The Stork is just as effective as IVF, but at £99.99 is £4,900 cheaper
Trying to fall pregnant can be a stressful task, let alone expensive if you opt for a round of IVF. However, the £99.99 ‘condom’, The Stork, has helped hundreds of couples become parents since its launch, as shown by figures released for the first time.
Launched two years ago, the conception kit uses intracervical insemination to increase the chances of pregnancy. The couple start by having sex with a special condom containing a cervical cap at the end, with the best time for use just before or during ovulation. This cap collects the sperm, which the woman then inserts into her vagina and upwards towards the cervix using an applicator. Once inserted, the cap needs to stay there for 4-6 hours, in which time the sperm fertilises the egg. After this time, the woman can remove it much like she would a tampon, by pulling the string attached to the cap.
Figures show the device has helped 150 British couples become parents, with the kit also being sold in the US and Australia. However, experts believe this figure could be much higher, as many are unwilling to come forward and share their experiences.
Women’s health expert Dr Catherine Hood, who is presenting the new data at the London Fertility Show, said, “The real figure is likely to be much higher as infertility is often an intensely private and personal subject and this data is based purely on couples who voluntarily contacted the company. I suspect a systematic follow-up would reveal many more success stories.”
Dr Hood explained the closest comparable treatment is intrauterine insemination, which costs upward of £700. “The beauty of this technology is that it is non-invasive, can be performed in the privacy of the couple’s home, and is much cheaper than comparable treatment offered by private fertility clinics. Despite its proven efficacy, fertility clinics no longer provide cervical cap insemination, preferring instead to offer more elaborate and often expensive procedures.”
You can buy The Stork at superdrug.com
