Professor Joyce Harper

Press & Media

As a renowned expert in her field, Professor Joyce Harper is frequently sought after by the press and media for her insights and expertise. With a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of various topics, Professor Harper has been featured in numerous interviews and discussions across a range of prominent platforms, including ITV, Channel 4, BBC, Radio 4, 6, World Service, and Talk Radio.

Joyce has appeared on Sunday Morning Live, Comedians give lectures, Women’s Hour, Skynews, ITV news, National and local BBC radio stations including BBC world service, euronews, Voice of Islam, TRT world, Victoria Derbyshire, The Big Questions, BBC Breakfast TV.

Through her appearances on radio and television, as well as her contributions to print and online publications, Professor Joyce Harper has been instrumental in providing expert analysis, shedding light on complex issues, and offering valuable perspectives on matters related to her areas of expertise. Her dedication to research, coupled with her ability to effectively communicate complex scientific concepts in a clear and accessible manner, has made her a trusted authority and a go-to source for accurate information.

Whether discussing the latest advancements in reproductive technologies, exploring ethical considerations in fertility treatment, or addressing societal implications of reproductive health, Professor Joyce Harper’s expertise and articulate insights have made her a respected voice within the press and media landscape. Her contributions have been invaluable in informing public discourse, empowering individuals with knowledge, and shaping conversations around reproductive health and fertility.

This Press and Media Page serves as a repository of Professor Joyce Harper’s media appearances, providing a glimpse into her wide-ranging contributions across various platforms. Here, you will find a collection of interviews, articles, and media engagements, offering a deeper understanding of Joyce’s work and her impact in the field of reproductive health.

Professor Joyce Harper

Press & Media 2025

Everything I wish I’d known before I decided to freeze my eggs at 36

You may have to do more than one round

I was definitely overconfident about only needing a single round of egg freezing – I was 36 and only got six eggs, which means my chances of conceiving are relatively low. Research varies, but one study estimates that 35- to 37-year-olds will need to freeze 15 eggs to have a 70% chance of a single live birth. Another estimates that a 37-year-old would need 20 frozen eggs to have a 75% likelihood. But this isn’t just a “numbers game”, according to Joyce Harper, professor of reproductive science at UCL. “Female fertility is about the quantity and quality of your eggs and about your womb,” she says. “You can have all the eggs you want and not get pregnant.”

Independent Menopause, exercise and diet

Women are being exploited by menopause ‘gold rush’ – experts

Academics have said there is a need for a national education programme for women.

“While public awareness of menopause has greatly improved recently, there has been a rapid expansion in private companies and individuals providing menopause education, especially on social media, which has led to misinformation which can make existing menopause-related health inequities worse,” said lead author of the study, Professor Joyce Harper, from UCL’s Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women’s Health.

'My heart sank each time I had to undress...':

After divisive call to allow male medics to do breast screenings, women reveal what it’s REALLY like when a man treats you – and what experts say you MUST do

“While public awareness of menopause has greatly improved recently, there has been a rapid expansion in private companies and individuals providing menopause education, especially on social media, which has led to misinformation which can make existing menopause-related health inequities worse,” said lead author of the study, Professor Joyce Harper, from UCL’s Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women’s Health.

Teach boys and girls together about menstruation, UCL study argues

Mixed classes would widen children’s understanding and reduce stigma and disinformation about periods, researchers say

Prof Joyce Harper, of the UCL Institute for Women’s Health, who led the research, said: “Educating pupils about periods may now be compulsory in schools in England and Wales, but we know that for many of them that still only amounts to two lessons in their entire school career. Our survey suggests that those lessons are still very much concerned with the basic biological facts around menstruation.

Millions exploited by ‘menopause gold rush’ amid lack of reliable information, say UK experts

Women’s health academics at UCL call for national education programme to combat misinformation and unregulated advice.

The lead author of the study, Prof Joyce Harper, from UCL’s Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Institute for Women’s Health, said: “We have a menopause gold rush because companies, investors and people see menopause as a lucrative market.

“While public awareness of menopause has greatly improved recently, there has been a rapid expansion in private companies and individuals providing menopause education, especially on social media, which has led to misinformation which can make existing menopause-related health inequities worse.

The Menopause Knowledge Gap

How ignorance of menopause impacts women, the workplace, medicine and the socio-cultural landscape

“How can you go into a major life event without understanding it? It’s really not rocket science.”

Joyce Harper, Professor of Reproductive Science at University College London

Lack of education can lead to feelings of isolation and anxiety, accidental misdiagnoses and an exodus of healthy women from the workplace. Charities are stepping in to plug the gap, but so are people spewing misinformation.

Fewer than half of IVF cycles are successful.

Woman’s Hour: Listener Week: Testosterone, Talking to adult children about abuse, Why we dream

Listener Week continues on Woman’s Hour as we bring your stories, ideas and the issues you want to hear about to the air.

Carola got in touch to ask if we could find out more about the benefits of testosterone for post-menopausal women. Dr Joyce Harper, Professor of Reproductive Science at the Institute for Women’s Health at University College London, joins Nuala McGovern to discuss the evidence.

Lessons about periods should be compulsory for boys and girls, study finds

A study says school children are not provided with adequate menstruation education

Boys and girls should be taught about periods together in school to foster a better understanding of menstruation, according to new research.

A study by academics at University College London (UCL) suggests that current school curricula provide pupils with inadequate information on the topic.

World's first baby born by IVF done almost entirely by a machine

It is an exciting proof-of-concept, says Joyce Harper at University College London. But larger studies that randomly assign couples to undergo either the automated or the manual lCSI procedure are needed to establish whether the former approach leads to higher birth rates, she says.

The rise of egg freezing in women’s sport

When Michelle Betos suffered a season-ending injury for Racing Louisville in the United States’ National Women’s Soccer League several years ago, her rehab programme took a twist…

Professor Joyce Harper

Press & Media 2024

‘By 8pm it is time to head home'

Whatever happened to the big night out?

This week, the chief executive of a major bar group suggested 3pm is the new 9pm. Why have we stopped drinking and dancing the night away on a Friday and Saturday night?

The atmosphere in the club is friendly, people generally aren’t drunk, and since it’s dark inside, it could just as well be 4am instead of 4pm. Welcome to the daytime rave, where you can dance, meet people and still be curled up on the sofa afterwards in time for Newsnight. It’s a home from home for Joyce Harper, who says she has been “a big clubber my whole life…

Florida Inmate Uses Air Vent To Get Pregnant

Gives Birth To “Miracle” Baby “Like Virgin Mary”

A female inmate in Florida, USA, gave birth to a baby girl in June while in solitary confinement after she allegedly impregnated herself. Daisy Link reportedly used semen passed by a fellow male inmate through an air conditioning vent. The new parents face murder charges…..

Fewer than half of IVF cycles are successful.

These scientists are trying to change that

It is more than 45 years since the first baby conceived using IVF – Louise Joy Brown – was born, yet the procedure is still a roll of the dice for many couples. Can new research change that?

With steady hands, an embryologist picks up a culture dish containing four human egg cells. Each one has just been fertilised by a sperm – these eggs will start to develop into embryos. Hopefully, at least one of them will go on to become a healthy baby. Hundreds, maybe even thousands of couples will leave clinics around the world on the day you read this story, counting on success. It means the world to them.

Are you ever too old to have a baby?

The Global Story

In countries across the world women are deciding to delay motherhood. Increased access to education, more career opportunities and less financial stability means that more and more women are having children later in life. But fewer babies now, could mean more economic pressures on the rest of us in the future. We explore this complex topic with the BBC’s population correspondent Stephanie Hegarty and Joyce Harper, professor of reproductive science at University College London.

Cold-water swimming eases menopause and menstrual symptoms, study finds

Cold water confers physical and mental health benefits, UCL study says, as half women surveyed say it reduces anxiety

Swimming in cold water can significantly reduce symptoms of the menopause such as mood swings and hot flushes, a study has found.

Spending time immersed in cold water appears to confer a range of physical and mental health benefits for menopausal women, with some likening it to “healing”, the researchers said.

The study, led by academics at University College London, examined responses from 1,114 women aged between 16 and 80, with an average age of 49, who regularly swim in cold water. Among the study group, 785 women were going through the menopause at the time.

Menopause: Are attitudes changing?

The Global Story

Millions of women around the world will start the menopause this year, but research shows that many are unprepared for it. For a long time, the menopause has been a taboo subject, a fact which both of our guests are seeking to change.

Kirsty Wark is perhaps best known for presenting the BBC’s Newsnight programme, but she also hosted the groundbreaking documentary ‘The Menopause and Me’ in 2017. Professor Joyce Harper of the Institute for Women’s Health at University College London is an expert on the menopause, and author of the book ‘Your Fertile Years’.

A bracing dip will cure us of the menopause...

will it? Remind me to steer clear of the sewage

A new study suggests a fashionable hobby could help with hot flushes and other symptoms

In a climate that often feels hostile to middle-aged women, maybe it’s a sign of progress that an only faintly convincing contribution on menopause management can become, as one did last week, a cause for national rejoicing…

Cold water swimming...

…could be beneficial for menopause symptoms

Those who swam for longer intervals or swam more regularly reported greater benefits

Cold water swimming could help alleviate the physical and mental symptoms of menopause, such as hot flushes, anxiety and mood swings, according to a study.

Those who swam for longer intervals or swam more regularly reported greater benefits, researchers said.

The survey of 1,114 women who regularly swam in cold water was conducted by academics from University College London (UCL).

Going for a cold water swim

‘can combat symptoms of menopause’ (and NOT just hot flushes!)

Taking a dip in cold water seems a sensible way to reduce hot flushes — now research suggests it can reduce several symptoms of menopause.

Menopausal women who regularly go outdoor swimming had significant improvements to their physical and mental health, according to a University College London study.

A survey of 1,114 women found it reduced symptoms of menopause such as anxiety, mood swings and hot flushes by up to half.

Cold water swimming...

…could be beneficial for menopause symptoms, study suggests

Those who swam for longer intervals or swam more regularly reported greater benefits, researchers said.

The survey of 1,114 women who regularly swam in cold water was conducted by academics from University College London (UCL)…

New York Post Menopause Cold Water Swimming

Swimming in cold water may reduce menopause symptoms, study finds

…Seas the day!

Menopausal women who make swimming in cold water part of their routine report significant improvements to their physical and mental health, a new study finds.

Of the 785 women surveyed, 46.9% said swimming eased their anxiety; 34.5% said it helped their mood swings; 31.1% said it elevated their mood; and 30.3% said it reduced their hot flashes.

Cold water swimming

Medical Xpress

…improves menopause symptoms, finds research.

Menopausal women who regularly swim in cold water report significant improvements to their physical and mental symptoms, finds a new study led by UCL researchers.

The research, published in Post Reproductive Health, surveyed 1,114 women, 785 of whom were experiencing menopause, to examine the effects of cold water swimming on their health and well-being.

Swimming in cold water

…can help with menopause problems: Research

Unlock the transformative power of cold water swimming for menopausal women. UCL study reveals substantial physical and mental benefits, highlighting a natural alternative for symptom relief.

A recent study led by UCL researchers discovered that women going through menopause can experience notable improvements in both physical and mental symptoms by swimming in cold water daily. Published in Post Reproductive Health, the research surveyed 1114 women, with 785 undergoing menopause, examining the impact of cold water swimming on health and wellbeing.

Cold water swimming...

…’improves’ menopause symptoms, study finds

Cold water swimming has surged in popularity recently, with a growing body of science backing up its health benefits – and now research suggests it could help alleviate menopause symptoms, too.

A team at University College London (UCL) surveyed 1,114 women who regularly swam in cold water, including 785 who were menopausal.

Cold water swimming

…could help ease menopause symptoms.

Cold water swimming could help alleviate the physical and mental syptoms of menopause, a new study has found.

Hot flushes, anxiety and mood swings could be beneficial, it found. In fact, those who swam for longer intervals or swam more regularly reported greater benefits.

The proof you really CAN eat to beat hot flushes

and hormonal anxiety… as outspoken diet guru Tim Spector launches his ZOE menopause diet here’s how to do it

Can you prepare for a good menopause?

Perhaps start by thinking of it as a ‘second spring’

There are some things women can do to get ready. Thinking of it as a positive transition may be one of them

There’s a hilarious sequence of events in Miranda July’s latest book, All Fours, in which the central character looks at a graph that shows how oestrogen goes off a cliff during menopause. Worried about what this might mean for her sex drive, she desperately surveys her older friends about their experiences, gathering anecdotes and wisdom in a valiant effort to be prepared for the onslaught.

All women should be having orgasms in midlife

and beyond, and here’s how to do it… by a top professor who reveals the incredible health benefits…

Are you heading for an anxious millenopause?

As click-seeking content paints the perimenopause as a non-stop horror show, one writer asks how this notoriously nervy generation can navigate midlife with their emotional wellbeing in mind

When I was first commissioned to write about ‘The Change’ as a 25-year-old health journalist, the symptoms that populated my paragraphs seemed like a lifetime away.

In the decade since, I’ve heard accounts of crippling depression, relentlessly itchy skin and vulvas so tender that sitting down is agonising. That’s before you consider the self-esteem sent plummeting, the careers put on pause and the marriages ended.

…

Eight exercise and diet changes...

…every menopausal woman should make

As debate still rages over HRT, many women are looking for complementary solutions to hormone therapy or alternatives if they can’t take it for medical reasons. Alice Smellie, health expert and co-founder of Menopause Mandate, is one such woman – and has spent the last six months looking at what exercise and diet changes work best for in midlife

Bathing water quality at some top beaches...

…can drop sharply in winter, internal Environment Agency study finds

Bathing water quality at some of England’s highest-rated beaches can decline sharply during the autumn and winter months when official swimming spots are usually unmonitored, according to an internal Environment Agency (EA) study completed earlier this year.

The findings of the study – which have not been published, but have been seen by Unearthed – will cause concern among the UK’s many fans of cold-water swimming.

Swimming outdoors in low temperatures has surged in popularity in recent years because of its reported health benefits. In response to this trend, the EA ran a trial last winter at six well-known beaches across the West Country – all currently rated ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ – to test the feasibility of sampling bathing waters over the colder months.

Freeze Me When I Die

…When you die, would you want to be frozen?

…so that one day you might be brought back to life? Listener Elspeth wants to know if that’s even possible. So Hannah and Dara embark on a quest to explore the chiling science of ‘cryobiology’: preserving living things at really low temperatures.

Professor Joyce Harper

Press & Media 2023

The Menopause Cannon

These seven books can help guide you through the maddening, mystifying and long transition.

Each day, around 6,000 women in the United States enter menopause, which officially starts 12 months after a woman’s last period. But perimenopause, the time leading up to menopause, can last anywhere from two to 14 years (the average is around four).

“Many women enter into this transition without any information about what may occur,” said Rebecca C. Thurston, a professor of psychiatry and epidemiology at the University of Pittsburgh…

Does HRT prevent dementia?

Women’s health experts PROF ANNICE MUKHERJEE and PROF JOYCE HARPER have studied ALL the research to cut through the hype and give the definitive answer

It’s hard to know what to believe when it comes to HRT and dementia. Does the treatment have the unexpected benefit of protecting the brain in older age? Or could it have the opposite effect?

One study, which made headlines last month, suggested HRT – taken by millions of women in mid-life to fight the symptoms of menopause – could increase the risk of dementia by a quarter.

Nine in 10 postmenopausal women were never taught about menopause at school

Many women only started looking for information once they had begun experiencing symptoms

More than 90 per cent of postmenopausal women in the UK were never taught about the menopause at school, a study has found.

As a result, 60 per cent of postmenopausal women only started looking for information once they began experiencing symptoms, with nearly 60 per cent getting their information from sources other than health professionals, a third turning to social media and a half to friends for advice.

Celebrity menopause doctor who campaigns with Davina McCall and Mariella Frostrup...

…accused of putting women at risk of cancer by prescribing ‘alarmingly high’ doses of HRT

Joyce Harper, professor of reproductive science at the Institute for Women’s Health at University College London, said she was ‘horrified’ by our findings. She said: ‘You should not go against guidelines and give women higher and higher doses of a powerful drug without any real data on what it will do.

‘This is not evidence-based medicine. If you do want to try a new approach then it should be done as part of a clinical trial, otherwise it could be dangerous.

Think twice before having a fertility MOT! Experts fear tests sold on High Street can open 'Pandora's box'...

…and convince couples to unnecessarily fork out thousands to freeze their eggs?

Couples should think twice before having a fertility MOT, experts have warned, as expensive tests are feared to cause stress and lead to unnecessary egg freezing.

Fertility experts have spoken out after high street companies such as Superdrug have begun selling male and female fertility tests.

The tests are just a ‘snapshot’ of fertility, according to critics.

Tesco claims its new DIY health checks can diagnose everything from flu to infertility.

The Mail asks experts for their verdict…

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence discourages GPs from using FSH tests for the diagnosis of perimenopause.

‘Your hormone levels fluctuate every day so you might have high FSH levels one week and then low the next,’ says Professor Joyce Harper, a reproductive science expert at University College London.

‘This means these FSH tests can lead to a concerning number of false negatives, meaning women are wrongly told they are not perimenopausal,’ she adds.

Celebs are loving surrogates... is this the future of fertility?

Will surrogacy ever be commonplace?

Although we are seeing more cases of surrogacy, particularly from the likes of Kim K and Paris Hilton, it’s likely that it will never be truly normalised.

This is down to the cost, according to Professor Joyce Harper, who’s head of the Reproductive Science and Society Group at the University College of London’s (UCL) Institute for Women’s Health.

‘Surrogacy is a very complicated technique,’ she says. ‘We have emotional issues, we have legal issues, and we have financial issues, so it’s not something in my mind that could ever be normalised.’