Case studies Deirdre has helped 22 couples become pregnant in the last year - here are a few of their stories ... Catherine, 30, had got pregnant easily on the first occasion but unfortunately had a miscarriage at 11 weeks. She was surprised, therefore, when for the next two years she tried to get pregnant without success. She was about to go to her GP for infertility investigations when she met Deirdre. They established after two sessions that Catherine ovulated late in her cycle, usually around day 17/18. In previous months she and her husband were so sick of trying by that point that they had usually given up! Armed with this new information Catherine got pregnant 5 weeks later and went on to have a healthy baby girl.
Mary, 34, has been trying to conceive for 5 years. She and her partner have been told they have unexplained infertility. Mary already knew the basic principles of fertility awareness but needed some support. Working with Deirdre it was possible to determine that Mary’s progesterone levels were too low to sustain a pregnancy. She found this reassuring because it gave her a diagnosed problem to focus on. She is now trying to improve her hormone levels using acupuncture alongside traditional medicine. 
Sue, a 42 year old career high flyer and had been trying to get pregnant for two years. She assumed that she was too old and was about to give up. After two sessions with Deirdre she learned that she was still ovulating regularly but that she did not produce much cervical fluid, essential for conception. She used a simple over the counter remedy to solve this problem, eased up on her work schedule a bit and was pregnant 2 months later. At 45 she is now the mother of two healthy children. 
Sarah, 38, and her husband Jim, 32, had been trying to conceive for 3 years. After two consultations it became clear that there were problems with Sarah's cycles - a hormonal imbalance was the most likely cause. Soon afterwards they got the results of Jim's semen analysis back from their GP - both the sperm count and motility were very low. The key thing for Sarah was to try improve the immense work stress she was under, which was having a direct impact on her hormones - she also had a course of acupuncture and Chinese herbs. Jim consulted a nutritionist and started a diet along with some key supplements, specifically designed to improve the health of his sperm . At the same time they decided to get referred for assisted conception. Over the next 6 months they continued on their fertility improvement plan while waiting for their various hospital appointments. Their patience paid off and Sarah found out she was pregnant a few weeks before their first cycle of IVF was due to begin.