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Our team at the Assisted Conception Unit (ACU) takes your
welfare very seriously and aims to provide you with an excellent service.
Mostly you will come to the Clinic to see a Doctor or a nurse. However, this
is not the whole picture. We believe that it is important for both you – the
patient, and us - the ACU staff to acknowledge that difficulties in having a
baby can be very stressful and that sometimes you may feel overwhelmed.
Ruth Wilde is our independent Counsellor who is
knowledgeable about infertility issues and trained to help you to talk about
how you are feeling, and to make choices in your life to cope better with
things that seem beyond your control.
Counselling appointments are free and you can access the
service as soon as you become a patient at the ACU and for up to a year
following the end of your treatment. You may see the Counsellor with your
partner or on your own – whichever you prefer.
Implications Counselling
If you or your partner are considering one of the following:
• Egg sharing
• Egg donation
• Sperm donation
• Treatment involving donated eggs
• Treatment involving donated sperm
You will be asked to make an appointment to see the
Counsellor. We recommend that you attend this appointment with your partner.
Under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990, the
ACU must make Implications Counselling available to everyone. In the above
cases, due to the complex issues involved in sharing, donating or receiving
donated gametes, we insist that you see a Counsellor to talk through the
legal and ethical issues before you consent to treatment.
Ruth will give you the time and space to explore the
implications of treatment or donation in confidence and without judging you
or offering you advice. It is after all your decision and one of the most
important decisions you will make.
Contact Details:
Counselling appointments for ACU patients can be booked by
telephoning the clinic on 0121 627 2700.
If you are not a patient at the Assisted Conception Unit,
but would like some emotional support, you can access infertility
counselling from the British Infertility Counselling Association:
www.bica.net
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