Laura's IVF story
"I would be a childless woman if it wasn’t for abc"
After two years together, my partner and I decided that we would like to start trying for a baby. I came off the pill and we just assumed that it would happen naturally if we kept trying. After a few years of trying unsuccessfully we began to worry and reached out to our GP. My partners tests had all come back okay so I was then referred for a diagnostic laparoscopy to see if that would give us any answers.
When COVID hit my operation was postponed indefinitely and that felt like it would be the end of our journey. We had been told by the NHS that given my medical history and how long we had been trying, IVF would likely be the best options for us but due to COVID delays we weren’t sure if we could afford to wait around.
One day we were talking and finally decided to start looking at private treatment. This is when we came across abc ivf. I read everything I could about the clinic and decided to give this a go.
Initially we were discussing going abroad, mainly due to the cost of treatment, but with COVID causing so much uncertainty we decided against it. We looked at other clinics in the UK too but we just couldn’t afford £7k for a cycle so when we found abc ivf, we were amazed. The fact that it was more affordable was great but they also gave us confidence that they were a good clinic and that the quality of our treatment would be of the highest standards; abc seemed to have it all.
We found the Initial Consultant and Scan so helpful! Everybody was so lovely to us and very patient. We had time to ask any questions we had and got the answers we needed; we definitely learnt and took away a lot of useful information from that appointment so we decided to go ahead and start treatment.
Everything went smoothly and we had a really successful egg collection. We managed to get 7 high quality embryos, however, were advised to freeze them and come back for a Frozen Embryo Transfer in a month when my body was healthier. The team noticed that I reacted really well to the stimulating medication but there was a slight risk of me developing OHSS so it would be better for my health to wait a month or so. Of course it was frustrating at first but everything happens for a reason and I truly believe that I was given the right advice. I honestly do not think that I was healthy enough at the time so I am happy that I had a month to get healthy again before implantation.
When the embryo transfer day arrived, it was absolutely amazing. I will never forget how they carried our precious embryo out into the theatre and I got to see it slowly be placed inside my womb. It was a truly special moment. I even got a photo of it so hopefully one day I can show him where he came from and how much we wanted him.
The two week wait was horrible but I kind of knew that I was pregnant. Something felt different but we didn’t give in and decided not to test early. We waited and went in for the blood test at the clinic. Waiting for the results was excruciating; every minute felt like an hour. When they called us back with the results later that same day I just burst into tears. The nurse had phoned to tell us that treatment had worked and that I was pregnant! It was the most incredible feeling we’ve both ever experienced. I am so grateful to abc for everything they have done for us!
Life as parents is crazy and busy but I wouldn’t swap it for the world. He’s our miracle and every time we look at him, our hearts are full. I have waited for this feeling for so long and every time I hold him it just feels like heaven.
I would be a childless woman if it wasn’t for abc and so I will always recommend them when I can. I feel like some women still feel ashamed to talk about their fertility issues and I really don’t think we should be. It’s incredible what science can do and we are not a failure because we can’t conceive naturally. We are not to blame for our infertility.