Louise's IVF Story
"I gave birth to a healthy little boy and life as a parent is still very surreal!"
I have always wanted a baby but I have never really been the type to be in a relationship. I don’t have or want a partner, but I knew that I couldn’t afford IVF treatment because it is very expensive, so I had just accepted that I might never be a mum.
I did do some research around the different options available to single women who want to have a baby and also spoke to my doctor about it. He had suggested IUI as it is the most affordable option, but then I came across abc ivf's website and the rest is history.
Initially, like most people, I thought that abc ivf seemed too good to be true. I didn’t understand how the treatment they offer can be so much cheaper than other clinics and was expecting there to be some hidden costs somewhere, so I gave them a call and asked them. They took the time to explain how they were able to lower the cost of treatment and assured me that there were no hidden costs. I decided to give it a go.
I first went to my GP and he printed off all my medical history ready for the Initial Consultation and Scan. I have a pretty complicated medical history and knew my case would be a bit more difficult, but after the Initial Appointment I felt completely at ease. The Consultant I saw was brilliant and I knew right away that I was in the right hands. It was so important to me that she listened to everything I told her and then took the time to explain each step of the treatment to me in detail. She really helped put my mind at ease.
The best way I can describe the IVF process is that it’s like a storm in a teacup. The first couple of weeks are extremely intense with lots of appointments for monitoring scans, lots of medication and procedures. Then once you have your embryo transfer, it’s time for the two week wait. This is where it goes from really intense, to really quiet. You have to try to relax and just wait.
I found my first cycle to be quite difficult. Mainly because it was my first time and didn’t really know what to expect from it. As much as you read up and the staff explain to you, you don’t fully appreciate how complex treatment is until you go through it. I was also working shifts at the time and I found it difficult to fit treatment around my work. As much as I was hoping that it will work, I tried to remain realistic and remind myself that IVF often doesn’t work the first time around. Sadly, that was the case for me - it didn’t work the first time.
Of course, this was devastating so I took some time to recover. Once I felt better, I knew that I wanted to try again. I had bought two vials of donor sperm before starting treatment so I still had a vial I wanted to use for treatment. The second cycle felt a lot easier, mainly because I knew what to expect and the clinical team had learnt a lot about how my body responds from the first cycle.
This second cycle went really well but the two week wait was still very nerve-racking. However, something felt different this time around. I can’t describe exactly how or what the feeling was but I felt different. Then, when it was time, I did a pregnancy test and was absolutely elated to see that the result came back positive.
At 7 weeks I headed back to the clinic for my pregnancy scan and this appointment was absolutely incredible. It was just a beautiful moment where the Consultant and the nurse who I had seen throughout my treatment confirmed that I was pregnant and that everything looked well. They showed me everything they could see on the screen and we even got to listen to baby’s heartbeat. It was simply an amazing experience.
I couldn’t fault the treatment in any way, but the staff made the whole journey so much easier. They were incredible throughout and even at my pregnancy scan they were genuinely happy for me. I could feel like this isn’t just a job to them; they truly care and feel for their patients. I would 100% recommend abc ivf to anyone who needs help having a baby.
I gave birth to a healthy little boy and life as a parent is still very surreal. I never thought it would happen for me but now I can’t imagine my life without him. I still wake up and am just in awe that he’s all mine.