Fertility
UK’s biggest gas distributor becomes the first fertility-friendly utility company
The change was driven by an employee who had previously struggled with infertility
The UK’s biggest gas distributor Cadent has become the first fertility-friendly organisation in the utility sector.
After undergoing Fertility Matters at Work’s accreditation, Cadent, which employs over 6,000 people, has implemented a policy for individuals going through fertility treatment, allowing employees paid time off to attend fertility appointments and attend their partner’s appointments where applicable.
With one in six couples struggling with infertility, the energy company said it realised that its staff would benefit from having access to a dedicated fertility policy.
The need to undergo specialist training was driven by Kelly-Anne Morris, regulatory specialist and, more recently, fertility lead at Cadent.
The employee started the conversation around improving the utility organisation’s policies and available support due to experiencing infertility and wanting to inspire change internally.
Subsequently, this led to another employee, Liz Brand, who had a similar experience, joining Morris as co-fertility lead.
Alongside its new policy, the company will also offer guidance documents and e-learning for line managers and staff, aiming to raise awareness of fertility issues and give staff the capability to offer support.
“The topic of infertility is becoming much less of a taboo subject at Cadent,” explained Morris.
“People are now more likely to have a conversation with their line manager and colleagues if they feel they will be supported with the journey.
“To have an open culture where issues like this can be discussed openly by our employees, knowing there is support, has been game changing.”
She added: “We have a number of people who have previously shared their infertility story throughout the company and they received a great response and encouraged others to talk about their own experiences.”
Natalie Silverman, co-founder of the community interest company Fertility Matters at Works, said: “As the first company within the utility sector with a majority male workforce, it is a testament to the team that Cadent is supportive of its employees.
“We hope this sets an example for other energy companies to consider if they do all they can to support and cater to their employees’ needs.”
Weight loss jabs are being studied to see if they could help women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
The condition, which affects up to one in ten women, changes how the ovaries work and is linked to infertility and weight gain.
Dr Shagaf Bakour has won a £60,000 NHS research grant through Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust to look at whether drugs such as Mounjaro and Ozempic might help.
“The research could lead to earlier support, better long-term health, and more joined-up care for a condition that affects many women but is still often overlooked,” she said.
Women with PCOS have higher levels of male hormones and can suffer from irregular periods and symptoms such as excess body or facial hair, the NHS said.
Associated weight gain can also lead to an increased risk of diabetes and heart problems.
Bakour, a gynaecologist and director of medical education at Aston Medical School, will work with a team to evaluate the effect of the weight loss medicines on metabolic and reproductive outcomes.
The drugs mimic a hormone called GLP-1, which suppresses appetite.
Bakour, alongside Dr Hoda Harb, a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the NHS trust, will review existing evidence on their use and assess how they help patients with PCOS.
“The aim is to give women with PCOS evidence-informed, clearer treatment options and more consistent care,” she said.
“The project hopes to show whether these medicines can improve both general health and fertility health, while also helping local services develop clearer care pathways.
Prof Elizabeth Hughes, director of research and development at the NHS trust, said the effects of PCOS, including infertility, were “very emotive subjects”.
“We should be doing all we can within research and development to advance healthcare for women and to better help future generations with this condition,” she added.
Entrepreneur
Future Fertility raises Series A financing to scale AI tools redefining fertility care worldwide
Future Fertility Inc. has announced the closing of a US$4.1 million Series A financing round.
The round was led by M Ventures (the corporate venture capital arm of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany) and Whitecap Venture Partners, with participation from new investors Sandpiper Ventures, Gaingels, and Jolt VC.
The financing will accelerate Future Fertility’s commercial expansion into Asia-Pacific and support its entry into the United States, including planned FDA 510(k) clearance for additional products as part of a broader U.S. market entry strategy.
Proceeds will also advance the development of a broader AI platform, from egg assessment through to embryo transfer, designed to support clinicians, embryologists, and patients across the full IVF journey.
M Ventures and Whitecap have supported Future Fertility’s mission to translate AI innovation into meaningful clinical outcomes since the company’s earliest stages.
Oliver Hardick, investment director, M Ventures, said: “Future Fertility is addressing a critical unmet need in reproductive medicine with a differentiated AI platform grounded in clinical data and real-world workflow integration.
“We are excited to continue supporting the company and team because we believe its technology has the potential to improve decision-making for clinicians, bring greater clarity to patients, and help advance a more personalised standard of care in fertility treatment.”
Future Fertility’s AI platform addresses a long-standing gap in fertility care: historically, there has been no objective, clinically validated method for assessing egg quality (Gardner et al., 2025), despite it being one of the most important drivers of reproductive success.
The company’s suite of deep learning tools includes VIOLET™, MAGENTA™, and ROSE™, purpose-built for egg freezing, IVF, and egg donation respectively.
The tools are based on AI models trained and validated on more than 650,000 oocyte images and are deployed in over 300 clinics across 35 countries.
Rhiannon Davies, founding and managing partner, Sandpiper Ventures, said: “The best outcomes in fertility care globally come from better data and smarter tools. Future Fertility understands that, and they’ve built a platform that delivers on it.
“Sandpiper is proud to back a team turning rigorous science into real results for patients and clinicians alike.”
Partnerships with the world’s leading fertility networks – including IVI RMA and Eugin Group across Latin America and Europe, FertGroup Medicina Reproductiva in Brazil, and most recently announced Kato Ladies Clinic in Japan – reflect growing demand for objective, AI-powered oocyte assessment in fertility care. In the United States, ROSE™ is newly available under an FDA 513(g) determination.
Research shows that approximately 50 per cent of IVF patients do not understand their likelihood of success, and many discontinue treatment prematurely, even though cumulative success rates improve significantly with multiple cycles (McMahon et al., 2024).
By delivering earlier clarity on egg quality, Future Fertility’s tools support more informed conversations between clinicians and patients, helping set realistic expectations and guide decisions about next steps.
Future Fertility’s growing evidence base spans seven peer-reviewed publications in Human Reproduction, Reproductive BioMedicine Online, Fertility & Sterility, and Nature’s Scientific Reports, and more than 70 scientific abstracts accepted and presented with partner clinics at conferences worldwide.
Christine Prada, CEO, Future Fertility, said: “Fertility treatment is one of the most emotionally and physically demanding experiences a person can go through.
“Every patient deserves objective data, not just a best guess, to support better decisions at critical moments in their care.
“This funding means we can bring that clarity to more patients, in more countries, at a moment when it matters most.”
Find out more about Future Fertility at futurefertility.com
Entrepreneur
Women’s HealthX confirms exceptional speaker line-up to advance fertility and reproductive care
By Women’s HealthX
Women’s HealthX has confirmed an outstanding cohort of fertility and reproductive care leaders for its upcoming event, bringing together the senior clinicians, medical directors, and innovators shaping evidence-based practice across hospitals and healthcare systems globally.
Timed to coincide with Infertility Awareness Week, this announcement underscores the event’s commitment to accelerating the adoption of evidence-based innovations in fertility and reproductive medicine.
Find out more about Women’s HealthX
Headline Speaker
Fireside Chat: The Invisible Disease: What Endometriosis Reveals About the Future of Women’s Health
Padma Lakshmi, Co-Founder, Endometriosis Foundation of America
Confirmed Speakers from World-Leading Institutions and confirmed sessions
Training the Next Generation of Fertility HCPs
Alan Penzias, Director, Fellowship Program in Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Shaping the Future of Fertility Care
Lynn Mason, Chief Executive Officer — North America, IVIRMA Global
Ovarian Aging and Reproductive Potential: What Truly Matters
Mark Trolice, Founder & Medical Director, The IVF Center
The Patient Journey Through Fertility Care: Improving Experience & Outcomes
Adam Balen, Chief Medical Officer / Professor of Reproductive Medicine, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Designing Women’s Health Around The Whole Woman: A Life-Course Model for Sustainable Outcomes
Malissa Wood, Chief Medical Officer, Women as One
Prolong Fertility Preservation by Highlighting Ovarian Insufficiency Through Genetic Variant Data Analysis
Julie Rios, Division Director, Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, UPMC
What Attendees Will Take Away
How to improve the fertility patient journey and outcomes
- Ways to detect ovarian aging earlier using genetic insights
- Strategies to deliver care across the full female life course
- Approaches to training the next generation of fertility specialists
Women’s HealthX spans seven dedicated stages covering the full lifecycle of women’s health — from fertility and sexual health to maternity and menopause — providing attendees with actionable insights from frontline leaders across hospitals and healthcare systems.
With Chief Medical Officers and senior clinical leaders in attendance, the programme moves beyond discussion into delivery, giving attendees direct access to the latest clinical evidence, emerging digital tools, and real-world outcomes data to support integrated, high-quality care.
REGISTER NOW FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A FREE THERAPEUTIC MASSAGE
Complimentary passes are available for qualified healthcare professionals.
Attendees who register by 15 May will gain full access to all seven stages and a chance to receive a complimentary therapeutic massage at Encore Boston.
Register your complimentary place
For speaking opportunities, partnership enquiries, or further information, please contact the team directly at info@alpahevents.com
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