iPhone app to help couples start families

A piece of phone software that claims to be able to save couples thousands of pounds when undergoing IVF treatment has been launched by a Harley Street doctor.

The £3.99 Life Force iPhone app offers a virtual consultation with Dr Laurence Shaw, a consultant with nearly 30 years' experience in reproductive medicine and surgery.

"This is a little like having a potted version of me in the room with you," he said.

Using the iPhone's touchscreen, patients answer questions about their attempts to start a family, designed to find out what the problem is. It then advises on the most likely solutions.

The app is the idea of Rosemary Reed, who has had IVF treatment. "The fertility industry is making a fortune out of desperate people and 75 per cent of the time the treatments don't even work. LifeForce will cut the need for expensive consultations to the bare minimum and give impartial advice," she said.