<description>&lt;p&gt;In this episode of &lt;em&gt;The Fertility Podcast&lt;/em&gt;, I’m joined by Dr Anand Patel, a GP and specialist in men’s health, for an honest and incredibly practical conversation about how male fertility is handled in general practice.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Anand shares the exact questions men should be prepared to ask their GP, why basic investigations are often missed, and how a simple examination could reveal more than you think.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;If you or your partner are just starting to explore fertility testing, this is a must‑listen.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;What we discuss in this episode:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;What to say (and bring up) during your GP appointment if you’re worried about fertility&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why most GPs aren’t trained in fertility and what that means for patients&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;How to advocate for yourself when you’re not sure what to ask&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The “ICE” model (Ideas, Concerns, Expectations) and how it helps patients get better care&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The critical role of basic examinations that are often skipped&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;What conditions and warning signs GPs should be looking for&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Why GP training needs to change and how newer trainees may be more up to date&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Fertility MOTs, NHS limits, and when private care may make more sense&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;The emotional impact of male factor diagnoses and how to create more compassionate conversations&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;What a decent male fertility assessment should actually include&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Special thanks to Examen, sponsor of this episode&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Examen offers direct, cutting‑edge sperm DNA fragmentation testing (including both single and double‑strand DNA damage), used by 85% of fertility clinics across the UK and Ireland.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Tests are:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Non‑invasive&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Available via clinics or partner hubs&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Designed to provide clarity, confidence and actionable insight&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;You don’t need a referral to get tested. Simply book online, drop off your sample and receive detailed results to discuss with your clinic.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;🎧 Learn more at&lt;a href="https://examenlab.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt; &lt;/a&gt;&lt;a href="http://examenlab.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;examenlab.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Let’s keep the conversation going:&lt;/p&gt;&lt;ul&gt;&lt;li&gt;Follow me on Instagram: &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/fertilitypoddy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;@fertilitypoddy&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Email your thoughts or guest ideas: &lt;a href="mailto:natalie@thefertilitypodcast.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;natalie@thefertilitypodcast.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Follow our advocacy work: &lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/fertility.action" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt;@fertility.action&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Learn more about Dr Anand Patel and his work:&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Website / Clinic: Centre for Men’s Health – Anand Patel&lt;a href="https://www.centreformenshealth.co.uk/our-specialists?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt; Centre for Men's Health&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Instagram: @dranand&lt;a href="https://www.instagram.com/drana.nd/?hl=en&amp;amp;utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt; Instagram&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;LinkedIn: Dr Anand Patel&lt;a href="https://uk.linkedin.com/in/dranandpatel?utm_source=chatgpt.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt; uk.linkedin.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;li&gt;Explore SDF testing with your clinic or directly at&lt;a href="https://examenlab.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"&gt; examenlab.com&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/li&gt;&lt;/ul&gt;&lt;br/&gt;&lt;p&gt;Please subscribe and leave a review if this episode was helpful. And if you know someone who needs this kind of GP‑level support, send it their way.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Until next time.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;br&gt;&lt;/p&gt;</description>

The Fertility Podcast

Natchat Productions

Men's Fertility Matters- What to Ask Your GP – with Dr. Anand Patel

NOV 19, 202523 MIN
The Fertility Podcast

Men's Fertility Matters- What to Ask Your GP – with Dr. Anand Patel

NOV 19, 202523 MIN

Description

In this episode of The Fertility Podcast, I’m joined by Dr Anand Patel, a GP and specialist in men’s health, for an honest and incredibly practical conversation about how male fertility is handled in general practice.Anand shares the exact questions men should be prepared to ask their GP, why basic investigations are often missed, and how a simple examination could reveal more than you think.If you or your partner are just starting to explore fertility testing, this is a must‑listen.What we discuss in this episode:What to say (and bring up) during your GP appointment if you’re worried about fertilityWhy most GPs aren’t trained in fertility and what that means for patientsHow to advocate for yourself when you’re not sure what to askThe “ICE” model (Ideas, Concerns, Expectations) and how it helps patients get better careThe critical role of basic examinations that are often skippedWhat conditions and warning signs GPs should be looking forWhy GP training needs to change and how newer trainees may be more up to dateFertility MOTs, NHS limits, and when private care may make more senseThe emotional impact of male factor diagnoses and how to create more compassionate conversationsWhat a decent male fertility assessment should actually includeSpecial thanks to Examen, sponsor of this episodeExamen offers direct, cutting‑edge sperm DNA fragmentation testing (including both single and double‑strand DNA damage), used by 85% of fertility clinics across the UK and Ireland.Tests are:Non‑invasiveAvailable via clinics or partner hubsDesigned to provide clarity, confidence and actionable insightYou don’t need a referral to get tested. Simply book online, drop off your sample and receive detailed results to discuss with your clinic.🎧 Learn more at examenlab.comLet’s keep the conversation going:Follow me on Instagram: @fertilitypoddyEmail your thoughts or guest ideas: [email protected] our advocacy work: @fertility.actionLearn more about Dr Anand Patel and his work:Website / Clinic: Centre for Men’s Health – Anand Patel Centre for Men's HealthInstagram: @dranand InstagramLinkedIn: Dr Anand Patel uk.linkedin.comExplore SDF testing with your clinic or directly at examenlab.comPlease subscribe and leave a review if this episode was helpful. And if you know someone who needs this kind of GP‑level support, send it their way.Until next time.