For many people, starting a family is a very important part of life, and having a baby can be a dream come true. But sadly, for some it's not always possible to conceive.
Our assisted conception unit (ACU) at St Helier offers local people a number of treatments to help them fall pregnant, including IUI (intrauterine insemination, where sperm is introduced to the womb) and IVF (where the egg is fertilised outside of the body and then transferred to the womb).
These processes require lots of support, including fertility drugs, scans and blood tests - not to mention expert advice, information and in some
cases, counselling.
So this month, we went to find out what a working day is like in the ACU, where our patients' future can be changed forever. We spoke to Lucy Higgins, a fertility nurse specialist in the unit who has been with us since 1992.
She said: "We're here to see couples through the whole assisted conception process, from their initial appointments with us to, hopefully, the time that they are pregnant. It can be a very stressful and sad time, but for many of the couples that we help, it comes with a wonderfully happy ending.
"For the people we see and treat, this is a very long and emotional journey, but we're with them every step of the way. You can become very involved in their story, and you will always hope that they get the outcome that they want so badly.
"I feel incredibly lucky to be able to play a part in helping people who so desperately want to be parents. Lives are changed forever in this department, and it is an honour to be involved in that.
"My days are often very varied, and can include a number of different tasks. They can include routine procedures, like collecting eggs and samples, doing ultrasound scans, giving advice to patients and keeping up with paperwork.
"The ACU is such a rewarding place to work. Of course, it can be challenging, but it's always worth it. My colleagues are brilliant too, and it's our ability to work closely together that makes what we do possible.
"There's always a structure to the day, but really, you can never be sure quite what's going to happen. People can react in very different ways to the news that they receive, and that can shape your day."
But it's not only parents-to-be that Lucy and the team look after, as they also need to make sure any children that are conceived are going to get a healthy start in life. She said: "We have a responsibility to make sure that any child will not be put at risk of harm.
"We also have a large part to play in health promotion for the mums-to-be, including healthy eating and making sure that they're getting all of the right vitamins and minerals. We also encourage any mums-to-be who smoke to quit, so we promote smoking cessation too."
