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Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Sobering shift: are Irish women changing their relationship to drink?
Are women waking up to the fact that booze may not be our best friend? That, actually, we have been in a long-term toxic relationship with an addictive, carcinogenic drug, one from which we may be slowly beginning to detach? The Irish Examiner Women's Health Survey, conducted by Ipsos B&A, found that women are increasingly taking control of their health and wellbeing, including their drinking. Park runs, saunas, and kombucha, rather than pubs, booze, and hangovers. When asked about their current consumption, the survey found that four in 10 women are consuming less alcohol or no alcohol, and 27% would like to decrease the amount of alcohol they drink (with 33% disagreeing). Another 27% have a drink at the end of the day to relax, although 59% disagree with this. More than half the 1,000 women surveyed, 55%, drink at least a few days every month, with 5% drinking daily. Almost one in five don't drink at all. As we become increasingly more health aware, what's interesting is how gendered our relationship with alcohol is, in part as a result of targeted marketing. Male drinking is perceived as a jolly group activity, social and celebratory, often involving sport; female drinking is presented almost as a mental health resource. Mother's little liquid helper. A sanity preserver, a coping strategy, a reward for all the ragged multi-tasking. Wine o'clock. And we're spoilt for choice: Pink gin, pink fizz, pink wine, pink spirits, pink cans of cocktails. 'For generations of women, booze is a loan shark, one on which millions of females have come to rely,' says Ann Dowsett Johnston, author of Drink: The Intimate Relationship Between Women and Alcohol. 'Over-tired, over-worked, over-anxious, booze is there to lend a hand when you need it most. And over time, when you don't. This is the truth, the painful trajectory of female drinking. 'In many ways, this reliance has to do with booze being the ultimate decompression tool: a culturally acceptable way to unwind from a perennially demanding schedule. Women go toe to toe with men in the workforce, outpace men in post-secondary education, and yet bear the lion's share of the emotional and domestic labour of running a family.' No wonder we drink. Add to this our deeply embedded cultural attachment to alcohol, and you can see how Irish women have ranked seventh heaviest drinkers in the world, according to 2016's Global Burden of Disease Study. No such thing as safe For women's health, there are no safe levels of alcohol consumption, as outlined in recent research published by Harvard Medical School, despite official 'safe' limits set out by the Irish Government, suggesting 11 standard drinks for women per week (it's 14 for men). Consultant hepatologist professor Orla Crosbie agrees that there's no such thing as 'safe' drinking for women : 'Even with moderate alcohol intake, the risks of cancer are increased.' She reminds us that women are more susceptible than men to the effects of alcohol, as we tend to be physically smaller and have more body fat. 'There may also be hormonal reasons too,' she says. 'There is a whole range of physical, mental, and social issues that come with excess alcohol intake. Even within the recommended limits, there's still risk, particularly of cancer. Alcohol can increase the risk of breast cancer, plus cancers of the throat, oesophagus and pancreas. There's also increased risk of heart attacks and strokes, seizures — alcohol lowers your seizure threshold — and of course liver disease.' In terms of mental health, Crosbie reminds us that while we use alcohol as a relaxant, 'in the short term you don't sleep as well, and long term it increases anxiety and depression'. It also has social impacts specific to women: 'There are no safe alcohol limits during pregnancy. And, as alcohol is a disinhibitor, it can lead to unwanted pregnancies.' For older women, 'the impacts can range from people having road traffic accidents to falls, especially as we get older. These can result in fractures or head injuries, which can be devastating.' It can also exacerbate osteoporosis and skin conditions. 'A lot of people who I see with alcohol issues have multi-vitamin deficiency,' she continues. 'If your diet is poor, you can lose muscle mass while gaining fat. And with liver disease, you can retain fluid. Sarcopenia [wasted weak muscle] has a huge impact on morbidity and mortality. 'It's possible to recover,' she adds. 'Overall, mental and physical health can be improved — the key things are nutrition, time and abstinence.' Sheila Gilheany, CEO of Alcohol Action Ireland, says the increased risk of cancer arises at 'relatively low levels' of consumption, one to two drinks per day. But even knowing about the negative health and social impact of alcohol, cutting down or stopping can be particularly hard in a culture where you have to justify not drinking. Where drinking is so normalised that not drinking is regarded with suspicion. 'Our drinking culture is very much set by the alcohol industry through its saturated marketing,' says Gilheany. In the past, alcohol marketing targeted men — if women were present, it was for decorative purposes. Remember the Harp advert, 'Sally O'Brien and the way she might look at you'? Nobody was trying to sell Harp to Sally. This has changed, as the drinks industry seeks to close the gender gap and boost its profits. 'The alcohol industry now deliberately targets women with dedicated marketing strategies,' says Gilheany. 'Traditionally, women have consumed less alcohol than men, and so the industry sees a significant market opportunity. Previously, women appeared in marketing campaigns more as an adjunct to men's drinking. 'Marketing strategies now include a range of products which are designed with women in mind — literally pinking the drinks,' says Gilheany. 'Other common themes are empowerment, sponsorship of women's sports, and aligning with women's issues. For example, she notes that multinational alcoholic beverage company Diageo has supported fundraisers for breast cancer research in the US. 'It's particularly ironic given that one in eight breast cancers is caused by alcohol.' The drinks industry, she adds, is strongly opposing the introduction of Ireland's cancer warning labelling on alcohol products. Pic: iStock Cultural changes However, the 0.0% drinks aisle seems to be expanding. Where once non-drinkers had a choice between fizzy water and fizzy pop, these days there's a plethora of grown-up, alcohol-free options that actually taste good, from beers to prosecco to de-alcoholised spirits. Is being able to join in without the prospect of a hangover a cause for celebration? Or does the expansion of the 0.0% aisle in the supermarket not quite reflect reality? '0.0% alcohol drinks make up a very small percentage of the overall alcohol market — around 1%,' says Gilheany. In 2023, 0.0% beer products made up around 2% of the beer market in Ireland and 0.0% spirits made up around 0.5% of the spirit market. 'While this market is growing, there is very little evidence of an alcohol substitution effect — people may be consuming these 0.0% products as substitutes for soft drinks, or in addition to alcohol products. 'For example, Heineken has had a campaign about drinking 0.0% beer after a gym session or at lunch time — occasions when alcohol might not have been drunk. 'Given how small the 0.0% spirits market is, it seems unlikely that this is a major contributor to any changes in women's drinking.' Cultural change takes time. There was a time when Coca-Cola contained actual cocaine, when laudanum was freely available, when snuff was fashionable, and when smoking was sexy. Until recently, we were told Guinness is good for you — including if you were a pregnant woman in need of iron — and that red wine is good for cardiovascular health. We know now that this is simply not the case. But given the collusive, collaborative nature of alcohol as a drug and its vast profitability, we remain reluctant to let go of it, and the industry remains reluctant to stop flogging it to men and women. Gilheany would like better labelling, similar to that on tobacco products, in an effort to pierce our denial. 'The minister for health should ensure that Ireland's alcohol labelling regulations are not delayed in any way from their start date in May 2026,' she says. 'These include warnings about alcohol and liver disease, cancer, and not drinking during pregnancy.' Alcohol is not a risk-free product. Nor is it essential for everyday life. It's not essential at all. That's a fact not lost on the four in 10 women in the Irish Examiner Women's Health Survey, who are consuming less alcohol or no alcohol at all.
Irish Daily Mirror
24-06-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Daily Mirror
Irish truckers rage that overgrown hedges are causing 'significant' accidents
Irish truckers say overgrown hedges on rural roads are leading to 'a significant number' of road traffic accidents. The Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA) is calling on local authorities to ensure that roadside hedges are cut back, especially at busy junctions. Overgrown hedges are blocking sightlines at junctions, obstructing road signs and causing unnecessary accidents, according to the hauliers. The association is urging local authorities to cut hedgerows up to four metres high and consider both truck and trailer heights. A 2024 Ipsos B&A survey commissioned by the RSA found that 75% of 620 HGV drivers reported overgrown roadside hedgerows to be challenging while driving. IRHA President Ger Hyland said these overgrown hedges are also causing significant damage to vehicles. He said: 'When hedges encroach onto the road, truck drivers are often forced to veer across the white line in order to avoid damage to their vehicles and wing mirrors, creating a dangerous situation for all road users. 'On average a medium sized haulier is losing 2 mirrors a week on their truck fleet. That is a cost of €1000 euro a week due to mismanagement of our roadside vegetation.' The hauliers also noted that overgrown hedges can be extremely dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists, as they can push them out onto traffic with little warning. So far this year, 79 people have died on Irish roads, this includes 20 pedestrians and eight pedal cyclists. Section 70 of the Roads Act 1993 states that landowners have a clear responsibility to maintain roadside hedgerows. However, Mr Hyland said he believes this enforcement is 'non-existent' by the local authorities. He is calling on councils to be more proactive when engaging with landowners. While hedge-cutting is prohibited from March 1 to August 31, it is allowed when overgrowth poses a road safety risk.
Irish Examiner
21-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
The wild west of beauty: why Ireland's cosmetic treatment craze needs taming
Type 'botox party' into your search engine and watch as almost two million results pop up. Among the items there to grab your attention are card designs for invites to such a party, videos on how to 'experience the excitement of botox parties', tips on how to run such an event, and a 'what you need to know' guide for those just starting out on such an adventure. Botox, fillers, and other cosmetic procedures are now as normal as booking in for a hair appointment, a chin wax, or a dental scale and polish. More traditionally associated with a select number of providers, the offering open to people now who are looking for cosmetic improvements is wide, with people also considering travelling abroad for procedures, or simply getting together with 'the girls' for a laugh, a drink, and a shot of botulinum toxin (botox) in the comfort of their own home. This week's Irish Examiner Women's Health Report shows that a growing number of women, particularly in the under 34 age profile, feel positive towards cosmetic treatments and plastic surgery procedures including brow lifts, 'nose jobs', and breast augmentation. For example, 44% of those in the 25 to 34 age bracket felt positively about cosmetic treatments compared with just 17% of the over 65 category. While there is slightly more reticence about plastic surgery procedures among all age cohorts, the age differential remains. Over a third, 35%, of those in the 25-34 age category felt positively about plastic surgery compared with just 10% in the over 65 category. Overall, 12% of the 1,078 women interviewed for the Ipsos B&A survey conducted over a two-week period had undergone a procedure involving botox or fillers. For the vast majority of respondents, the experience was positive. Of those who had undergone botox or anti-wrinkle injections, 82% would consider doing it again. Why do people do it? So why do people do it? Almost half of women who opted for cosmetic treatments such as botox or anti-wrinkle injections did it to boost their confidence. The desire to roll back the years was also evident in the responses with 50% saying they had undergone lip fillers/injections for anti-ageing purposes, compared with 66% who said they had done botox or anti-wrinkle injections for anti-ageing reasons. In recent years, dental practices across the country began offering cosmetic procedures including botox and dermal fillers, with the Dental Council having its own code of conduct for the area, which was updated in 2023. The Irish Examiner survey shows that while one in seven of the surveyed women were aware of dentists offering cosmetic procedures, just one in 10 knew GPs also offered such services. Dublin-based aesthetic medicine practitioner Eithne Brenner has been a doctor for 36 years, including 25 years as a GP. She diverted her focus to aesthetic medicine in 2007 and says that her clients are mainly women in the over 45 category, who are looking for cosmetic work to tackle signs of ageing. 'I do work with lasers improving people's ruddy complexions, doing work that can be very subtle and very effective,' said Dr Brenner. 'The filler side of it is one of the areas where there is still a lot of bad work out there. I don't see the younger girls at all because they are looking for a bargain in somebody's kitchen. "I tend to see people 45 or 50 plus who want subtle changes and they are terrified of looking different but they want something. My work is more restorative. The younger girls are going to beauticians and people who are cheaper. They take more risks. 'I have colleagues who do amazing breast reconstruction for somebody who has very heavy, very droopy boobs and pain. In the right hands, surgery can be transformative. But it is about doing research. These are very serious medical procedures.' Dr Brenner accepts that there is more awareness now of the dangers of unscrupulous people carrying out cosmetic procedures but said: 'There is still a drive for plastic surgery and there is an issue of how do we raise our younger generation to be really careful and know they don't need these things.' Currently, botox is supposed to be only available through prescription, under the administration of qualified doctors and dentists. However, as seizures conducted by the Health Products Regulatory Authority show, there is a thriving market for counterfeit and illegal versions in Ireland. Last year, 1,709 units of fake or illegal products claiming to contain botulinum toxin were seized, compared with just 26 in 2020. Unlike botox, dermal filler is not yet subjected to stringent regulations, meaning that it can be administered in unsafe settings and environments. Legislation delayed Legislation mooted in 2016 still has not been enacted for governing the area of cosmetic procedures. The Patient Safety (Licensing) Bill was approved by the then government in 2017 and subsequently underwent pre-legislative scrutiny. It was then referred to the Office of the Attorney General for drafting. In March, in answer to a parliamentary question, health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said the legislation remained with the AG's office and that her department continues to work on it. She said it will, for the first time, 'introduce a licensing requirement for all hospitals, public and private, and certain designated high-risk activities in the community'. The general scheme of the bill outlines that 'designated activities are likely to initially relate to cosmetic surgery services but other services may be added over time as the licensing system becomes embedded in the health system'. Social Democrats health spokesman Pádraig Rice called the delay in progressing the bill unacceptable. 'It's almost eight years since the draft legislation received government approval, and yet there is no sign of the final bill,' said Mr Rice. 'In that time, there has been an exponential increase in demand for unregulated cosmetic procedures. Until Hiqa has the necessary accreditation, inspection, and enforcement powers, patients will continue to fall into the hands of unqualified practitioners.' Almost half of women who opted for cosmetic treatments such as botox or anti-wrinkle injections did it to boost their confidence, and the desire to roll back the years was also evident in the responses, the IPsos B&A survey found. Last week in the UK, the Health Security Agency (UKHSA) revealed that 14 people from Co Durham and Darlington had experienced 'adverse reactions' including eye drooping and double vision following a procedure involving 'botulinum toxin' injections. Of those, 10 people required treatment as a result. The County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust said that investigations were ongoing 'but evidence so far does not suggest that the product used has been contaminated' and that 'symptoms are being reported a few weeks after injection'. It added: 'UKHSA has issued advice to clinicians to ensure that they look out for botulism in people who may have had a recent aesthetic procedure in order to provide them appropriate treatment which includes giving anti-toxin.' Meanwhile, a public health notice was issued in the past 10 days by the UKHSA asking clients of an aesthetics company in Wolverhampton who received 'vampire facials' to contact it to arrange free blood tests, due to concerns about the risk of bloodborne viruses including hepatitis. The notice said that 'inadequate cleaning of equipment used for this treatment at the clinic' had been identified as 'a risk to health'. Dr Brenner is adamant that progress needs to be made on the planned Irish legislation and cites the recent UK cases as examples of why there needs to be regulation of the sector. 'Botox is a prescription-only medicine so you have to see a doctor or dentist for a consultation to make sure you are suitable,' she said. 'But there is absolute widespread fraud and illegal use among non-medical staff and we do know there is illegal product coming into the country. When we get into fillers, it is even more Wild West. They are not counted as a medicine at all, they are counted as a medical device, a bit like a bandage. "So you could legally go onto any website, buy filler, and inject one of your friends and you are technically not breaking the law. There are good quality products but there is also a tonne of cheap stuff.' She said that people opting to buy bargain filler products online have no concept of 'cleanliness, hygiene, safety, anatomy'. Unscrupulous use of filler products can lead to strokes or other health implications such as scarring and loss of tissue, she added. 'It has been really trivialised. It has become like a commodity like getting your hair done. I do think in the 40 plus age group, they are more cautious and more nervous of looking overdone and they are the people who come to a medical person. "But the younger ones are very bargain-led, which you can understand, but that is where there is a safety issue. And you have people doing what are major surgical procedures and all that kinds of crazy things in filthy conditions. 'There was a death last year of a mum of five in the UK who died from having a litre of filler injected into each buttock.' Dr Brenner said that botox parties are not the right location for such a procedure. People could be on medications that they might not disclose in a public setting at a party. It is not conducive to cleanliness or confidentiality.' A spokesperson for the Department of Health told the Irish Examiner: 'The general scheme of the Patient Safety (Licensing) Bill was approved by government on December 12, 2017. It underwent pre-legislative scrutiny at the Oireachtas joint committee of health on June 13, 2018, was subsequently referred to the Attorney General's Office for drafting. 'Legislative priority was given to the Patient Safety (Notifiable Incidents and Open Disclosure) Act 2023 which was commenced in September 2024. 'A decision is now being sought from the Government to recommence drafting of the Patient Safety (Licensing) Bill. A memo for Government will be considered at Cabinet shortly.'
Irish Examiner
20-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Why many women are deciding not to have a child
A new National Women's Health Survey, commissioned by the Irish Examiner and carried out by market researchers Ipsos B&A, found that, among women who are currently pregnant or who have had a child, one in five experienced fertility difficulties. Four in five of these women sought medical advice in relation to their infertility or their partner's, while 52% underwent fertility treatment such as IVF. A total of 1,078 women aged 18 and above responded to the survey. While 45% of the women who had had a child said they plan to have another, 49% said they don't want to. Galway woman Serena Matthew, who is in her early 40s, falls into that cohort: 'Two children were always in my head as an [ideal] number. I now have an 11-year-old girl and a 14-year-old boy. My husband would have loved a third, but we decided that after our second, it just wasn't an option.' Their decision was based on their finances. 'We saw the cost involved in bringing up two children. We've a four-bed house and the fourth bedroom is small, so we didn't have the space. Moving wasn't an option with prices going up. Two is what we could handle. We didn't want to put ourselves in a difficult position financially.' Matthew is not alone in her position. More than one in three National Women's Health Survey respondents report not feeling financially in a position to have a child, or another child. 11% disagree, and a large number 'don't know' or are unsure. Dr Dora Tuda, an ESRI research officer is not surprised by the finding that one-quarter of all women say they have delayed, or will delay, having children until they have reached certain financial or career goals — a thinking more characteristic of middle-class women. Tuda points out that nowadays, in Ireland, the EU and the US, more women than men hold a third-level degree: 'In Europe in 2022, 48% of women held a third-level degree compared to 37% of men. Why do people get a higher-level degree? To get a better job, a higher income. So if women are considering having a child, they also need to think about leaving the labour market for a while, which corresponds to some income loss.' While acknowledging that it sounds harsh, Tuda highlights what economists refer to as a 'child penalty' — the pay cut that having a child involves and that falls disproportionately on women. 'Even in Scandinavian countries — [considered] more 'equal' than other countries — women on average experience a 20% income loss after having a child compared to men with the same experience and qualifications. This is because of maternity leave — once they return to work, it takes time to catch up. They may lose chances of promotion.' Dr Dora Tuda, a research officer with the ESRI. Equality in leave In Ireland, parental leave is set up so women are more likely to take leave after having a child — 26 weeks paid maternity leave compared to two weeks paid paternity leave for fathers. 'The system is [such] that the income loss from having a child is taken on by women and not equally between men and women,' says Tuda, adding that Norway — and more recently Spain — are taking steps to counteract this. 'Spain has introduced a mandatory equal parental leave for both parents — they're each given six months. The mother takes the first six months, after which she returns to work, and the second parent takes the next six months. If the second parent doesn't take it, the leave goes away.' That more than one in three women here don't feel, financially, they could have a child, or another child, is also put in context, says Tuda, by the rising cost of child-rearing. 'Recent estimates from Laya Life say to raise a child up to age 21 costs €169,000.' However, delaying having children is not all down to cost. 'People are spending longer in education compared to earlier. They're also taking longer to reach job stability. Gap years abroad, unpaid internships — all valid decisions young people take to get ahead, to have better opportunities when seeking a more stable permanent job, but it also delays having children.' As do housing challenges — Tuda points out that in 10 years, the median age of buyers taking out residential property mortgages climbed by four years. 'In 2010, the median age was 33 years. In 2021, it was 37. Being older when buying property can automatically delay starting a family.' In the mix, too, says Tuda, is a sense of changing cultural norms — a move towards smaller families or even remaining childless. 'You hear this more often than you did 20 years ago.' Bonnie O'Halloran: 'One friend wants children with her boyfriend. But most people my age feel similarly to me. They don't fear pregnancy as I do — they focus more on the climate and financial aspect. None of us has stable enough careers to consider having kids. Most of us still live with our parents.' Picture: Moya Nolan Not wanting a child Of respondents to the National Women's Health Survey, who are aged under 50 and who have not yet had a child, 37% said it is unlikely they will have a child, and one-fifth are adamant they won't. One of these respondents — 25-year-old Bonnie O'Halloran from Naas — explains why, for a variety of reasons, she does not want to have children. For one, she suspects she has endometriosis — there is a family history — and she fears what pregnancy will do to her body. 'I've not wanted kids for as long as I can remember. Being a woman, it's said to you a lot — 'when will you have kids?' When you say you don't want that, you're told 'you will when you're older'. That didn't happen for me. My youngest brother was born when I was 11. I got to watch him growing up, and the responsibility of being there for another human being isn't something I wanted for myself.' 'I also saw what parenting did to my parents, not in any horrible way, but the things they had to give up. My mum went to college when she was 40 and I'm really proud of that but she couldn't do it sooner. I don't want to put that kind of pressure on myself.' Yet O'Halloran, who has a degree in illustration and currently works as a substitute teacher, loves children and thinks she might adopt when she's in her 40s. But she also sees the world's current political atmosphere, as well as climate and financial realities, as factors in deciding not to have children — a feeling she says many of her peers share: 'One friend wants children with her boyfriend. But most people my age feel similarly to me. They don't fear pregnancy as I do — they focus more on the climate and financial aspect. None of us has stable enough careers to consider having kids. Most of us still live with our parents.' While a recent CSO report indicates that our fertility rate is declining, Tuda confirms that, at 1.55 births per woman, it remains above the European average of 1.46. Among the under-50 survey respondents, who have yet to start a family, about two in five say they are 'definitely' or 'very likely' going to do so, with a further 10% saying they are 'quite likely'. Click here to read our National Women's Health Survey. The Irish Examiner Women's Health Survey 2025 Ipsos B&A designed and implemented a research project for the Irish Examiner involving a nationally representative sample of n=1,078 women over the age of 16 years. The study was undertaken online with fieldwork conducted between April 30 and May 15, 2025. The sample was quota controlled by age, socio-economic class, region and area of residence to reflect the known profile of women in Ireland based on the census of population and industry agreed guidelines. Ipsos B&A has strict quality control measures in place to ensure robust and reliable findings; results based on the full sample carry a margin of error of +/-2.8%. In other words, if the research was repeated identically results would be expected to lie within this range on 19 occasions out of 20. A variety of aspects were assessed in relation to women's health including fertility, birth, menopause, mental health, health behaviour, and alcohol consumption.
Irish Examiner
20-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Egg freezing — how it works and who's opting for this procedure
A third of women would consider freezing their eggs, they said in the Irish Examiner National Women's Health Survey, conducted by Ipsos B&A. Egg freezing used to be an option provided to women who, for medical reasons — such as cancer treatment or a family history of early menopause — faced risks to their fertility and to ensure the capacity to conceive. Increasingly, the option is available to women who can afford it, who may not be in a couple, or who may not be ready to start trying for a baby, but who want to preserve the chance. This procedure is called 'social egg freezing' — or the more technical term, elective oocyte cryopreservation. According to the latest figures from the Health Products Regulatory Authority, the number of eggs frozen for future use in fertility treatments has increased almost fivefold, from 2,590 in 2019 to 12,890 in 2024. The number of eggs a woman has drops off significantly from the age of 30. Retrieving 10-20 eggs is considered optimal, and, for some women, achieving this amount may require multiple cycles. Health authorities and clinics caution that no number of eggs will guarantee a baby, but freezing is a way women can improve their chances, particularly if they are under the age of 35. Lauren Murphy, a senior fertility midwife at the Thérapie Clinic in Limerick. Lauren Murphy, a senior fertility midwife at the Thérapie Clinic in Limerick, and working for a decade in the field, says: 'In the last five years or so, there's definitely more women looking at fertility preservation and also single motherhood by choice.' Even when people come to the clinic as part of a couple, Murphy says they would advise egg freezing in addition to embryo freezing. Where a couple freezes embryos and the relationship doesn't work out, any frozen embryos would require the consent of the former partner for the embryos to be used. Frozen eggs are the sole ownership of the woman. After initial consultation, the subsequent steps are assessments with scans and blood testing. The medical team uses the test results to determine the number of egg-retrieval cycles that may be necessary. Murphy says: 'There is no diagnostic test on the market to assess the quality of eggs, so, at initial testing, we're really focusing on a test to identify the quantity. That [quantity] will also influence the drug dosages that we need to give to stimulate the ovaries.' A blood test for AMH (anti-mullerian hormone) levels indicates a woman's ovarian reserve or egg numbers. Murphy says they would also recommend a trans vaginal ultrasound scan. It can be done on any cycle date and takes about 15 minutes. The ovaries are measured, and all the individual anterior follicles (sacs containing immature eggs) are counted. The information provides the medical team with a better understanding of how many eggs can be retrieved from a single egg-freezing cycle. Egg decline after 30 Three years ago, at the age of 34, Tara Logan Buckley (pictured right) decided to freeze her eggs. She is a chartered clinical psychologist and wanted to get to a senior level in her career before motherhood. She was in a relationship, but did not see a future and a family with that person. Housing was another factor. She wanted to have the security of a home before starting a family: 'I was living in Dublin, I had been a student for quite a long time, there were a lot of debts that needed to be repaid, and I just didn't have my own property. "As you know, housing market prices have dramatically increased, and they're rising all the time. I didn't want to be living in a house that I couldn't afford and couldn't give a child the quality of life they needed or give myself a quality of life and then be financially stressed.' Outside of these social and environmental factors, Buckley was compelled by the science: 'I got absolutely no education on fertility when I was young, I got nothing in school or college. I come from a clinical psychology background, where there is a lot of science. I didn't know the number of eggs dramatically declines after 30.' 'When I started, it was more like 'Will I, won't I?' When I did the research, I was like 'Wow, this is frightening.' Every woman should be told this, and every woman should be given the opportunity in their early 20s to do this. 'When I went to the consultant, he said to me 'Look, you're doing it as an insurance.' I may choose never to have a child, unless circumstances change. There is also a silver lining to that, where another woman might use them in the future if I don't use them, but also the fact that I could use all of them, but none of them might work.' Tara Logan Buckley: "You need to be prepared to be really, really regimental with your routine. Having people around you for support, as well. I felt OK until I got to those last 48 hours, where I couldn't wait to go in and get [the eggs] out.' When Logan Buckley was undergoing egg freezing, there was an initial delay, due to a cyst on one of her ovaries: 'That was a bit of a blow, because it was meant to take six weeks and mine went on to three months.' Despite this initial obstacle, she did not experience side effects from the medications or hormones. The most challenging part was leading up to the egg collection: 'Coming close to the date that they are due to be extracted, it's extremely, extremely uncomfortable; you want to burst. It's so full, because you normally wouldn't have that many eggs. 'The medications are timed to the last minute, especially that last activating one that you need to take. You need to be prepared to be really, really regimental with your routine. Having people around you for support, as well. I felt OK until I got to those last 48 hours, where I couldn't wait to go in and get [the eggs] out.' The clinic Logan Buckley chose for her treatment had an online portal that was a real support to her: 'You had access to support 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If there was anything at all you were slightly concerned about, you could pop it into the portal, and they would get back to you in lightning speed. That was really reassuring.' Fertility treatment costly At the age of 32, in 2003, Karen, from Dublin, embarked on her IVF journey. She had a 12-year-old child from a previous relationship. She subsequently met and married another man. He had fertility complications from a bout of the mumps he'd had as a teenager. At the hospital fertility clinic Karen attended, she had a combination of frozen embryos and frozen eggs. She and her husband went on to have two children from two frozen embryos: A son, now 21, and a daughter, who has just turned 18. Karen's experience was overall 'very positive': 'I was very well looked after. Both my embryos took first time; the doctor said I was in a 5% statistic of it working first time. The hardest part was having to do the injections before you have an egg collection and all of that process.' Fertility treatment is a costly undertaking. Karen says: 'The banter in my house is, 'I have a receipt for you pair!' It was a financial burden, but when you're desperate, you'd beg, borrow, and steal. My mother-in-law gave us a good handout financially.' The Government is now subsidising one cycle of IVF for qualifying couples. Egg freezing for fertility preservation is not included in this provision. Irish Life, Laya, and VHI include provisions for egg freezing in some of their plans, typically up to a cost of € 1,000. Egg-freezing costs approximately €3,000 per cycle and approximately €300 per year for storage. In Ireland, the storage period is unlimited until the age of 49. While Irish fertility clinics operate to international standards, there is no regulatory authority or national clinical governance framework for the fertility services sector. Karen Murphy says the fertility sector has repeatedly called for regulation. In Britain, the regulator is the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. The necessity of regulatory oversight is apparent, and it becomes even more evident as demand for such services increases and new service providers enter the market. Click here to read our National Women's Health Survey. The Irish Examiner Women's Health Survey 2025 Ipsos B&A designed and implemented a research project for the Irish Examiner involving a nationally representative sample of n=1,078 women over the age of 16 years. The study was undertaken online with fieldwork conducted between April 30 and May 15, 2025. The sample was quota controlled by age, socio-economic class, region and area of residence to reflect the known profile of women in Ireland based on the census of population and industry agreed guidelines. Ipsos B&A has strict quality control measures in place to ensure robust and reliable findings; results based on the full sample carry a margin of error of +/-2.8%. In other words, if the research was repeated identically results would be expected to lie within this range on 19 occasions out of 20. A variety of aspects were assessed in relation to women's health including fertility, birth, menopause, mental health, health behaviour, and alcohol consumption.
