Episode 27

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Published on:

19th Nov 2025

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

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 fertility
  • Why most GPs aren’t trained in fertility and what that means for patients
  • How to advocate for yourself when you’re not sure what to ask
  • The “ICE” model (Ideas, Concerns, Expectations) and how it helps patients get better care
  • The critical role of basic examinations that are often skipped
  • What conditions and warning signs GPs should be looking for
  • Why GP training needs to change and how newer trainees may be more up to date
  • Fertility MOTs, NHS limits, and when private care may make more sense
  • The emotional impact of male factor diagnoses and how to create more compassionate conversations
  • What a decent male fertility assessment should actually include

Special thanks to Examen, sponsor of this episode

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.

Tests are:

  • Non‑invasive
  • Available via clinics or partner hubs
  • Designed to provide clarity, confidence and actionable insight

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.

🎧 Learn more at examenlab.com


Let’s keep the conversation going:

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.

Until next time.



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About the Podcast

The Fertility Podcast
The Fertility Podcast|Expert interviews|Women and Men sharing #TTC stories|Wellbeing support
If you’ve found your route to parenthood hasn’t been straightforward, The Fertility Podcast is for you. From how to optimise your fertility to getting pregnant naturally, navigating IVF, understanding donor conception or surrogacy to how to prepare for a life without children. Whatever your situation, you are not alone. Created by Natalie Silverman, a former fertility patient in 2014 Natalie set about speaking to experts and sharing lived experience and expert interviews In 2019 Kate Davies, an independent fertility nurse consultant joined as co-host and from 2023-2024, Kate hosted the podcast solo sharing more of her expert insight and stories from her patients. As The Fertility Podcast reached its 10th anniversary the decision was taken to cease publishing.. until now. The Fertility Podcast is proud to partner with Fertility Action, a new UK charity dedicated to supporting anyone affected by infertility, secondary infertility, or sub-fertility. Together, we aim to amplify our mission of education, empowerment, and support. Fertility Action combines patient advocacy with expert knowledge to offer peer support, therapy, and reliable information. They are also committed to improving fertility care access, raising awareness, and driving research to advance understanding and treatment.

PLEASE NOTE: The Fertility Podcast has an archive of its 300 episodes on new podcast feeds called: Getting Pregnancy Ready, Infertility Support, Male Fertility, Alternative Routes to Parenthood, and Pregnancy Loss.
Just have a look in your podcast search and be sure to subscribe.

About your host

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Natalie Silverman