Established in 1992, our mission is to enable women to accurately detect and live in harmony with their natural rhythms of fertility and infertility.
The Foundation is a not-for-profit Charitable Trust created to support further development of over 60 years of fertility research conducted by Professor James Brown of the University of Melbourne, Australia and Professor Len Blackwell of Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.

The purpose of the Foundation is to:

  1. Produce and promote The Fertility Meter for research of human reproduction and control of fertility and infertility.
  2. Undertake or sponsor research in natural family planning and infertility.
  3. Provide education on human reproduction and fertility detection.
  4. Co-operate with researchers internationally.
  5. Promote well-being and health in reproduction, fertility and ovarian function.

The major project undertaken by The Foundation is the development of The Fertility Meter.

Any funds raised through donations or grants will be administered by The Health and Fertility Foundation to make The Fertility Meter available to women world-wide and to achieve the purpose of the Foundation.

The Fertility Meter research developed a method for detecting small metabolites in the urine.  This method can be used to monitor other human conditions. The Foundation, along with interested parties and scientists, has established a company Science Haven Limited to pursue development of the Fertility Meter along with the following spin-off research projects:

  1. Monitoring cortisol to detect high and low stress.
  2. Monitoring changes in estriol as a measure of foetal development.
  3. Detection of high levels of testosterone causing polycystic ovarian syndrome.
  4. Development of a new urine volume sampling method.

Refer to the Science Haven Limited website for more information on these projects.

TRUSTEES

Professor Len Blackwell

Professor Blackwell is trained in organic chemistry, biochemistry and reproductive physiology. He studied under Professor James Brown at the University of Melbourne in the physiology of ovulation and in the development of the Fertility Meter, a device for monitoring ovarian activity in all its manifestations and one of the only true quantitative point-of-care devices in existence.

For the past 36 years, Len has been involved in research and development of urinary assays as point-of-care diagnostic kits and lateral flow immune chromatographic assays using super paramagnetic particles. He has developed commercial prototypes for five different analytes relating to reproduction and fertility, and a device for overcoming the fluctuations in urine volume which has held back non-invasive point-of-care diagnostic tests.

Charles Andrews

Charles Andrews has been in private legal practice in Palmerston North, New
Zealand since 1973 and a partner in the firm of Fitzherbert Rowe, Palmerston North and its predecessors since 1977. His areas of expertise are business, advising farming clients, property, wills and trusts, and estate administration.

Charles has been a legal adviser to the Palmerston North Catholic Diocese and a member of its Diocesan Management Advisory Council for many years.

Charles has been involved with a number of charities over the years and has been a trustee of Health and Fertility Foundation since its inception in 1992. He and his wife, Colleen, have four adult children.

Mary-Ann Bailey

Mary-Ann is an advocate of ensuring the public have knowledge and information when making health enhancing choices in all areas of their life and including using natural methods to plan their families. She teaches secondary school where she currently has responsibility for the Health Curriculum.

Mary-Ann trained as a Natural Family Planning teacher in 1989, working with couples and educating groups on fertility awareness and NFP. In 1987, she was trained as a Christian Family Life Educator, which promotes a holistic approach to teaching sexuality to young adults and children. Mary-Ann is married to Dominic, the mother of four children, and grandmother of two boys.

CONTACT US

Registered Office: 65 Rangitikei Street, Level 8, Palmerston North, 4410, New Zealand
Email: info@healthandfertility.org