Episode 4

full
Published on:

21st May 2025

Why Fertility Matters at Work?

In this powerful episode of The Male Fertility Podcast, hosts Shaun and Ciaran welcome Natalie Silverman and Becky Kearns, co-founders of Fertility Matters at Work. This Community Interest Company is dedicated to improving fertility support in workplaces across the UK and beyond. Both guests bring their personal fertility journeys and professional expertise to the conversation, creating a compelling discussion about the challenges faced by employees undergoing fertility treatment and how employers can better support them.

Key Topics Discussed:

  • The founding story of Fertility Matters at Work and how the co-founders’ personal experiences shaped their mission
  • The impact of fertility struggles on workplace performance and mental health
  • The “line manager lottery” problem and why consistent policies are essential
  • What makes a “gold standard” fertility workplace policy
  • How fertility issues affect men in the workplace and why it’s not just a women’s health issue
  • Practical advice for employers looking to implement fertility-friendly policies
  • Resources available for both employees and employers through Fertility Matters at Work

Guests:

  • Becky Kearns – Co-Founder and CEO of Fertility Matters at Work. With a background in HR and personal experience of premature ovarian insufficiency, she combines professional expertise with lived experience to advocate for better workplace support. Becky also founded Paths to Parenthub, a virtual support platform for donor conception.
  • Natalie Silverman – Co-Founder and CCO of Fertility Matters at Work. As the creator of The Fertility Podcast in 2014 (the UK’s first fertility-focused podcast), she brings over 15 years of broadcasting experience and her own fertility journey to her advocacy work.
  • Fertility Matters at Work website: fertilitymattersatwork.com
  • Free downloadable resources including guides on typical IVF cycles and building business cases for fertility policies

Contact Us:

📧 Email: themalefertilitypodcast@gmail.com

📷 Instagram: @themalefertilitypodcast

📖 Web: nexysfertility.com

At NeXYs Fertility, we provide comprehensive support for men navigating fertility challenges through specialist advice, peer support, and coaching programmes.

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY: https://www.nexysfertility.com/community

Episode Sponsors: 

• ExSeed Health - At-home sperm testing. Get 15% off at exseedhealth.com with code MFP15 

• Impryl - Fertility supplement with activated micronutrients. Get 10% off at fertility-family.co.uk with code MFpodcast10

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DISCLAIMER: The content in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or qualified healthcare provider.

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About the Podcast

The Male Fertility Podcast
The UK’s leading podcast on male fertility. Real stories, expert advice, and the conversations men aren’t having.
The Male Fertility Podcast is the UK’s leading show dedicated to male fertility, hosted by Ciaran and Shaun, two men who’ve lived the reality of infertility diagnoses, fertility treatment, and everything that comes with it.

Whether you’re dealing with low sperm count, poor motility, low morphology, azoospermia, or a varicocele diagnosis, this podcast is the resource you wish you’d had from day one.

Each episode covers what actually matters: IVF and ICSI from the male perspective, navigating NHS referrals and waiting lists, the real cost of private treatment in the UK, lifestyle changes that can improve sperm quality, and the emotional and mental health impact that often goes unspoken.

We speak to fertility specialists, urologists, andrologists, and men sharing real, unfiltered stories — from difficult diagnoses through to successful pregnancies.

Topics we cover:

Male factor infertility: diagnosis and treatment options
Sperm health: count, motility, morphology, DNA fragmentation
IVF, ICSI, MESA, TESE, micro-TESE
Varicocele surgery and recovery
Supplements, diet, exercise, and lifestyle changes
Mental health, relationships, and coping strategies
NHS vs private fertility treatment in the UK
Costs, funding, and access to treatment
Supporting your partner
Real stories and success journeys

This podcast exists because male fertility is too often overlooked. Half of all infertility involves a male factor, yet most support is aimed elsewhere. We’re changing that.

If you’re facing fertility challenges, or supporting someone who is, subscribe now — you’re not alone.

About your host

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Ciaran Hannington