How Welsh TV farming show \'helped mum conceive\'

How Welsh TV farming show 'helped mum conceive'

Lowri's two sons
Image caption Lowri's second son Gwil was born after she took advice from the show

A woman who had suffered a series of miscarriages says a farming show item about the problems cows face during pregnancy helped her conceive a son.

Lowri Jones had thyroid problems, but watching a TV feature about chemical iodine imbalances in cattle made her think her diet needed extra iodine.

She has thanked Welsh language farming show vet Cen Williams for inspiring her to seek fresh medical help.

"If I hadn't of seen the item, Gwil wouldn't be here today", she said.

"I'll be forever thankful to Cen for the inspiration to demand more medical tests. I knew that there was something wrong with me."

Doctors told Ms Jones, from Llangwm in Conwy county, she "needed God on her side" to avoid another miscarriage after the birth of her first son in 2011.

But her breakthrough came after watching Mr Williams describing iodine issues cattle face during pregnancy on S4C show, Ffermio.

Image copyright BBC Sport
Image caption Lowri Jones has a series of unsuccessful pregnancies after the birth of her first child in 2011
Image caption Lowri's second son Gwil was born after she took advice from the show

The vet runs a practice on the Llyn Peninsula in Gwynedd.

"The weather had been quite wet, so the iodine had been washed out of the ground, and the lack of iodine in the diet of cattle effects their thyroid levels," he said.

"After adding iodine into their diet, we saw improvement in the rates of pregnancy."

Ms Jones had developed thyroid issues in the past and realised it might be linked to her own pregnancy problems.

"We always watch the farming programme but when I heard Cen talking about the problems in dead calves, I sat up and started to listen more carefully," she said.

"The words he was using and how he described the problems, I just knew that was me."

Image caption Mr Williams said he was delighted his work with cows had helped Ms Jones

Ms Jones began adding an iodine supplement to her diet and took a recording of the programme to her doctor.

She was referred to a thyroid specialist at Wrexham Maelor hospital and soon, her son Gwil was born.

Ms Jones has now met the vet to thank him personally.

"Cen will always have a big part in Gwil's life," she said.