Canadian company aims to make fertility more accessible

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Samantha Diamond considers herself “one of the lucky ones”.

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The wife of a fertility doctor, Diamond’s experience with fertility issues was streamlined with access to information she had through their union. In fact, it was her close connection to the subject of health that helped her get an early diagnosis of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS).

“One in 10 women has it. Essentially, this means that most people don’t ovulate regularly. But I just don’t ovulate, ”says Diamond. “People often do not learn for very long about the various pathologies and conditions they have in the fertility world, for various reasons.

“I was very lucky to have had this information very early on,” she said.

Armed with this personal health update, Diamond made quick decisions about her own family planning.

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“We started trying to have kids in our late twenties because I knew I had this pre-existing condition and I knew it would be potentially difficult for us to conceive,” Diamond said. “I had two children quite easily, with very little intervention from the PCOS side. But when it came time to complete our family and try our third, I experienced pregnancy loss at around nine weeks. “

The experience, she says, threw her into an “absolute loop.” Despite living with a fertility specialist who could provide her with answers, Diamond found herself “digging deep into the internet” for additional information through Facebook groups and Reddit forums.

“After the pregnancy was lost, we went through a fertility journey that required additional interventions,” she says. “And I just felt like something was missing from the medical part of the infertility journey.”

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This “trip” made Diamond discover the naturopathic side of fertility medicine, in particular the world of preconception care based on scientific supplementation.

Owner of a PR firm specializing in the beauty space at the time, she was surprised both by the lack of information on infertility, as well as the potentially problematic message of fertility products presenting pictures of happy moms and their healthy babies.

“Between the way we talk about fertility, which is actually how we don’t talk about fertility, and the way fertility is culturally framed from a brand perspective – I was like, ‘This isn’t ‘ain’t good,’ ”Diamond recalls. “‘We have to solve this problem.’ “

Diamond’s solution is Bird & Be, a Toronto-based direct-to-consumer business that offers “personalized fertility care”.

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Co-founded with her business partner Breanna Hughes, with the help of a team of fertility specialists including naturopaths, a fertility doctor and two pharmacists, the company offers personalized supplements based on responses to a questionnaire. online that discuss the different stages of the fertility journey. .

“Supplements play a vital role in reproductive biology, but which nutraceutical, at what dose and for which clinical scenario is key to optimizing results,” says Dr. Jennifer Fitzgerald, Naturopathic Doctor and Director of Integrative Medicine at Bird & Be. “Women, and anyone with an egg cell, realize that they should be ‘prenatal’ before they even try to conceive, but there is very little guidance on the important details.

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“In addition, men and people with semen are excluded from the conversation; when sperm contribute 50% of the genetic material, they should also be proactive in their care. “

The products are formulated by experts in reproductive health, according to Fitzgerald.

“We make sure that our products cover both ova and sperm, are highly bioavailable and easily absorbed, and have dosages that can be customized according to their needs,” said Fitzgerald.

Ingredients such as choline and folic acid come in recommended daily doses for a “therapeutic level,” according to Diamond.

The supplements are packaged in daily sachets for easy administration and can be ordered using a monthly or subscription model. Prices for Bird & Be boosters and supplements range from $ 18 to $ 66 per month.

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Education is another major part of Bird & Be’s business model, according to Diamond.

Access to fertility information is increasingly relevant given the well-documented statistic that people wait until later in life to have children. According to Diamond, the average age of first-time mothers in Canada is 30. F ertility begins to decline at age 33.

“What was left out of the conversation was the real aspect of family planning. And the fact that age is a factor for people with eggs when it comes to your schedule, ”says Diamond. “One in six couples suffers from infertility. One in four people miscarry… Each month 80% of people are unsuccessful, so this should be reversed.

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In the fall, the company will launch four home tests performed via urine (for eggs) or sperm (for sperm), priced at $ 14.50 to $ 42, including pregnancy test, test ovulation, a sperm test and a patented ovarian reserve. screening test.

“This test measures FSH, which is follicle stimulating hormone (FSH),” explains Diamond. “It’s something that is typically measured in a fertility clinic. This is the first test they would take.

Bird & Be screening provides information on “egg quantity”.

“We call it our canary in a coal mine,” says Diamond. “As you get older, the number of eggs you have decreases and your FSH level increases. Our test measures FSH at a level that indicates it’s increasing, so you might have a problem with your egg quantity.

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“This is your wake-up call that you need to get a fertility check-up from your doctor or specialist in order to understand what is going on. And to make really informed decisions about the next stops.

Diamond says this information can be invaluable whether users are actively trying to get pregnant, are young and want to establish a baseline for their fertility information, or are considering freezing their eggs.

“Everything in fertility is linked to the acceleration of treatment time. Because every month has meaning, ”says Diamond. “We have to defend ourselves. We absolutely must take charge of our own reproductive health and our own general health. And these are tools that will help.

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