Lesson video

Hi, I'm Ms. Lowe and I'm your RSHE teacher for today.

Thank you so much for choosing to complete your learning with me.

Now, because of some of the themes and topics covered in today's lesson, it's really important that you complete your learning today with the company of an adult.

Every RSHE lesson should begin with a set of ground rules.

This ensures that every conversation had in RSHE is respectful and we're all able to learn effectively.

So Laura is reminding us that in RSHE, we should listen to others.

It's okay to disagree with each other, but we should listen properly before making assumptions or deciding how to respond.

And when disagreeing, we challenge the statement and not the person.

Andeep is reminding us to respect privacy.

We can discuss examples, but we don't use names or descriptions that can identify anyone, including ourselves.

Izzy is reminding us to choose a level of participation that suits us.

Everyone has the right to choose not to answer a question or to join in a discussion, but we never put anyone on the spot.

And finally, Jacob is reminding us that in RSHE, there is no judgement.

We can explore beliefs and misunderstandings about a topic without the fear of being judged.

And here's our outcome for today's lesson.

So by the end, you are gonna be able to explain the methods and considerations of assisted conception.

Before we get started, let's have a look at our keywords for today and go through those definitions together.

IVF, which stands for in vitro fertilisation, a process by which an egg is fertilised by sperm outside the body.

Artificial insemination: a process of introducing sperm into a female's reproductive system by non-natural means.

And finally, embryo transfer: the placement of an embryo into the uterus to establish a pregnancy.

This is our outline for today's learning.

We're gonna begin today's lesson by asking the question, what are the methods of assisted conception? Now, some people may need medical help to have a baby.

Assisted conception includes different methods that can help with fertilisation and pregnancy.

As Dr.

Elsie is telling us here, these methods are used for various reasons, and these reasons may be fertility issues.

So somebody's struggling to have a baby by themselves.

It could be for same-sex couples wanting children or because of a medical condition.

So there are lots of different reasons why somebody might choose to go down the route of assisted conception.

There are different ways to assist conception, and these include IVF, which as we saw before, stands for in vitro fertilisation.

And this is when eggs and sperm are combined outside of the body, usually done in a laboratory, and an embryo is placed into the uterus.

And then we have artificial insemination.

And this is when sperm is inserted directly into the uterus using medical techniques.

Now, let's pause video here and we'll check our understanding about what we've just learned.

Which of these are methods of assisted conception? We have IVF, artificial insemination or adoption.

Pause the video, have a think and we'll go through the right answer together.

Really well done if you said artificial insemination and IVF.

And bonus points if you remember that IVF stands for in vitro fertilisation.

Well done.

People may choose these different methods of assisted conception for various reasons.

So IVF is helpful for couples who are struggling with fertility issues, they're struggling to become pregnant naturally, and this allows doctors to choose the healthiest embryos for them.

On the other hand, artificial insemination is much less invasive, and this is often used by same-sex female couples or those who only need a sperm donation.

Dr.

Elsie is telling us here that the best method depends on the person's medical needs and the situation.

Some people may need more medical support than others do.

For example, we have Emily and Bianca here who are a same-sex female couple, and they have chosen artificial insemination.

They said, "We want to have a baby, but we need a sperm donor.

Artificial insemination is a simple and less invasive way for us to conceive." On the other hand, we have Jake and Lydia who chose IVF.

"We've been trying to conceive for two years, but had no success.

Our doctor suggested IVF because it gives us the best chance of having a healthy pregnancy." We're gonna pause again and we're gonna check our understanding about what we've just learned.

I'd like for you to fill in the gap, read the sentence, have a think what might be missing, and we'll go through the right answer together.

Really well done if you said artificial insemination.

So the sentence should read: Artificial insemination is often used by same-sex female couples or people who only need a sperm donation.

Now we're gonna put that learning into practise.

So I would like for you to discuss the differences between IVF and artificial insemination.

And in those discussions, I want you to try and use the following terms: eggs, sperm, embryo, uterus, fertility, and same-sex.

Pause the video, have those discussions, and then we'll go through some of the things you might have mentioned together.

I'm sure those were fantastic discussions.

Let's have a look at what you might have said.

So you might have said that IVF and artificial insemination are both types of assisted conception, but they work differently.

IVF involves taking eggs from the ovaries, fertilising them with sperm in a laboratory or outside of the body, and then placing an embryo into the uterus.

In contrast, artificial insemination places sperm directly into the uterus, without removing eggs.

IVF and artificial insemination are used for different reasons.

IVF, for example, is helpful for couples struggling with fertility issues, whilst artificial insemination is often used by same-sex female couples or those who only need sperm donation.

Well done if you mentioned any of those things in your discussions.

And we are moving on now to the second part of our lesson where we are asking the question, what are the stages of IVF? So IVF happens in four main stages.

It begins with ovarian stimulation, and this is where the body is introduced hormones that help the ovaries produce multiple eggs.

This is usually done through an injection that the female will take in her tummy or her upper thigh, and it will introduce lots of these hormones into the body that are gonna help the ovaries to produce multiple eggs.

The next stage is egg retrieval.

The eggs are collected during a medical procedure.

Next is fertilisation.

Once the egg has been removed from the body, the eggs and sperm are combined outside of the body.

We said this typically takes place in a laboratory.

And then embryo transfer.

A fertilised embryo is placed into the uterus.

So those are the four main stages of IVF.

Now we're gonna pause.

We're gonna check our understanding about those four stages of IVF.

On the left we have the four stages, and on the right we have the descriptors.

You're gonna pause the video, match the stages to the descriptors, and then in a moment, we'll go through the right answers.

Well done for that.

Let's start.

So we have ovarian stimulation, which is of course where hormones are introduced into the body to help the ovaries produce multiple eggs.

We then have egg retrieval where the eggs are collected during a medical procedure.

There is then fertilisation where the eggs and sperm are combined outside the body.

And then finally, embryo transfer, A fertilised embryo is placed into the uterus.

Big well done if you've got all four stages of the IVF process matched correctly.

Now going through IVF can be an emotional journey.

Dr.

Elsie's telling us here that IVF can be an emotional rollercoaster.

Some people seek counselling or support groups to help them to cope with the stress and uncertainty associated with the process.

Remember, IVF is quite an invasive procedure.

People will be accessing IVF if they have trouble with fertility or they need medical assistance to become pregnant.

And there is no guarantee that IVF will be successful.

So it is quite a stressful and emotional process for people to go through.

IVF Success depends on different factors, such as a person's age, their health, and their fertility history.

Some people may need multiple IVF cycles before they can actually conceive.

While others may not be successful at all.

Dr.

Elsie is telling us here that success rates vary for everyone.

Some people conceive on the first try, while others may need several cycles or they may end up exploring other options.

We're gonna pause here.

I'm gonna check our understanding.

So true or false: A female will only ever need one round of IVF to become pregnant? Pause the video here, have a think about your answer, and then we'll go through the correct one together.

Really well done if you said false, but why is this false? Well, we know that IVF does not always work the first time.

It may work the first time for some women.

For others it may need several cycles.

And for some, IVF may not be successful at all.

Checking our understanding again here.

Assisted conception is only for older women.

Is this true or false? Really well done if you said false.

But why? Well, assisted conception is used for various medical reasons and it's not limited by age.

Although age can be a factor in success rates.

And now we're gonna put our learning into practise.

I have got a paragraph here on the screen for you, but there are lots of words missing.

So I would like for you to complete the paragraph by filling in the missing words and then in a moment, we'll go through the right answers together.

Great work there.

Let's have a look at what your completed paragraph may look like.

There are four stages to IVF including: ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, fertilisation, and embryo transfer.

During ovarian stimulation, hormones help the ovaries produce multiple eggs.

In the next stage, egg retrieval, the eggs are collected during a medical procedure.

Next, in the fertilisation stage, the eggs and sperm are combined outside the body.

The final stage of IVF is called embryo transfer.

This is where a fertilised embryo is placed into the uterus.

IVF can be an emotional journey.

So some people seek support from family, friends, or counsellors.

The success of IVF depends on factors like age, health and fertility history.

Big well done if you've got all of those correct missing words filled into the paragraph correctly.

Well done.

Moving on now to the final part of our lesson where we're asking the question, what are the key considerations? When choosing assisted conception, people really need to think about, number one, the welfare of the child.

They need to make sure that the child will grow up in a stable and supportive environment, and then they need to consider parental rights.

They need to understand who has legal responsibility for the child, including the sperm and/or egg donors.

We're gonna check our understanding here about that previous slide.

When choosing assisted conception, what are the key things to be considered? Pause the video, have a think and then we'll go through the right answer together.

Well done if you said the welfare of the child, making sure that the child is gonna grow up in a stable and supportive environment.

And then parental rights, understanding the rights from the sperm donor or the egg donor.

Dr.

Elsie here is talking about parental rights and she says, "It's important to understand the rights of the parents, carers, donors, and the child before making any consideration around assisted conception." In natural conception, the biological parents automatically have legal responsibility.

Whereas in IVF or sperm/egg donation, parental rights can be a little bit different.

For example, if a sperm donor is known, they may or may not have legal rights, depending on the agreement.

Egg donors do not have legal rights or parental rights unless they are part of a legal agreement.

Dr.

Elsie here is telling us about the laws.

So, "Laws protect both donors and parents or carers.

A sperm donor doesn't automatically become a father unless they are then legally named as a parent." And we're gonna pause again and check our understanding.

What does the law say about sperm donors and parental rights? There's three options there.

Read through them, decide on the right answer and then we will go through the correct one together.

Really well done if you said B, a sperm donor is only the father if legally named as a parent.

And finally, we're gonna put our learning into practise once more.

Ben and Alicia have been struggling to conceive and are considering assisted conception.

As they prepare to speak to their doctor, what important questions should they ask about the welfare of the future child and their rights and responsibilities as parents? As you can see, there are four speech bubbles there for you to write your answer in.

So pause the video, have a think about some of the questions that Ben and Alicia might want to ask, and then we'll go through some of the things you might have said together.

Excellent work there.

So I asked you to think about some questions that Ben and Alicia might ask as they're considering assisted conception.

You might have said, what are the different types of assisted conception and which is best for us? What are the legal rights of egg or sperm donors? What are the success rates of IVF? And finally, you might have said, what are the stages of IVF? And to end today's lesson, we're gonna go through a summary of what we've learned together today.

Assisted conception includes methods like IVF and artificial insemination.

Different options are chosen based on different circumstances.

The IVF process involves stimulating the ovaries, egg retrieval, fertilisation, and embryo transfer.

The IVF process is not always successful and can depend on factors such as age, fertility, history, and health.

Considerations include the welfare of the child and parental rights, for instance, a sperm donor is only a father if legally named as a parent.

Now if any of the topics covered in today's lesson affect you in any way or you have any concerns, here are some places that you can go to to access support.

First, we have NHS Live Well and NHS advice about healthy living, exercise, quitting smoking and drinking less alcohol.

And finally, the NHS website, advice about health and prevention, including how to access services.

And I'd like to end today's lesson by saying a huge well done for all of your fantastic work during today's lesson.

And I can't wait to see you in another RSHE lesson soon.