ESHRE 2025 – Paris.

Possibly one of the best ESHREs I've had the opportunity to attend. There will be no moaning about the heatwave here - it was glorious! Even if it did make every greeting hug a little bit soggy and awkward.

For me the joy of ESHRE is always the chance to catch up with so many old friends and reconnect. This year these connections felt even more worthwhile, because of my work with the Association of Reproductive and Clinical Scientists (ARCS) as ARCS Chair. I managed to network with old and new friends from other UK and international clinics and industry, to develop exciting new ways we can work together to support ARCS members; commercial partners; various incredible UK fertility charities; and wider multidisciplinary communities within the world of fertility. I’ve left Paris with some new ideas and hopefully some exciting events to get involved with, to bring fertility professionals together in different ways to benefit patients.

This year’s ESHRE programme content didn’t disappoint. Clinically I was reassured by the number of presentations sharing data on the safety and efficacy of ultra rapid vitrification and warming of oocytes and embryos. In our clinics we are cautiously building our validation plan for ultra rapid vitrification/warm for potential clinical implementation of the technique in 2026 if the validation goes well. Many of you working with reproductive scientists will know we are a super cautious and careful bunch when it comes to laboratory changes, but I’m leaving Paris with a little less worry and much more confidence that the technique is safe, and the embryology team will be happy with me for saving them many clinical hours!

For something slightly different I highly recommend anyone listening back to the ESHRE conference virtually, takes the time to listen to Tomas Sobotka’s presentation in Session 50: Variation in infertility rates, monitoring and treatment across the globe. Tomas’ views on reproductive behaviours and falling fertility rates globally makes you think differently and highlights how multifaceted this issue is and how complex it will be to reverse the trend. Have a listen – if you have children yourself it really does make you think about how you will talk to them as they become young adults and consider their own reproductive decisions in the future.

And finally, one quick message that resonated with me and made me smile - Manoj Kumar Kanakasabapathy in Session 58: Advances in IVM, rescue ICSI, biopsy and embryo selection. Right at the end of his presentation Manoj used a brilliant analogy about the cautious and respectful relationship reproductive scientists should have with AI, comparing the reliability and performance of AI with the capability of Tony Stark’s Iron Man suit!

Manoj suggested that Tony Stark’s brilliant mind (reproductive scientists) and the suits extensive capability (AI) could achieve so much when working together. However, he expressed caution of the unpredictability of the suit when working alone without careful oversight of someone with the appropriate skills and knowledge to continue to validate its performance.

So thank you to Paris and old friends and new who made this yet another enjoyable ESHRE conference. And huge thanks to IBSA for their generosity in sponsoring me to be there. I’m very lucky and super grateful for your help and hospitality - and of course for all the laughs too.