No longer than 2 months after the loss we were pregnant again. It was a surprise that I was able to fall so quickly but once again we was navigated through this frightful journey again.

The care and support we got from the clinic helped us push through each and every scan (fortnightly) before finally reaching the stage of 20 weeks when we were then released to be under the care of the NHS.

There are so many people that we need to thank. Dr Marianne Edge, who saw me for most of my scans, calmed me down each and every time, Geri, who held my hand and cried with me wanting this as much as us, Georgia, who would be the first face I would see at reception and would take the time to see how I was and if theres anything they can do and also Michaela, who answered all my emails with questions I had about worries, settled my mind on many occasions. Finally, Proffessor Shehata. We wouldn’t have a family without your knowledge and wisdom on the matter. I know I was his nemesis but with his persistence and patience we got our miracle little boy.

We will be back for number 2 in the near future!

A HUGE Thank You

We would like to say a HUGE thank you to the CRP Clinic for helping us bring our two beautiful sons, Finley and Dylan, into the world.

It wasn’t a simple journey for us. Our first appointment with Professor Shehata was in June 2021 after finding out we would need ICSI to get pregnant. Unfortunately, after several failed rounds and a miscarriage we did further tests which found I also had high NK cells. At the time, it felt like there was no light at the end of the tunnel but luckily, we were in the right place. Professor Shehata and his team stayed positive, told us to be patient (easier said than done!) and I started the complex immune protocol alongside ICSI. Our son, Finley, was born in November 2023.

We were in a lucky position that we had some embryos frozen so went back last year to try for a sibling, knowing there were no guarantees and it might take a while. Amazingly, it worked first time and our second son, Dylan, was born in June 2025.

Throughout the 4 years we’ve been at CRP, the staff have been fantastic, never giving up hope, holding our hands during the dark days and celebrating with us when we got good news.  A special mention to Mr Jan, Dr Edge and Geri who have been our rocks.

We will be forever grateful to the clinic for making all our dreams come true and wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them to anyone who’s struggling with infertility.

Sarah, James, Finley and Dylan xx

A Beacon of Hope

After enduring the unimaginable heartache of a neonatal loss, two missed miscarriages, and seven chemical pregnancies, I had truly lost all hope of ever holding my own living baby. The emotional toll was immense, and I felt utterly broken. After 5 years of trying to find answers down the normal route and not getting any, I didn’t know what to do. Then, a friend recommended the CRP Clinic. It was a beacon of light in what had become a very dark and lonely journey.

Professor Shehata’s research and dedication helped find an answer to what was causing all the losses. I started the treatment that was recommended and became pregnant with my rainbow baby. With each visit to the clinic, Dr Edge’s empathy and guidance reassured me and she answered every question that I had.

Thanks to the incredible team at CRP Clinic, my husband and I are now proud parents to our beautiful rainbow baby. They helped us achieve our miracle, and for that, we will be eternally grateful. They are truly exceptional.

FIGO – Good Practice Recommendations

Recurrent miscarriage, which affects 1% of couples trying to conceive, is defined as the loss of three or more consecutive pregnancies from the time of conception up to 24 completed weeks of gestation. However, for this review the definition is restricted to the first trimester up to 12 completed weeks of gestation. Professional bodies differ in their recommendations regarding the definition of recurrent miscarriage, with some requiring two or more clinical pregnancies with ultrasound or histological confirmation of pregnancy loss, whereas others require three or more losses after a positive pregnancy test with no specification of the need for clinical confirmation.

Many factors have been studied as possible causes of recurrent miscarriage, such as anatomical, endocrine, immunological, genetic, and thrombophilia (inherited and acquired) disorders. Endocrine abnormalities include thyroid disorders, polycystic ovarian syndrome, and possibly progesterone deficiencies. Numerous studies have been conducted to assess the use of progesterone in the management of pregnancy loss; however, there is variation in the type and dose of progesterone used and in the methodology of these studies, which has resulted in inconclusive findings.

Progesterone is essential for secretory transformation of the endometrium that permits implantation and maintenance of early pregnancy. Luteal phase insufficiency is one of the reasons for implantation failure and is considered to be responsible for miscarriage. In addition to its well-known role in preparation of the endometrium for implantation, endometrial decidualization, and inhibition of uterine contractility, progesterone also has an immunomodulatory effect by suppression of T-cell activation and controlling cytokine production during pregnancy. These characteristics have led to its current widespread use in managing recurrent miscarriage. Therefore, support with progesterone may help to establish a sufficient immune response in early pregnancy and prevent miscarriage.

Progestogens available on the market are classified as either natural or synthetic. Synthetic progestogens (progestins) do not correlate with natural progesterone and are artificially manufactured in a laboratory. Natural progesterone suppresses myometrial contractility, unlike the progestin 17-alpha hydroxyprogesterone caproate (17-OHPC) which does not have this effect and at high concentration may stimulate myometrial contractility. No trial has reported long-term follow-up of the use of progesterone for recurrent miscarriage, therefore the safety of progesterone supplementation is still not well known.11 However, there is no evidence that progesterone causes anatomical or physiological abnormalities in the fetus.

This article highlights agreements based on current research on the use of progesterone in recurrent first-trimester miscarriage and the areas that need more research to provide further evidence to support recommendations. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive summary of available evidence along with practical recommendations concerning the use of progesterone supplementation in women with recurrent first-trimester miscarriage. To achieve these goals, FIGO brought together international experts to review and summarize current knowledge of the subject. These Good Practice Recommendations are directed at multiple stakeholders, including healthcare providers, healthcare delivery organizations and providers, FIGO member societies, and professional organizations. Recognizing the variation in the resources and expertise available for the management of recurrent first-trimester miscarriage in different countries or regions, this article attempts to take into consideration the unique aspects of first-trimester pregnancy care in low-resource settings (labelled “LRS” in the recommendations). This was achieved by collaboration with authors and FIGO member societies from low-resource settings such as India, SubSaharan Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America.

Read The Full Article

Double Trouble

‘You must have your hands full’ ’double trouble’ ’was it buy one get one free’ – a few of my favourite comments I get from strangers on a near daily basis when out and about with the twins. Everyone likes to think they understand what life is like for me as a twin mum – I smile and politely nod back, but want I really want to do is shout from the rooftops just how special they really are. The girls have recently turned one, I am back to work full time and now finally feels like the right time to share my story:

I was feeling unwell on a work trip abroad in November 2021, took a test when I got home as a ‘ruling out’ method and to our shock, I was pregnant! We weren’t panning on trying for a baby until my mid 30s, but we had recently got engaged, had a house big enough and good jobs, so thought how hard could it be? ‘Unplanned, but very wanted’ was our chosen phrase when asked…

We went for an early scan at 6 weeks and everything looked perfect. I had the full host of terrible pregnancy symptoms and decided to tell close family over Christmas (and to explain why I was white as a ghost and not drinking!) However, one Saturday in January I started bleeding. We ran to our closest early pregnancy unit and after a 5 hour wait we were told that no scanning machine was available and to wait until Monday. Filled with dread, we booked a private scan on the Sunday and found out that I had a missed miscarriage at 11.5 weeks. We weren’t told much else other than to go home and wait for things to happen naturally, which it did a few days later – and it remains one of the most traumatising experiences of my life.

I fell pregnant again in April 2022 and had an early loss at 6 weeks. I missed my best friend’s hen do and a family party for my 30th birthday. The timing could not have been worse, but I knew the recovery would be somewhat easier given how early the loss was and tried to keep my chin up. The NHS wouldn’t intervene as I had only had two losses in a row, so we visited a private gynaecologist in London to carry out some basic tests. We were advised that everything seemed normal and to keep trying. With the help of follicle tracking, I became pregnant again in August 2022 and with the reassurance of the test results, we really thought it was third time lucky. Again, I had terrible sickness and lots of pregnant symptoms. Around 12.5 weeks I started bleeding and I knew instantly what was happening. It was another missed miscarriage and I required surgery this time to remove the baby, which we later found out was a boy. I spent night after night trawling through clinical trials trying to understand the reason for recurrent miscarriages – what was wrong with my body? I was only 30, ate very well, exercised, drank occasionally and was in really good shape – nothing made much sense.

I came across Professor Shehata and the CRP clinic and felt as if the answer might be an elevated level of Natural Killer cells, which was causing my immune system to effectively reject all of my pregnancies. We met with Professor who listened carefully to my history and we put a plan in place to carry out NK cell testing. A few weeks later we met to talk through the results and it turns out I did have an extremely high level of NK cells. Knowing that I wasn’t just the ‘unlucky 1 in 100’ who suffers with recurrent miscarriages and having an actual medical diagnosis gave us so much hope. Professor recommended steroids, aspirin, intralipids as well as pre-natal supplements. I was also having trouble ovulating after the surgery, so we agreed to do the superovulation protocol with Letrozole to give my body the best chance of getting pregnant again. It was tough to balance all the appointments, scans and treatment with my demanding job, especially as I was having to travel from Essex to Epsom every couple of weeks. On top of that, I was pumped full of Progesterone and Leteozole! I often found myself hooked up to my intralipid drip trying to send work emails with one hand. The midwifes were so supportive and always on hand to try and cheer me up. I fell pregnant on my second super ovulation cycle. Unlike most couples, seeing a positive pregnancy test for us did not mean that we were guaranteed a baby and we were terrified to say to the least. We had our first 6 week scan with Ms Edge who quite literally held me up as I was shaking so much with nerves. I knew by her face straight away that it was twins – she squeezed my hand and promised me everything was looking good at 6 weeks. We lived scan to scan and once we hit the 10 week mark, Ms Edge reassured us that the miscarriage risk now dropped significantly and we should be prepared for this pregnancy to reach term. I finally believed this might actually be happening. The CRP clinic were always on hand to answer my queries all throughout my pregnancy. We had our 20 week anomaly scan with the CRP clinic who reassured us again that everything looked fine. We managed to get married and enjoy our honeymoon before things started to go downhill again! Around 26 weeks my blood pressure shot through the roof and I had protein in my urine. I was diagnosed with preeclampsia and for the next 8 weeks I was in hospital every 48 hours for monitoring and was a frequent overnight visitor for the many times they couldn’t get my blood pressure under control. One of our twins was suffering from restricted growth as her placenta was failing. My kidneys and liver function started to rapidly decline and the consultant decided that I wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer. The decision was made to get the girls out at exactly 35 weeks. The girls developed respiratory distress syndrome straight after birth and then went on to develop sepsis. The final stretch of our battle was 12 long days in the NICU before we could finally come home as a family. Still to this day I struggle with pregnancy announcements or being around pregnant women – even though I am now a mother of two! Recurrent loss and infertility is not for the faint hearted – but we did it, we have two beautiful healthy children. I share my story in the hope that it helps others to keep going. I refused to give up, I followed the science and trusted my body. I will forever be eternally grateful to Professor Shehata and Ms Edge for giving me the greatest gifts. The girls are here against all odds, and that’s all down to the CRPteam and the medical team at Broomfield that saved them (and me!)

What more can I say – other than thank you for everything.

Alice

From Heartbreak, To Hope, To Happiness

Dear Dr Shehata, Dr Edge and everyone at CRP,

Simon & I are delighted to introduce our daughter Cordelia!

We cannot thank you enough, there are no words to really describe out gratitude for all you do. Without your knowledge and expertise, we would not be where we are now. It’s been such a journey with 3 recurrent miscarriages & your support through my ectopic pregnancy meant that I didn’t undergo surgery. We knew we could get there but we needed the help and someone willing to go beyond what is currently offered via the NHS, who aren’t interested unless something shows up on their narrow set of investigations. Fortunately, we found you and with the medication I was able to sustain my pregnancies beyond the 5.5 weeks that I lost my other babies.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts, you have made our dreams come true and being a Mother and Father has exceeded all our expectations so far! We are completely besotted and can’t get over how beautiful our Baby Girl is and that she is here.

Thank You!!!

Megan & Simon

The Inquisitive Tourist Podcast

Our Clinical Director, Professor Hassan Shehata, is featured in the Inquisitive Tourist podcast. As a world-renowned expert in Reproductive Immunology, Professor Shehata has helped countless women and couples achieve full-term pregnancies, even in the face of repeated miscarriages.

In this episode, he shares his incredible journey from his formative years in Sudan to his education at Camboni College in Khartoum, and his survival of a near-death experience at the hands of political extremists. Don’t miss this inspiring conversation.

Listen Here

Thank you!

My husband and I just wanted to say a big thank you to all at CRP for all of your care and support in making our dreams come true.

Meeting Professor Shehata in May 2023, following our 5th miscarriage the month prior, gave us a new sense of hope. After being told by the NHS there was no more they could do for us (we had also tried IVF), hearing there were other avenues to explore, other tests and treatment options we could try was refreshing. I just knew we needed to try something different and I am so glad we did!

Although for us the results of the tests didn’t flag anything significant it did show slightly raised cytokines and Professor Shehata felt we would benefit from a treatment plan as a result of this and because 5 miscarriage’s was not going to have been just bad luck. I was keen to try something feeling that we couldn’t keep doing the same thing over and over hoping for a different outcome.

After some pre-conception treatment we fell pregnant again in July 2023. Following our treatment plan, and after 9 months of anticipation we welcomed a perfect baby girl in to the world in April 2024.

Everyone we came across at our time with CRP were wonderful, attentive and professional. At the start of our journey we had the time to discuss our plan, ask questions and have the research behind it explained to us. We felt there was complete transparency about the costs of different aspects of treatment as well as the expectations of receiving treatment with CRP i.e. regular scans when pregnant. This allowed us to plan financially and practically as we would be travelling from Wales.

Communication was excellent and we were so appreciative of times we were accommodated with last minute scan appointments in early pregnancy when we were experiencing concerning symptoms; the reassurance this provided was invaluable. Ms Edge in particular stood out for us with her care and compassionate manner during scans putting us at ease during what were anxiety provoking times. We soon started to look forward to scans especially when we knew they were with her.

We also found it beneficial to be able to access additional services via CRP such as the harmony test and fetal medicine scans to provide additional reassurance and more of an in depth look at how our little girl was doing. There is a very stark difference of how much you get from the scans at CRP compared to those offered via the NHS.

Overall we felt supported and listened to by CRP throughout the different parts of our journey. Our final appointment was a very bittersweet moment.

So we just wanted to say once again a big thank you to you all for helping us in making dream a reality.

THANK YOU!

After 4 early pregnancy losses under the NHS, and the words “it’s just bad luck, try again” continually said to us, we decided to take matters into our own hands. We believed there was something else affecting our pregnancies and after finding Prof. Shehata and reading his articles and webinars I knew I needed to see him.

We did have another 2 losses under his care but found out that these were chromosome abnormalities. To rule this out we went down the IVF route doing PGT-A testing – via their partnering with Kings Fertility. This time round, lucky number 7, we had our beautiful baby boy.

We couldn’t have got to where we are without every single person at CRP believing in us. The care and support you get through your journey is amazing, and I was sad to leave their care and go back under the NHS.

Gratitude from a patient

Dear CRP team,

I’m blessed with a baby boy. Baby is now in NICU without any major complications.

Please convey my gratitude to Dr. Shehata, Dr Jan , Dr Edge, Geraldine and the whole CRP team.

This was not an easy journey for me, CRP was my last option to try and I’m glad  that I chose CRP for the treatment!

I will not forget how Dr Shehata gave me hope from the beginning and how Dr Jan, Dr Edge and Geraldine took care of me throughout the treatment. Thank you so much

Thank you!

Professor Shehata and Professor Akolekar and all the staff at CRP clinic, we can’t thank you enough for making our dreams come true.

After three early miscarriages and one baby boy born sleeping we were so close to giving up, then a friend recommended Professor Shehata. We decided to have one last try and put all of our faith in Dr Shehata and the team at CRP. From the very first consultation we knew we were in safe hands ,  no stone was unturned in not only investigating what had previously gone wrong but prevention of this happening to us in future.

After investigation and diagnosis we fell pregnant straight away and I was put on a treatment plan, to say we were nervous about the pregnancy would be understatement, there were times we went for scans and we were petrified to look at the screen because we had such a fear of history repeating it’s self, during these scans the nurses were like angels sent from above, they took the time to get to know us and looked after us with such care and compassion.
The scans with Professor Akolekar are worth their weight in gold, we felt so safe and reassured,  he was so thorough and would softly speak to us and explain everything step by step as he was doing his checks, if he wasn’t 100% happy with something he would check, re check and check again. After our first couple of visits with him, we started to look forward to scans rather than be filled with dread, we can’t thank him enough.

Our initial consultation at CRP was March 2022, in January 2023 we welcomed our beautiful baby girl into the world.
As we’re approaching her first birthday , we are as grateful today as we were the day she was born.

Thank you CRP clinic!

You made all our dreams come true!

Dear Mr Shehata and everyone at the CRP clinic in Epsom,

 

Simon and I would like to let you know that on the 4th of May at 22:12 Delilah Ann was born, weighing 6lb 9oz! We are so over the moon and besotted!

 

We cannot thank you all enough for your unbelievable care and attention throughout, we will be forever grateful to you all for helping us to start our family after experiencing our losses.

 

We are settling into life at home and loving being a family of three and spend most days just staring at our beautiful girl!

 

Thank you all again so so incredibly much, you made all our dreams come true!

 

Hayley & Simon

xxx

To the team at CRP, a million thank yous!

We started trying to have a baby just after we got married in the beginning of 2018. We fell pregnant relatively quickly but suffered a missed miscarriage just before the 12 week scan. We were told countless times that it was just one of those things and to just try again.

 

We fell pregnant again a few months later. This time there was so much anxiety around the pregnancy as we now knew what could happen but as we had been told it was very unlikely to happen again we tried to stay positive. We suffered another missed miscarriage early in the pregnancy. After our second loss we decided to speak to an obstetrician privately. She assured us that given our age and health there should be no reason why the next pregnancy wouldn’t work out. As a precaution she prescribed us progesterone pessaries and low dose aspirin from the next positive pregnancy test and we left feeling like maybe this could be the answer.

 

Again we fell pregnant and the drugs seemed to be working. We passed the heartbeat milestone, the 12 week milestone, the 20 week milestone and we thought that it was finally going to be our turn to bring home a baby. At 22 weeks I had concerns about the baby’s movement and so we booked a scan as a precaution. We found out that the baby’s heart had stopped beating and our whole world fell apart. I delivered our daughter B a few days later and what followed was many months of grieving and hopelessness (and a global pandemic). The results from the postmortem were inconclusive and the NHS tests that I was finally eligible for said that nothing was wrong. Honestly we didn’t know what else to do but try again so we did and suffered another early missed miscarriage.

 

After our fourth loss I had almost given up hope of ever bringing home a healthy baby. I was trying to prepare myself for a life without living children but we decided to try one last thing and that was Mr Shehata’s clinic. I will be forever grateful that we made that decision.

 

Mr Shehata really listened to our story and we felt instantly reassured that this was a doctor who could really help us. He quickly identified that I had too many NK cells with too much activity and Rob had DNA fragmentation all of which could explain our losses. It was such a relief to finally have answers and stop questioning why this was happening to us.

 

It took a while for us to get pregnant again and we ended up using the clinic’s superovulation programme. When we finally fell pregnant again the anxiety that shadowed the pregnancy was crippling. The staff at CRP really held our hands through the whole process. I think I’ve probably cried in front of all of them! We stayed under the clinic for the entirety of the pregnancy and our regular scans with Professor Akolekar played a huge part in reassuring us of our baby’s wellbeing. His scans were extremely thorough and he really took the time to talk us through everything that he was seeing. After 8 long months our miracle was born, a little prematurely but strong and healthy. It felt like there was suddenly light in our life again.

 

Twenty months later and we are now at home with not just one but two beautiful little boys. Our second pregnancy through the clinic was much easier to handle mentally but the anxiety was still there. But this time we knew that the drugs were the answer and that was all we needed to stay positive.

 

Words can’t really describe what the clinic has given us. Their work has completely changed our lives and given us the thing that we wanted most in the world. We will be forever grateful for the work of Mr Shehata and his amazing team and we sing their praises at every opportunity. We heard about the clinic by pure chance through a friend of a friend of a friend who had used them. So we try to tell as many people as we can about the work that they do in the hope of helping other couples going through the unimaginable grief of repeated pregnancy loss.

 

To the team at CRP, a million thank yous,

 

Rob and Ellie

Forever grateful

After suffering five recurrent miscarriages and to be told that they were just bad luck, my husband and I decided to seek help for the final time.

 

We researched online, miscarriage specialist, which brought us to Professor Shehata and the CRP Clinic. We thought if there is something causing our miscarriages, Professor Shehata will find it, and didn’t he just.

 

I was diagnosed with elevated natural killer cells and put on a treatment plan which resulted in a successful pregnancy.

 

Our experience at the CRP Clinic was phenomenal from beginning to end and we are forever grateful for making our dream come true.

 

Best wishes,

 

Hannah & Jonny x

I’ll always be forever grateful.

We had been trying to have a baby since 2020 and when I was going through my second consecutive miscarriage at 11 weeks I came across Professor Shehata’s name in a podcast. Having had both miscarriages at exactly the same point and having an underlying autoimmune condition, I knew I needed to seek further advice to potentially prevent an unavoidable 3rd miscarriage. 

We booked an initial consultation with Professor Shehata where I finally felt listened to and some of the pains and symptoms I’d been having in the previous pregnancies were validated and taken on board. After having the initial blood tests it appeared that my NK cells were incredibly high and my immune system was attacking the pregnancies. It was a very emotional moment knowing that potentially, the previous miscarriages could have been prevented. 

I was put on a treatment plan which I was initially quite nervous about but Professor Shehata and his team were incredibly reassuring and clearly experts in this field. 

From starting the treatment plan in April 2022, I fell pregnant and our beautiful baby boy Louis was born June 06 2023. It has been a journey to get to this point with a lot of time, road trips and money invested but I truly believe we never would have got here without the help of the CRP. I’ll always be forever grateful that we were able to go down this route and would highly recommend Professor Shehata and his team.

Success Story

We first visited the CRP clinic in October 2022 after experiencing three miscarriages within the previous year. After feeling underwhelmed by the support available on the NHS and hearing many stories about people being told they had ‘unexplained infertility’ after long waits for NHS testing, we decided we wanted to invest in some private care. We first heard of Dr Shehata on a podcast and he seemed to talk so much sense! It was the first time someone had talked so clearly about issues that sounded so similar to ours and seemed to be able to offer a solution. Despite living in the north of England, we quickly contacted the clinic and were given an initial appointment a couple of weeks later.

 

Three weeks after our first appointment, we returned to the clinic where we were told I had overactive NK cells and too many of them. Dr Shehata presented us with a clear treatment plan and a schedule of appointments to follow as and when we fell pregnant. I had my first intralipid drip that day with a view to trying to conceive when I ovulated that cycle. Miraculously, I ovulated a couple of days later and two weeks after that, we were looking at a positive pregnancy test!

 

Throughout our entire pregnancy, we felt listened to and taken care of and we knew we were in the best possible hands. Although the clinic was a long journey for us, every appointment felt completely worthwhile and was so important in helping us to feel reassured and reduced our anxiety as much as possible after so many previous losses.

 

We were discharged from the clinic at 20 weeks and our beautiful baby boy was born on 17th July 2023 at 39 weeks via a planned c section. Dr Shehata, Ms Silva Edge and Dr Akolakor were all amazing and we can’t thank you enough for finally starting our family.

I just had my rainbow baby on 11th May!

We started trying to conceive in November 2020 and got pregnant straight away. I was worried cause I had been diagnosed with PCOS years before (no symptoms other than acne) but we were super lucky and got our positive pregnancy test on Christmas Eve 2020.

Sadly we found out we had miscarried on 16th January 2021 (missed miscarriage). We then got pregnant again in March but on the 12th week scan we found out our baby had anencephaly, so I had a D&C to terminate the pregnancy. We were devastated.

By that point we knew we had to do something so we went to a fertility clinic and had all sorts of tests done. Everything came back OK and we were even told that I had no PCOS as far as they could see. So we tried again. And had another missed miscarriage in February 2022.

After this third loss we felt like giving up. We had all possible tests done and were getting no answers. I was desperate to understand what was happening with my body so I read 7 books on pregnancy loss and miscarriage, watched documentaries, researched as much as I could online and talked to other women about possible treatments.

I first read about Prof. Shehata in one of my books. And then started seeing his name everywhere. In podcasts, documentaries and YouTube videos on miscarriages. I knew I had to go see him and his team, so my husband and I had a conversation about money and savings and decided to invest on treatment with the clinic.

We had our first appointment in March 2022. Dr. Shehata and Ms Silva Edge listened to our story and asked for details and explained what kind of tests I would get done. I also left that appointment clearing my doubts about PCOS, as they were able to check it right there and then and it turned out I did have it.

I was put on some medication straight away (metformin) and got blood tests done so we could discuss a plan at my next appointment.

Tests revealed that my body had high levels of NK cells and that it was likely that my immune system was attacking my pregnancies. FINALLY SOME ANSWERS!

They put a plan together for me straight away which consisted of intralipids, adalimumab injections prior to conceiving and prednisolone.

Once we got the green light from them that it was OK to start trying again (in my case it was after 4 adalimumab injections) we got to work and conceived within 2 months. We followed every single step of the treatment to a T, and had scans every 2 weeks with Ms Edge and an anomaly scan with Prof Akolekar. Everything seemed to be going well!! We couldn’t believe how lucky we were as we reached each milestone in our pregnancy.

At 20 weeks we were discharged from the clinic and went into midwifery care under the NHS (I was a bit anxious about this at first as I felt safe at the CRP clinic, it took me a while to get used to it).

We had a very straight forward pregnancy and at 38 weeks + 6 days I went into labour naturally and delivered our sweet baby girl Luna via unplanned C-Section (due to breech presentation). We are so in love with her and can’t believe how lucky we are that we get to be her parents.

The whole team at the clinic is FANTASTIC. The nurses are lovely and so reassuring. We felt welcome from the very beginning. They know how to talk to parents who went through pregnancy loss and are incredibly professional.

We will always be grateful to the CRP for helping us bring this sweet child into the world and we will definitely be back in the future once we’re ready to give Luna a little sibling.

Thank you Dr Shehata and team ❤️❤️

Emotions around infertility can be raw. Let’s talk about them with solidarity – (14/04/23)

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/apr/14/emotions-infertility-raw-solidarity-fertility-privilege

 

Stillbirth and miscarriage grants announced to help support high-risk groups (13/04/23)

The federal government has announced more than $5 million in grants to better support families in high-risk communities through their grief after a stillbirth or miscarriage. The money, which will be given out during the next three years, will be split between three organisations — Red Nose Australia, Centre for Research Excellence in Stillbirth and Rural Health Connect — to allow them to extend or expand the services they offer to their particular communities.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-04-14/stillbirth-miscarriage-support-high-risk-communities/102219504

 

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart

I honestly can’t thank the CRP Clinic enough.

After 3 consecutive miscarriages, we were losing hope that we would ever become parents. We went to see Mr Shehata soon after our 3rd loss and after some tests he confirmed that I had high levels of natural killer cells and put me on a plan, which ultimately resulted in the birth of our miracle baby girl, who is now 6 months old. Without the help of Mr Shehata, she wouldn’t be here.

It was an emotional rollercoaster of a journey but all of the staff were so supportive. From the caring midwives Laura and Nicola who administered my intralipid injections, to Ms Edge and Geri who were with us when we heard a heartbeat for the first time and were genuinely happy for us, to Prof Ranjit Akolekar who completed our growth scans and was so calm and reassuring throughout the scans.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart – I still pinch myself that our baby girl is finally here.

Thank you!

I am a past patient of Mr Shehata. Our daughter Selina Isis was delivered in Epsom by him on 23rd December 2011.  We now live in Melbourne and often talk about him with Selina. She has recently been asked to give a short speech at school about how her name was chosen and will no doubt explain that her middle name Isis was chosen because of our link to an Egyptian doctor who brought her safely into the world.

We would like to pass on our deepest thanks and best wishes again, I will never forget the daily visits from our home in Kent to Epsom for scans and check ups, I also clearly remember his visit to my hospital room on Christmas night to check in on me.

I have enclosed pictures of her then and now. She  is such a beautiful person and we are extremely proud of her. She is just staring year 6 at school in Melbourne and has been made a school leader. We come back to the U.K. every summer and I keep thinking will have to bring her over to Epsom.

Best Wishes
Claire

Blog: International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM | RCOG

https://www.rcog.org.uk/news/blog-international-day-of-zero-tolerance-for-fgm/

 

Baby is here!

Myself and my husband would love to let you know that I had my son on 14/12/2022 at 10:54am weighing 8lb 2 at St Peter’s Hospital.

I would like to thank you, all the nurses, Dr Edge and Dr Shehata for your help during this pregnancy. Dr Shehata said my killer cells were one of the highest he has seen and with the help of Intralipids and the medication, I have carried by little miracle.

I had 3 rounds of IVF and 3 miscarriages to get there and I believe I wouldn’t have my miracle without the medication and support given from CRP and Dr Shehata (who is a blessing as you look into reproductive immunology). We hope to see you in the future for baby number 2 as we have frozen embryos in our Cyprus IVF clinic/ will get in contact to try naturally beforehand with the help of the medication that got us our little miracle.

Many thanks

 

Meet B!

We wanted to get in touch to let you know about the safe arrival of our precious little girl – B.

As you’ll know we were having real struggles when we arrived at your door. From our first appointment we knew that we had found the right group of people to help us through one of the most challenging times we have faced. The whole team at CRP could not have given us a warmer welcome and been more reassuring – we left our first consultation with a sense that reaching our goal of family life was absolutely achievable.

B arrived a little early and weighed in at 6lb 4oz….small but with a mighty set of lungs. At 8 weeks old she is absolutely thriving and bringing so much joy to our lives and to those of our family too.

We cannot thank you enough for everything that you have done for us. It really is life changing stuff and we will be eternally grateful to you all that we are able to experience parenthood thanks to the work that you did with us.

Huge love

A, I and B xxx

Baby Loss Awareness Week 2022

Thank you!

After three and a half years of recurrent miscarriages and a termination on medical grounds, my husband and I came to CRP hoping for help. Mr Shehata performed tests and created a plan for me. Sadly, I suffered another miscarriage but karyotyping showed it was a ‘true’ miscarriage (as opposed to an autoimmune one) so we decided to have one last attempt at a baby. I fell pregnant shortly after and the pregnancy seemed to stick. Professor Akolekar promised me the baby was looking anatomically good at the 14-week scan and that I could relax into the pregnancy. I did and it was all straight forward until the 28-week mark. I had a growth scan with Professor Akolekar and he reassured me that the baby was growing well and still sound, but my cervix had effaced and I was actually in labour. The clinic was quick to get me to Epsom hospital for a second opinion. They agreed and I was given all the medication required in an attempt to stem labour and prepare the baby for his imminent arrival. I was then transferred to St Helier’s, where the NICU was equipped to deal with the early gestation. The doctors managed to stop labour and, after 2 days, I was moved to the antenatal ward and given a room and put on bedrest. It was an anxious time for me, so far away from my two older kids and unsure of the future for our baby. We managed to hold back labour for almost a month and our baby was born at 31+5, just shy of the moderately preterm mark, but fully prepared thanks to steroids for his lungs and magnesium for his brain. He was born quickly on 29th November 2021 by emergency c-section and had no need for oxygen. Again, thanks to the efforts of everyone, Ralph was a “feed and grow” baby – needing no real intervention, just time with tube feeding and an incubator. We transferred back to our local hospital at 34 weeks and he was discharged on Christmas Eve – a wonderful and emotional early present. A slight relapse saw us back in hospital over New Year, but since then he has grown and flourished, particularly since weaning! This boy loves his food.

We would like to express our gratitude to Mr Shehata and Professor Akolekar. It would be easy to dwell on the difficulties of pregnancy and birth, but in truth we were so lucky with our outcome.

Here is a picture of Ralph, at 9 months old – 7 months adjusted – on holiday. He’s a real smiler – just happy to be here with his family!

Warmest wishes,

Caroline and Jonathan

You have made our dreams a reality and we will forever be grateful

Back in November 2017 we started trying for a baby . Soon after we found out we was pregnant on Valentine’s Day 2018 and a few short weeks later we went on to have our first miscarriage. Four more miscarriages followed from 2018-2021. After the third miscarriage we got referred to the recurring miscarriage clinic where we had very basic tests done, the results showed nothing. After the fifth miscarriage I started looking into testing for NK cells. I found a fertility clinic that did this by a biopsy (endometrial scrape) the results came back as inadequate so I had it re done and it came back inadequate again ! (When we came to the CRP clinic dr Shehata told me that test should of never been done like that as it’s not accurate and the only way to test for NK cells is by blood test). I also looked into Tommy’s and got a referral there but they wanted me to take part in a 3 month trial and we didn’t feel like we wanted to waste time on a trial , we just wanted answers and a treatment to why this was happening. 

I wrote on a forum saying I was lost and didn’t know where to turn to next and a few women then mentioned dr Shehata at the CRP clinic. I started researching him and seen so many success stories of couples who were like us. I didn’t waste any time and got booked in for our first appointment. The minute we got to the clinic we felt very welcome. Dr Shehata said to us there is many reasons why miscarriage happens and when he told us that I knew he was the man who was going to get us our baby. All we had been told by the nhs constantly was that miscarriage was one of those things ,so hearing dr Shehata say there is many reasons why miscarriage happens was such a relief. He scanned me on that first day and told me I had PCOS (I had over 17 internal scans with the nhs and this was never mentioned). I had all the blood tests done that dr Shehata said and we went back two weeks later for the results.

My results showed I was boarder line high for activated NK cells. I also had another scan that day to check my lining of the uterus and it was too thin. I was put on a treatment plan of quite a few tablets which you have to be on for 3 months before you can try. And in august we got the go ahead to try. In December 2021 we found out we was pregnant. Rang the clinic and was told to go down to have my first intralipid infusion drip. I had these every 4 weeks till was 16 weeks pregnant. And scans every 2 weeks till 16 weeks. Every time we got into the car to make the journey to Epsom which would take us 4 hours . We would both drive in silence as we was both so anxious of each scan and the pregnancy failing again. But once we got to 10 weeks dr Shehata said the chance of miscarriage now was very very low. All our other pregnancies ended at 6 and 8 weeks so to even get to 10 weeks was amazing ! We soon got to 12 weeks and had a really in-depth scan with the professor. He actually told us we was having a boy that day. Once we got to 16 weeks we were discharged from the clinic and came off a lot of the tablets then. I was nervous coming of the tablets and not going to the clinic anymore but we was consultant lead so we got a lot of scans with the nhs. From 28 weeks we were scanned weekly and at 33 weeks and 2 days we was told the umbilical cord blood flow was irregular. I had to have steroid injections 24 hours apart to prepare the babies lungs. And a scan at 33weeks and 5 days they told us he needed to come out so got rushed down for an emergency c-section. Our baby Jenson was born on Friday 15th July at 1:41pm weighting 4lb4. Even lying on the operating table we still couldn’t and didn’t dare believe we was having a baby. It wasn’t until we heard him cry that we both then cried with joy and relief. Jenson was taken to the nicu with being born 6 weeks early . He spent a week there but was only on the oxygen for 24 hours and was literally only in there so long because he was early and so small . The day we got to take Jenson home was amazing. I still don’t think it’s fully sank in that we’re parents now and we actually have our miracle.

It still feels so surreal and if it wasn’t for the amazing work that dr Shehata and team do at the CRP clinic we wouldn’t have our little boy . I can’t thank you enough . You have made our dreams a reality and We will forever be great full. 

Leanda potter and John Tuck

Our miracle baby arrived after 5 miscarriages

After 4 heartbreaking miscarriages in 2019 and 2020, one of which required surgery, a friend recommended we visit Mr Shehata as he had helped them have a baby after a similar journey of heartache and loss.

Mr Shehata did a thorough assessment of our medical history and fertility journey so far. He seemed confident he could help us and sent us both for various tests. He has an impressive track record and success rate therefore we felt that if anyone could help us he could.

The tests revealed that I had a high level of natural killer cells which were very active. This explained why I had lost previous pregnancies as my immune system was fighting them off. It felt good to finally get answers and to be told it would be possible to have a baby. Part of the testing assessed what levels of drugs I would require to help maintain a pregnancy so the treatment plan was tailored specifically to me.

I started a treatment plan of prednisolone and intralipids, along with aspirin, omeprazole and progesterone. It felt good to be taking the medication as it felt like a proactive step forward. Mr Shehata was confident and that gave us hope.

Unfortunately we had another miscarriage at the beginning of 2021 which the CRP were not expecting and booked me in for an Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) procedure. Following this I also had a hysteroscopy due to weeks of unexplained bleeding. Mr Jan completed the procedure and identified that I had Ashermans syndrome, likely from the D&C I had after my first pregnancy. Mr Jan was a huge support during this process and I felt very safe under his care. Again it was good to get answers as to why I had miscarried and know that the scar tissue had been removed so we could try again.

It felt like the CRP team were as determined as us to help bring us our baby.

Having cleared the scar tissue we were ready to try again and this time Mr Shehata added in an additional drug to the plan – Hydroxychloroquine.

In September 2021, we fell pregnant again. We were petrified at the first scan but Mr Shehata didn’t delay and started the scan immediately. He quickly told us there was a heartbeat and everything looked good. He is such an expert in his field that we hung on his every word and felt instant relief. The care we received over the following weeks was excellent and the midwives were so empathetic and supportive.

We had wondered whether it would ever be ‘our turn’ to have a baby and so we were still in shock when we made it to 16 weeks and I had weaned off the medications.

On the 7th June our healthy happy baby girl was born weighing 7lb 4oz. She is our miracle baby and has bought us immeasurable joy! Our hearts are full and we feel incredibly lucky that we found Mr Shehata and team who helped us have the baby we began to think would never be part of our future.

We will be forever grateful to Mr Shehata, Mr Jan, Ms Viswanatha, Geraldine, Laura and Nicola! We hope that others who have had similar journeys find their way to the clinic and get the support and treatment we were so lucky to receive.

 

Success Story

Before coming to CRP clinic we had a long road of heartache.

 

Back in 2016 & 2017 we had two miscarriages, the first of which was very traumatic. Later on in 2017 we fell pregnant a third time and we were lucky enough to have a miracle baby boy and naively thought we were fixed and miscarriages were a thing of the past. Our son Isaac was born in June 2018 and we were over the moon.

 

A year or so later we thought about trying again to complete our family. Unfortunately history began to repeat itself and we went on to have a further 4 miscarriages in 2019 & 2020 one of which required surgery and each miscarriage became more traumatic.

 

We tried to seek help with the NHS as we had now had 6 miscarriages but were told as we had, had a healthy baby they would find nothing wrong.

 

After feeling we could take no more we contacted the CRP clinic. Mr Shehata instantly put us at ease and I left the first appointment saying to my husband ‘that will be the doctor that gets us our baby’.

 

After all our tests it was found I had a high level of natural killer cells and I started treatment of Hydroxychloroquine and intralipids, along with aspirin and progesterone. It was a lot to take in but Mr Shehata filled me with confidence and hope. In the back of my mind I was worried what if I was the person it didn’t work for, but I didn’t need to worry.

 

We fell pregnant our second cycle of trying. Our first scan I was absolutely terrified but he just got straight on with it and said straight away ‘there’s your baby’s heartbeat’. I’ve never felt such joy and relief. By week 10 he explained our chances of miscarriage were now very low and to start enjoying the pregnancy.

 

I couldn’t believe we were finally getting our wish and found it hard to relax during the pregnancy. On the 12th May 2022 our baby girl Orla was born weighing 6lb 5oz. She is perfect and has completed our family. This time last year I would’ve never believed that I would have our rainbow baby. I’ll be eternally grateful to Mr Shehata and everyone at CRP, thank you for saving me from further trauma and mostly importantly for our baby girl.

 

Rebecca & Steven

Baby Boy

In 2019 we had our daughter without any issues, however we subsequently experienced difficulties when trying for our second child. While able to get pregnant, we unfortunately had a number of miscarriages which were heartbreaking for our family.

After finding the CRP clinic online, and reading the testimonials from others individuals who had experienced similar problems to us, we decided to make an appointment. Doctor Shehata and the team were very knowledgeable, and it was very comforting to understand why previous pregnancies had been unsuccessful and that treatment was available. We have no doubt that this helped us to welcome our son in 2022. We are very grateful to the whole team.

Kind Regards,

Hayley & Piers

Forever Grateful

Like many couples, my husband and I had dreamt of expanding our family. We never imagined that it would be such a difficult journey. After 3 consecutive miscarriages in two years (one complete miscarriage, one blighted ovum and one missed miscarriage), we decided it was time to seek professional help. We were repeatedly told to keep trying, that it was just bad luck and to remain positive, which was near impossible to do. My GP had finally referred us to a specialist NHS clinic, however unfortunately due to COVID, the waiting list was 6 months plus, and our appointments kept being cancelled.

 

I had read articles and reviews of Mr Shehata and his team and decided to reach out to them. The clinic responded the next day and we arranged for an initial consultation with Mr Shehata on 12 October 2020. We were obviously nervous about the appointment as we had been let down so many times before. That initial consultation with Mr Shehata was the first time we felt understood and that finally someone knew what we were going through. After so much heartbreak, we had finally found a team who were on the same page and after some bloodtests and scans, a detailed and personalised treatment plan was put into place. Appointments were always arranged around what suited us best and we always felt able to ask (many!) questions at any point.

 

Five months later, in March 2021, we fell pregnant and at the 7 week scan on April Fool’s Day, we discovered we were expecting twins! We continued with the treatment plan and regular scans with Mr Shehata, Prof Akolekar and Ms Viswanatha. I also continued with regular visits for Intralipid infusions administered by the fabulous nurses and midwives. After getting the all clear at every scan, we were discharged to the NHS at 16 weeks. It was such a bittersweet moment as I knew then that the pregnancy was going well enough to be discharged but also that it was the end of our journey with CRP clinic and it’s amazing staff.

 

In October 2021, almost a year after our first visit to CRP clinic, we welcomed our beautiful twins, a boy and a girl. There aren’t enough words to express how grateful we are to the staff at CRP clinic, from the doctors, to the midwives and nurses and office administrators. We felt part of the CRP family from Day 1 and were always treated with professionalism, respect and care. A special mention to the nurses and midwives who were always available for advice, guidance, support or just a friendly chat.

 

I can say with certainty that we would not be where we are today if it weren’t for the team at CRP clinic, we will be forever grateful for everything you have done for us. We are now a family of four!

For any couple who have struggled with miscarriages and the heartbreak it brings, reach out to the team at the CRP clinic as we are living proof that miracles do happen.

 

Liza and Warren.

Thank You!

Within 2 years I suffered 3 miscarriages.  After months of going to the hospital without success, I found out about this clinic through a friend.  The first visit to Mr. Shehata was on November 19, 2020. After the first meeting and a set of blood tests it turned out that among the many problems, the most important were low vitamin D levels, problems with the immune system and blood clotting too  fast.

Mr Shehata drew up a plan which had to be followed very carefully.  After two months I got pregnant and at the 6-week ultrasound we had the great joy to hear and see our little one for the first time.  A blood test performed at 12 weeks also told us the gender of the baby.  At 12 weeks we had an appointment with Professor Akolekar who assured us after the first check that our little girl was growing well and healthy.  After each appointment with these people, We left  from there very calm and confident that everything was going very well.  At 16 weeks it was the last meeting with Mr. Shehata who reassured us that the pregnancy was going great and guided us to continue to go to Professor Akolekar for more detailed ultrasounds.  The last meeting with Professor Akolekar was at 22 weeks, who told us absolutely everything we needed to know about the baby.  From weight gain to the clearest details about brain development, etc.  Of course we can’t forget the nurses, who were very gentle and helpful whenever you had a misunderstanding about the treatment or simply needed to talk to someone.

At 40 weeks and 3 days I gave birth to a healthy and beautiful baby girl.  We can’t thank the clinic enough for how much it helped us become a family.  We will definitely come back again to have a healthy and safe pregnancy without going through other pregnancy losses.  We guide everyone who wants a pregnancy and a healthy baby to visit the Center for Reproductive Immunology and Pregnancy Miscarriage Clinic.

Thank you so much 🥰

Success!

We first visited Mr Shehata a year ago after we had undertaken 4 rounds of IVF which all resulted in miscarriage.  Our IVF clinic blamed it on ‘bad luck’ however, we were not going to chance our remaining embryos without finding an answer to why this kept happening to us.

 

I undertook a number of tests at the CRP Clinic and discovered at our first consultation with Mr Shehata that my NK Cells were aggressive and most likely causing the miscarriages that I had experienced.  He created a treatment plan which included supressing my immune system so it was able to respond differently to the growing embryo.  We decided to try again and had our 5th embryo transferred in Oct 2020 while undertaking the treatment that Mr Shehata had recommended.

 

We were obviously very nervous throughout the first number of weeks, and we had a number of scans at the clinic which all resulted in a heart beat and a growing baby.  We couldn’t believe it when we had a successful 12 week scan and were able to share the news with our families at Christmas.

 

Throughout the pregnancy we were anxious however Mr Shehata and the team really put us at ease at every appointment.  We also had scans with Professor Ranjit Akolekar at 12 weeks and 20 weeks which were really in depth and made us feel reassured that everything was as it should be.

 

Our baby girl was born in July and we still pinch ourselves that she is here, after so many years of heartbreak.  We can’t recommend the CRP Clinic enough, without them, its unlikely we would have our baby so we are eternally grateful for all that they have done. We hope to return one day if we are lucky enough to build on our family 😊

Beautiful Baby Boy

We visited Doctor Hassan Shehata in January 2020 after 2 early miscarriages and two failed ivf cycles. I always had a feeling our losses weren’t due to chromosomal abnormalities as all our other tests kept coming back fine. At our first consultation we were told I had aggressive killer cells, and so I was put on a dose of humira, with hydroxychloroquine, predisolone and Intralipids as treatment. In September 2020, after a failed ivf round with 2 pgt-a abnormal embryos, I fell pregnant naturally- the first time I’d taken all the prescribed drugs together. We are now proud parents to a beautiful baby boy.

We had confidence in Doctor Shehata from the first time we met him- I remember saying to my other half ‘I believe he’s the one that will get us a baby.’ We always felt really cared for at CRP clinic; ivf clinics always felt a bit clinical and impersonal, like we were just a number, but at CRP we were treated like we really  mattered- everyone knew us by name, and everyone was genuinely pleased for us when we had our successful outcome. I almost felt scared being discharged from their care at 16 weeks as I suddenly felt very alone without their presence and support.

We chose to have our 12 and 20 week scans with Professor Akolebar too. He was excellent and really reassured us throughout both scans- he has no much experience with women who’ve had lots of losses and so made sure we left each scan feeling confident about the pregnancy. He literally said to us ‘the baby is perfect, I see no problems with this pregnancy – you’ll have a straight forward birth.’ He was right – it was an easy pregnancy, easy birth, and – so far- an easy baby.

We’re beyond grateful for the care given to us at CRP. Our little boy wouldn’t be here without them and for this we will always be thankful.

Dr Hassan Shehata; World-Leading Miscarriage Expert on Torture in a Sudanese Prison, Bob Marley in Jamaica and Donald Trump on Medication

Our Medical Director and Founder, Dr Hassan Shehata grew up in Khartoum in Sudan. As a junior doctor he was thrown headlong into revolution, military Islamic extremism, beatings and torture.

The Big Travel Podcast speaks to Dr Shehata about his horrific time in ‘ghost house’ prisons, life in Sudan and Egypt, sitting on Bob Marley’s bed in Jamaica, Donald Trump and Hydroxychloroquine, following Liverpool FC around the world and his extraordinary work in helping people become parents.

Click the link below to have a listen.

https://thebigtravelpodcast.com/episode/100-dr-hassan-shehata-world-leading-miscarriage-expert-on-torture-in-a-sudanese-prison-bob-marley-in-jamaica-and-donald-trump-on-medication/?fbclid=IwAR0qa2GrEegWTK-SMAEwd7ftqhFJcgF653cVCouZxqvIe4LTll28RQ2q42U

Thank you!

We just wanted to drop a note to introduce you to the latest member of our family. Mabel arrived safely after a short, natural labour on her due date, 18th February, at a dinky 5lb 11oz.

Also to say a huge thank you to Mr. Shehata and all the team at the clinic for helping us not only start and complete our family, but for all the kindness and support shown to us along our journey to parenthood.

Episode 28: Ask the expert: we talk to pioneering miscarriage specialist Dr. Shehata on his unique approach

We talk to Dr Hassan Shehata all about why he thinks the traditional approach to recurrent miscarriage fails to explain the whole story. We also look at how his approach: focusing on both the male and female side, preconception as well as the all important notion of misfiring immune systems yields such astounding results. Dr Shehata goes through why his approach works and the latest data behind it.

https://thejourneydot.com/episode-28-ask-the-expert-we-talk-to-pioneering-miscarriage-specialist-dr-shehata-on-his-unique-approach/

 

Beautiful Family

“We have a beautiful family despite previous losses and its all thanks to Doctor Shehata.  Just when we had given up hope, we came across his website whilst searching the internet.

We were inspired by his website after he had helped a lady achieve pregnancy after 19 miscarriages.  We found the Clinic and staff very proficient throughout all correspondence – we have more faith in Louise than our own midwife  Despite everything we have been through, we have three gorgeous girls and we cannot believe how lucky we are.

Without doubt we would return to Doctor Shehata and recommend his Clinic to other couples trying to achieve a successful pregnancy.

Doctor Shehata helped us after several miscarriages………he can do the same for you!

Thank you Doctor Shehata for making our dreams come true.  We cannot thank you enough!!

Love and best wishes
A Mother

After 5 miscarriages

We cannot thank the amazing Dr. Shehata and his team for making our family complete.  After 5 miscarriages and numerous tests and treatments in Ireland which we never got a diagnosis or answers, We thought our dream of having a family was never going to become a reality. We spent many months researching and finally discovered Dr. Shehata and decided to make the trip to see him. It was the best decision we ever made. Form the moment we met Dr Shehata we felt like we had found someone who understood our situation. After a battery of tests all our results came back clear and we felt a little disheartened.

However after thorough discussions with Dr. Shehata, he explained he felt even though our results were clear that our history pointed to natural killer cells and he created a treatment plan. It finally felt like we had hope again.

After 12 months of following the plan we became pregnant and have since welcomed a beautiful baby boy. It’s difficult to put into words what Dr Shehata and his team did for us, not only did they make our dreams come true but the care, kindness and support everyone in the clinic gave us was amazing and we couldn’t recommend them enough.

Elaine & Ryan

Another Happy Couple

It is an immense joy for us to inform you that our baby arrived safe and sound on 5 June 2019.

After years of trying and three miscarriages, we could never have imagined that we would have had two wonderful children today. I still remember my first visit with Mr Shehata like it was yesterday, my feelings and my hopes. We will never be grateful enough to have met him and you all at the clinic. We have always felt looked after and reassured, and there are not enough words to thank you all for everything.

Please, kindly share the news with everyone – in particular, professor Akolekar was curious to know if the children look alike as we could see some familiarity during the growth scans.

We wish you all the best for the future.

Anonymous.

It’s been a long journey but so worth it

In 2016 my husband and I had the heart-breaking experience of losing our daughter Freya whilst I was 26 weeks pregnant. After going through the trauma of stillbirth we wanted to know why this had happened before we tried for another baby. The NHS ran tests but the conclusion was that our daughter’s death was ‘unexplained’.

I started investigating other reasons for our loss and read the late Alan Beer’s book ‘Is Your Body Baby Friendly’ and it rang a lot of alarms; I have thyroid issues with Graves Disease prevalent in my family; if my body could attack my own thyroid it could attack the placenta for a baby growing in my womb. Alan Beer mentioned Mr Shehata in his book and that set me on a path to exploring possible immunes testing and treatment.

After testing Mr Shehata discovered that I had high levels of anti-nuclear antibodies which tied in with a positive lupus test result on the NHS. These results are both linked to high incidences of stillbirth. Mr Shehata treated me with a drug used to treat malaria but my obstetrician and GP deffered to Mr Shehata’s knowledge as reproductive immunology is a relatively unexplored area for the NHS testing for pregnancy loss.

Between the excellent treatment we received from the NHS with the support of Mr Shehata’s expertise we were over the moon to have successful IVF treatment resulting in boy girl twins who arrived this year.

It’s been a long journey but so worth it.

Louise Cooke

First Heartbeat – UK Transmission – Thurs 15th Oct @ 10pm on TLC

Lisa Francesca Nand bravely lets viewers into her struggle to become a mum as she suffers five miscarriages while trying for a family

A lot of heartache again

I have always wanted to be a mum but had always put a hold on it so that I could pursue a career and buy a house before starting a family. After 4 years of marriage and almost closing a deal on a house a thought it was time to start trying. My gynaecologist often said; it’s best to have your first baby before you’re 35! As I was 34 I still had a whole year to try.

I’ve always had a healthy life style thought to myself it was going to be fairly straightforward but after 6 months no success I started to wonder but then in August I fell pregnant! What a relief! I was so happy over the moon. As I was feeling a bit crampy I decided to go the early pregnancy unit, I was 5 weeks pregnant and there was no heart beat but the doctor said might be too early come back in two weeks. But to be honest deep down I thought something was wrong  but really tried to be positive.

After two weeks I was back there just to find out that there was only a tiny skeleton of a foetus, the news was devastating and it was called a delayed miscarriage. The doctor told me to wait at least three months to start trying again and after 3 months I started to bleed non stop for two weeks so I went to the A&E just to find out that I was having and ectopic pregnancy and I was 4 weeks pregnant.

A lot of heartache again and the doubt at the back of my mind that I would never be able to conceive.

I had tests done through NHS and their diagnosis was unexplained infertility and diminished ovarian reserve, they said that there was nothing they could do to help, they even made me feel worse than I was.

The NHS did offer me 1 round of Ivf which I went through but did not work out as they could not find any eggs on the day of the collection.

One day after almost 3 years trying I was confining myself to a a work colleague and after telling her about my sorrow she told me about a friend that had a imune system problem got treated by Dr Shehata and had twins! it was the best day of my life because I had a feeling that I was about to find out what was preventing me from becoming a mum.

Booked the appointment and went to see Dr Shehata, very impressed with his knowledge and resources. After the first test found out I had high killer cells and 3 months into the treatment got pregnant with my little miracle! The first scan made me cry so much! What a feeling! What a journey! Here I am mother of a beautiful baby boy 7 months old, thank God first of all, Dr Shehata and his Team. The “impossible” can be possible if you believe and seek professional help.

Rejane Siqueira

Tess & Robin

“After many years of failed fertility treatments and operations elsewhere coming to see Dr Shehata was the best decision we ever made. I have a low ovarian count and endometriosis and had previously been unsuccessful with 5 rounds of IVF. We had one cycle on the NHS, but the rest of it had been self funded. We were saving every penny for treatments and borrowing money from family. We would have given up everything if it meant we could have had a child.

Tired, emotionally and financially we were ready to stop but decided to give it one last push. I had been told about Dr Shehata by a friend and after a bit of research we visited the CRP clinic. Following that I had a full round of tests and discovered on top of my low ovarian reserve I had elevated natural killer cells. I was put on a course of steroids to suppress this. After a couple of rounds of IMSI we had a two good embryos left and from one of them our baby boy was born. A healthy 7.13lbs.

As time went on we decided not to find out the sex of our baby but asked Dr Shehata to write it down in a sealed envelope for us, just incase. We didn’t open it until after our he was born but Dr Shehata was correct, right from the beginning. We are now enjoying every minute of our beautiful, happy baby boy, something we never thought would be possible and we can’t thank Dr Shehata and his wonderful team enough.”

After 2 miscarriages

In 2014 after 2 miscarriages and subsequent D&Cs, I was unfortunately diagnosed with Asherman’s syndrome. This is a very rare condition to do with adhesions in the womb and my severe case required two surgeries with Dr Adrian Lower to rectify.

Following my recovery from Asherman’s and after a third miscarriage I researched further online and found Dr Shehata. The day before our first appointment with him I had a positive pregnancy test, so as well as conducting his usual tests Dr Shehata prescribed me steroids and hormones immediately to try and help the pregnancy. We were to go back for a scan in two weeks.

A fortnight later we went to see Dr Shehata. As he scanned me my husband and I could hardly look at the screen with fear. But this time we saw what we had never seen before; a heart beat! After so much disappointment though my husband and I were still apprehensive and didn’t feel able to get too excited until after the twelve week scan and Harmony test showed it was a healthy baby. From then onwards I had a smooth pregnancy under Dr Shehata’s care and the NHS delivered my beautiful baby girl in April.

In 2017, hoping to have a second child we went back to see Dr Shehata. The blood tests revealed that my body had become more hostile to pregnancy, and I was given a different programme from the last time to follow. Following Dr Shehata’s prescribed programme and advice we had no complications and in June 2018 arrived a baby boy.

My husband and I cannot believe our luck after so much disappointment. We were very lucky to have had the amazing support from friends, family and professionals to support us on our journey to become parents. Barely an hour goes by when I don’t think about how differently it could have turned out and I can’t thank all at the CRP clinic enough.

Anonymous

Obese pregnant women given drug to have thinner babies

LONDON – Researchers will give hundreds of pregnant women a drug in hopes of having thinner babies.

The drug Metformin treats type 2 diabetes and it’s already known to be safe for pregnant women to take. It helps prevent weight gain and researchers say it can lead to some weight loss.

Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals, in the suburbs outside of London, are conducting this clinical trial. The researchers there hope that giving the drug to obese mothers-to-be, starting at the second trimester, will result in smaller babies.

The researchers say babies of obese mothers are three times more likely to be admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Therefore, they are expecting the thinner babies to be healthier.

Some doctors say the obese mothers should be encouraged to exercise and diet, rather than just take a medication, to have healthier babies.

Rhonda, Nigel & baby Raphael

After 6 years of trying, 5 miscarriages and seeing various doctors, who gave us no answers to the cause, we had almost given up hope of having a child. We were put on the right track when we finally found Mr Shehata’s clinic and he gave us the  correct diagnosis and the right answers. Whilst we were sceptical in the beginning about the treatment to suppress NK cells , we were overjoyed when it actually worked and our son Raphael was born.

Miscarriage is one of the worst events a couple can face and we are relieved to put this all behind us. There is nothing greater in this world than the gift of life. There are no words to describe the happiness our son has given us. We would like to thank Mr Shehata and his team for the help and support we received to fulfil our greatest wish of becoming parents.

We feel very lucky

We came to the CRP clinic after 3 miscarriages and no diagnosis of a problem – we wanted to explore every possibility before trying again. The tests showed an elevated level of killer cells and I was prescribed Dr Shehata’s treatment programme. I fell pregnant 7 months later and after wonderful care and support from all the team our lovely baby boy Max arrived in April 2017. We feel very lucky to have found the right treatment for us and overjoyed to have our little boy.’

Kath Phillips

Anna & Sean’s story

When my little girl Matilda turned 2 I started to think about when would be a good time to have another baby, I thought it would be perfect if she just turned 3! I had her without any trouble and I was 7/8 weeks before I even knew I was pregnant, as soon as I found out, I knew in my heart she would be fine. Considering how easily I conceived her I thought the 2nd child would be much the same! Well I was very wrong!

I fell pregnant on the 2nd month of trying, I was working out all the dates in my head and this baby would be born just after Matilda was 3! perfect just as I wanted. This pregnancy felt very different, I was getting ready for my 12 week scan, as I was putting my makeup on I knew this day wasn’t going to go well! I thought that there was something wrong with the baby, I couldn’t put my finger on it but something was off. When they called my name I was so nervous, and sure enough the scan showed a placenta and a gestational sac but no baby! I think it’s called a Blighted Ovum. This was just the start, I when on to have another 3 miscarriages over a period of 2 years, each one just as heart-breaking as the first!

I knew something was wrong with me, I saw 2 heartbeats of 2 different babies when I went to the early pregnancy unit however my dates never matched up, the babies where all small. After I lost the 4th baby I searched the internet and found Mr Shehata, I just knew he was going to give me some answers! I booked an appointment with him and I waited patiently! I was nervous waiting in reception, when they called my name my husband and I went in. Mr Shehata asked lots of questions and some that was very hard to answer, we went through everything, all the miscarriages and the timings. He was very confident that he could help. He sent me for blood tests and when I received the results it showed the problem and we started the treatment! I when on to miscarry again but we weren’t sure what happened, soon I was pregnant again! I waited till I was 6/7 weeks and went for a scan but again there was no baby! We were heartbroken! I had a D n C and sent the tissue off to the lab. Turns out I needed more drugs to keep the baby.

I started the new treatment, it took my awhile to fall pregnant this time, maybe because my body had been through so much. When I went for my scan at 7 weeks I was so nervous as I knew this was my last hope! As I lay on the bed I was sweating I closed my eyes and as soon as the gel when on my stomach I looked at Mr Shehata and the thumb went up and the word YES came out of his mouth and I just broke down! finally the dates were bang on and the sound of its heartbeat was music to my ears!

On the 2nd January 2017 my beautiful baby boy Wilbur was born! Its taken 3 years to have him and I feel totally blessed! Mr Shehata and his team work miracles! I know without their help I wouldn’t have him.

I will never forget the babies that I lost but I am reassured I wouldn’t have Wilbur without this journey, I am so thankful to Mr Shehata and his team for helping me complete my family. I am eternally grateful and I thank my lucky stars everyday.

Many thanks

Anna Dowling

You are miracle workers, my family is complete.

I would like to thank Dr Shehata and your team for what I think is priceless work. You have made my dreams come true by helping me have two beautiful boys.
Louden Fleming was born 5/3/16 38 + 2 (same as first son) and weighed 7lb 12. I was taken in early as had cholestosis but only needed gel. Small op to remove placenta but overall normal pregnancy / delivery.

You are miracle workers, my family is complete.

Happily ever after…..

After 3 miscarriages (two at 8 weeks and one at 15 weeks) over 3 and a half years, we knew that this wasn’t just us being “unlucky” and we knew we needed more than just the paracetamol and extra scans that were being offered to us on the NHS.

Following lots of research I came across Dr Shehata and the more I read about him, the more I knew I had to go and see him. It was really important to us to get some answers as to the cause of our losses and have a way to move forward and finally have a baby. We had some very specific tests and after going through the results, a treatment plan was drawn up for us. I’ll never forget the feeling of new hope at this point and confidence that we were going to be helped.

Just seven months after first seeing Dr Shehata, and on our third month of trying under the treatment plan, I found out I was pregnant and on 23rd January 2016 I gave birth to our beautiful baby girl, Madeline Lily Smith. On that day, a day that at one point I didn’t believe would ever happen, we got our happy ever after and we couldn’t be more in debt to Dr Shehata and his team. Thank you doesn’t seem enough – for all the support and care we consistently received and for finally making us a family.

MIRACLE TEAM- OUR DREAM COME TRUE

After suffering two miscarriages in 2014 I was in a very dark place. I had a strong feeling something wasn’t right and couldn’t bear to risk going through a third miscarriage, so I began searching the internet for possible answers. I was thrilled to come across Dr Shehata’s website; finally we could confront the problem.

Dr Shehata and his team were friendly and professional. It was clear to us that hardly anyone (if anyone at all!)could equal his knowledge and experience in the field of fertility and miscarriage. We completely trusted his diagnosis and recommendations for treatment. Right away I was sent for tests and it was found that I had natural killer cells and the factor V leiden gene, which were both contributing to my miscarriages. I was soon put on a programme of medical treatment. It felt so wonderful to finally have an explanation for my miscarriages and a plan of action!

Soon enough (within a month of being on the programme!) I was pregnant! We received first class care and treatment which included medication, consultations and scans to monitor the pregnancy. The whole team were fantastic throughout. Louise Jenner, the senior midwife was absolutely amazing; professional yet warm and empathetic. Knowing she was just a phone call or text away was really reassuring and helped to alleviate a lot of my anxiety.

Our beautiful daughter Sofia Elisavet was born on 3rd November 2015, weighing a healthy 7 pounds 6 ounces. She is the most beautiful thing we have ever seen!  Most of the time I can’t quite believe she is mine- was it all a dream?! I never thought I could love something this much!

We cannot thank Dr Shehata, Louise and the whole team enough for all that they did for us. What they do truly changes lives!

Andrea and Matthew Croucher

Clinic Fees

  • Initial consultation – £370 (a deductible £100 deposit is required to secure this appointment)
  • Follow up consultation – £210
  • Immune tests – tests range from £160 to £735 each
  • Wellbeing tests – tests range from £65 to £215 each
  • Hormonal tests – tests range from £90 to £260 each
  • Non-invasive Fetal DNA testing – £470
  • Initial scan – £245
  • 3D saline scan – £475
  • HyFosy – £500
  • 3D saline scan + Hyfosy – £655
  • Early pregnancy scans (includes consultation) – £305
  • 3D ultrasound scan (with AFC) – £350
  • Nuchal scan (includes blood tests) – £360
  • Anomaly scan – £360
  • Growth scans package (28, 32 and 36 weeks) – £760

    Fetal Medicine scan packages are available on request.

  • Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA) – from £2,000
  • Hysteroscopy – from £1,365
  • Initial consultation –  £300
  • IVF Returning patient Consultation – £275
  • Pre-IVF scan and consent check for HFEA forms – £350
  • IVF Follow up Consultation – £225
  • IVF cycle –  From £3,950 (excludes initial and nurse consultations medications,  pre-IVF investigation tests)

    IVF packages are available on request
  • Initial consultation – £285
  • Nurse consultation – £200
  • IUI cycle –  From £1,200 (excludes initial and nurse consultations medications,  pre-IUI investigation tests)

    IUI packages are available on request

  • Sperm DNA Integrity – £515
  • Semen Analysis – £235

Procedures

  • Hysteroscopy (no sedation) – £1765

  • Hysteroscopy (sedation) – £1830

  • Operative Hysteroscopy + removal of polyp or adhesion – £3300

  • Operative Hysteroscopy (sedation) – £3435

Clinician Fees

  • Mr Jan Consultation + Ultrasound if required pre-Hysteroscopy – £475

Anaesthetist Fees

  • Dr Shetty – £300

  • Dr Girgis – £250

  • Dr Muddanna – £250

Additional Fees

  • Products of conception (PROC) – £465
  • Cat1 Histology – £237
  • Hyalobarrier Gel + Antibiotics – £300
  • Handling Fees – £35
  • Penthrox – £75

Insurance Information

Utrogestan

Utrogestan contains progesterone, which is a natural female sex hormone, produced in the body. It works by adjusting the hormone balance within the body. It is used in different indications related to pregnancy such as IVF and pre-term birth. Recent findings have suggested that women who are at risk of a miscarriage because of current pregnancy bleeding and a history of a previous miscarriage, could also benefit from progesterone treatment.

Given as routine to all women with history of recurrent pregnancy loss or preterm labour.

400mg, oral tablets, started around the time of ovulation until 16 weeks of pregnancy.
In some cases, Utrogestan may be used until 34 weeks.

Should be used with caution with diabetes, epilepsy, hypertension, migraine and cardiac dysfunction.

Bloating, fluid retention, breast tenderness, cramp-like pains due to gastric disturbances and skin irritation, possible menstrual cycle irregularities.

Hydroxychloroquine

Hydroxychloroquine was originally an anti-malaria drug used in the 1940s but more recently has found a place in the treatment of conditions such as Rheumatoid arthritis and Lupus. This is because it has immune properties and seems to calm down inflammation. We have used it against Natural Killer Cells with possible help in women with miscarriages and fertility conditions. There are several publications which have shown its benefit in reducing risk of miscarriages and other immune related complications in pregnancy.

This drug could be considered in complex cases or if there are contraindications to use prednisolone.

300–400mg oral tablets. Usually started 4-6 weeks prior to pregnancy. A higher (loading dose) may be required for the first two days of use. The duration of the therapy will be based on individual circumstances.

Neurological disorders (especially in epilepsy), severe gastro-intestinal disorders and G6PD deficiency. Not to be used with azithromycin antibiotics.

Gastro-intestinal disturbances, headache and skin reactions, visual changes, hair loss and pigmentation of the skin, nails and mucous membranes.

You will be required to organise a pre-treatment eye examination and every 6 months whilst taking hydroxychloroquine at your local optometrist. Three monthly wellbeing bloods will be performed.

Most of our patients have tolerated this medication well and it has a good track record in pregnancy with no apparent fetal harm. If you are taking omeprazole, please ensure that you take the two medications at different times as it may inhibit absorption of the hydroxychloroquine.

Intralipid Infusion

Intralipid infusion therapy is a sterile fat emulsion containing soya oil, chicken egg yolk, glycerine and water. The infusion is in liquid form and administered through the veins with an intravenous(IV) cannula*.

The procedure is carried out in the Epsom clinic only as part of your treatment programme. Although not subjected to controlled trials, there are observed benefits in women with miscarriages and fertility conditions.

*Peripheral intravenous (IV) cannulation is an invasive procedure, and risks include phlebitis which may lead to pain or swelling at the infusion site.

Used as part of the treatment programme for high or complex NK cells.

If intralipids are to be included as part of your plan, these will need to be administered
within the CRP Clinic at Epsom where we follow strict clinical guidelines during preparation, administration and delivery of your intralipid therapy to maintain the highest levels of patient safety. Poor safety standards can lead to the introduction of micro-organisms, which may cause infection and other associated risks, including sepsis.

100ml bag of 20% intralipid given as an intravenous dose over 1 hour. The infusion may be required before ovulation, at positive pregnancy test and then repeated every 4 weeks until
20 weeks of pregnancy.

Allergies to Eggs or Soya. Liver disease.

Note: It is important to inform staff if you have had an illness such as a viral infection or diarrhoea and vomiting in the 48 hours prior to your infusion.

Headaches, dizziness, flushing, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting or sweating.
It is rare to have side effects in well patients.

Common side effects we have observed in our patients have included pain/swelling/redness at the infusion site and temperature fluctuations.

Serious side effects (more likely to occur in patients that require this medication on a regular basis for other health issues unlike fertility or miscarriage patients) include: signs of infection (fever, persistent sore throat), injection site reactions (pain, swelling, redness), pain/swelling/ redness of arms and legs, bluish skin, sudden weight gain, shortness of breath, back or chest pain, mental/mood changes, bone pain, muscles weakness, yellowing of skin and eyes, dark urine, bruising or bleeding, severe stomach or abdominal pain.

Omeprazole

This drug belongs to a group called ‘proton pump inhibitors’. They work by reducing the amount of acid that your stomach produces. Omeprazole is mainly used to help reduce the acidic effect of steroids in the stomach.

For patients started on steroids such as Prednisolone, omeprazole is advised to prevent ulcers from forming in the stomach or gut lining.

20mg tablet once a day before breakfast.

Omeprazole is widely used in pregnancy. It is not known to be harmful to an unborn baby.

Headache, effects on your stomach or gut such as diarrhoea, stomach pain or constipation. Nausea and or vomiting.

Fragmin

Fragmin belongs to a group of medicines called low molecular weight heparins, which helps prevent the formation of blood clots by thinning the blood. It is widely used in pregnancy for reducing the risk of blood clots in the mother and in conditions associated with baby growth restriction.

Routinely prescribed in women undergoing treatment with IVF/ICSI and in cases of thrombophilia.

Dose is determined by weight, usually ranging between 5000 and 10 000 units, taken by subcutaneous injections once daily, taken between 6-9pm. Duration of medication is decided on a case-by-case basis.

Manufacturer advises caution in severe hepatic and renal impairment. Not known to be harmful in pregnancy; caution in patients with hypersensitivity to low molecular weight heparins.

Haemorrhage, skin necrosis, low platelets, high potassium, hypersensitivity reactions (including urticaria, angioedema and anaphylaxis); osteoporosis after prolonged use
(and rarely alopecia).

Blood clotting levels ad your full blood count will be checked at 3 monthly intervals.

Prednisolone

Prednisolone belongs to a group of medicines called steroids (corticosteroids). These steroids occur naturally in the body to maintain health and well-being. Boosting your body with extra steroids is an effective way in reducing inflammation. Steroids have widely been used in the treatment of recurrent miscarriage and fertility conditions with varying degrees of success in outcome.

Prednisolone is prescribed to women with recurrent miscarriage or repeated failed assisted conception attempts in the presence of abnormal immune markers such as high NK cells.

The dose usually ranges between 15 and 25mg, and is taken after breakfast. When you have been taking this dose for 3 or more weeks, you will need to wean off the medication by dropping 5mg every 5 days.

Caution is necessary when prescribing prednisolone to patients with the following conditions: adrenal suppression and infection; hypertension, congestive heart failure, liver failure, renal impairment, diabetes mellitus, osteoporosis (post-menopausal women at special risk), glaucoma, psychiatric reactions, severe affective disorders, epilepsy, peptic ulcer, hypothyroidism, history of steroid myopathy.

Prednisolone is compatible with each trimester of pregnancy. Steroids vary in their ability to cross the placenta; 88% of prednisolone is broken down by the placenta and inactivated, therefore very little passes to the baby. There is no evidence that corticosteroids result in an increased incidence of congenital abnormalities, such as cleft palate/lip.

The most common complication is difficulty sleeping at night. Gastrointestinal discomfort, headaches, nausea, altered mood, skin reactions, fatigue, increased weight.

Other Uncommon Side Effects Include

Gastro-intestinal effects include dyspepsia, peptic ulceration, abdominal distension, acute pancreatitis, oesophageal ulceration and candidiasis.

Musculoskeletal effects include proximal myopathy, osteoporosis, vertebral and long bone fractures, avascular osteonecrosis, tendon rupture.

Endocrine effects include adrenal suppression, menstrual irregularities and amenorrhoea, Cushing’s syndrome, hirsutism, weight gain, negative nitrogen and calcium balance, increased appetite, increased susceptibility to and severity of infection.

Neuropsychiatric effects include euphoria, psychological dependence, depression, insomnia, increased intracranial pressure, psychosis and aggravation of schizophrenia, aggravation of epilepsy.

Eye effects include glaucoma, papilledema, posterior subcapsular cataracts, corneal or scleral thinning and exacerbation of ophthalmic viral or fungal disease.

Other side-effects include impaired healing, skin atrophy, bruising, striae, telangiectasia, acne, myocardial rupture following recent myocardial infarction, fluid and electrolyte disturbance, leucocytosis, hypersensitivity reactions, thromboembolism, nausea, malaise, shingles, hiccups.

Further Information: Please be aware that steroids can mask the common symptoms of pregnancy, such as pregnancy sickness.

Wellbeing blood tests are required at 3 monthly intervals.

Aspirin

Aspirin is one of a group of drugs called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It’s widely used to relieve mild to moderate pain and inflammation. It is also widely used in pregnancy for different indications such as reducing the risk of miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, and baby’s growth restriction in women at high risk of these disorders.

In our experience, Aspirin has been shown to reduce the risk of miscarriage, irrespective of outcome of the thrombophilia investigations. It is also used by fertility centres for women undergoing fertility treatment (IVF).

The low dose aspirin we recommend is 75 mg to be taken daily between 6-9 pm after food. Usually, the medication is taken until 20 weeks of pregnancy, but depending on the individual risk of preeclampsia (high blood pressure in pregnancy), the dose may be increased to 150 mg from 12 weeks gestation and continued until 36 weeks.

Not advisable to take if you suffer from asthma, stomach ulcers, known bleeding disorders,
or have mild to moderate renal/hepatic impairment.

Use of low-dose aspirin at any stage of pregnancy has not been associated with harmful effects.

Generally mild and infrequent, but in hypersensitive patients, side effects can include indigestion, heartburn, bloating, gastrointestinal upset with slight asymptomatic blood loss. In severe cases, it can cause an asthma attack and in rare cases, some skin reactions.

GCSF

Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor (G-CSF) is a cytokine (molecules that aid cell-to-cell communication in immune responses and stimulate the movement of cells towards sites of inflammation) that stimulates neutrophilic granulocyte proliferation.

Found to possibly reduce the risk of miscarriage. Based on research trials, G-CSF has been shown to be safe and well-tolerated for mothers throughout pregnancies and for newborns without signs of abnormality. No noticeable side effects were reported.

In certain studies, G-CSF was used in a series of women with unexplained recurrent miscarriage in whom previous treatment with other therapies had failed. It showed G-CSF to be effective in recurrent miscarriage. In one particular study, 29 out of 35 women delivered a healthy baby, whereas in the placebo group, this figure was 16 out of 33. However, further studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness of this treatment in women with unexplained recurrent miscarriage.

The 300 mcg injection is for subcutaneous use. Your doctor will provide instructions on the timing of the injections in line with your treatment plan.

  • Bone pain in areas such as your pelvis, back, arms, or legs.

  • Headache, red or itchy skin (especially around the area where the injection was given).

  • Fever and chills. Over-the-counter painkillers, like paracetamol, can help reduce your temperature and prevent chills.

  • Swelling of the ankles or legs due to fluid retention, which, if severe, could cause breathlessness.

You will need to have a blood test to check your full blood count every 2 weeks whilst on this medication.

Adalimuab

Adalimumab is a TNF blocker, which is used for patients with elevated levels of TNF cytokines or Natural Killer (NK) cells, such as connective tissue disorders. It has been recommended and clinically beneficial in some patients with immune disorders associated with high TNF (tumor necrosis factor) levels.

The women at risk show alterations in CD56+ natural killer cells that secrete tumor necrosis factor. There have been no large studies done on patients with recurrent pregnancy loss or infertility, but several peer-reviewed publications have shown benefit in such conditions.

In cases of high TNF alpha: IL-10 and/or high INF-gamma: IL-10.

Two 40 mg subcutaneous injections: one at a time, 2 weeks apart. Occasionally, this course may be repeated if the TNF alpha: IL-10 or INF-gamma: IL-10 level is still high following the initial two injections.

Predisposition to infection.

Rash, nausea, vomiting, gastric disturbances, infections, headaches, rashes, and shingles.

Adalimumab has been shown not to cause fetal harm and is considered safe in pregnancy if used prior to 32 weeks’ gestation.

  1. If you are satisfied with the information given and have made an informed decision, you will be asked to complete a consent form prior to the arrangement of the prescription.

  2. Once the Adalimumab is received, the first injection can be self-administered, and the other injections stored in the fridge. Adalimumab can be given at any time in your cycle as a subcutaneous injection in the stomach or thigh area.

  3. The second injection is to be administered 2 weeks later.

  4. A further blood test for TNF alpha (HS5) may be needed and arranged after a minimum of 2 weeks following the second injection.

  5. A follow-up appointment is to be made with Professor Shehata 1–2 weeks after the blood test.

All patients, prior to the Adalimumab injections, will have a TB Gold Quantiferon test to ensure that this is negative.

If this is inconclusive, we will need to repeat the test. If TB is positive, then the patient may be referred to a chest physician for assessment and possible tuberculosis treatment prior to receiving the medication.

The TB test takes 5–7 working days to return, after which we will inform you of the result.

Thank You!

Thank you for reaching out to us and completing the enquiry form on our website. We appreciate your interest in our services and understand the importance of this journey for you.

Our team is dedicated to providing you with the support and care you need. One of our specialists will review your enquiry and get back to you to discuss your needs and answer any questions you may have.

We look forward to assisting you and being a part of your journey towards building your family.

Professor Hassan Shehata

Professor Hassan Shehata is a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, specialised in Maternal Medicine at Epsom and St. Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust. With an extensive CV, he has contributed his expertise to various hospitals within the UK, building a wealth of experience in obstetrics and gynaecology.

In addition to his diverse clinical background, Professor Shehata is the CEO and Medical Director of the CRP Clinic. He has a wealth of global health contributions including reducing medicalisation of Female Genital Mutilation. He has dedicated his professional life to investigating and treating recurrent miscarriages and addressing challenges associated with failed IVF attempts.