Who are we?

Tracey’s story:

It took two attempts before Tracey became pregnant with twins in her forties. “I lost many of my child-bearing years because I didn’t have all the facts,” said Tracey. “IVF was emotional, physically and mentally exhausting and financially draining. We’ve been blessed with two beautiful daughters so I couldn’t be happier but it was a tough road. My advice to anyone having issues with infertility is to ensure there aren’t any underlying medical issues that sometimes lurk without obvious symptoms. By doing this you can save yourself invaluable time and may even be able to conceive naturally. We hope this website will equip people with all the information they need.”
Tracey started trying for a baby in her late thirties and conceived naturally aged 41. Doctors discovered it was an ectopic pregnancy and she miscarried. Shortly after leaving hospital, without having had a D&C, she started experiencing sharp pains in her lower left abdomen. Several non-conclusive tests later doctors gave her the ok to start IVF…despite the pain. It didn’t work. Three years and multiple miscarriages later, Tracey and husband Ben started to explore the option of adopting. The waiting list seemed endless so they decided to give IVF one more try. Tracey visited a consultant on the recommendation of a friend who immediately diagnosed a blockage in the fallopian tube due to the ectopic pregnancy years earlier. After an operation to clear the blockage, and with a less than 2% chance of getting pregnant, she started her second round of IVF. “I had a number of tests, which revealed some pretty scary things,” she said. “A lump in my breast and uterus for starters, which, thankfully turned out to be benign, and my thyroid levels were all over the place.” Against the odds Tracey gave birth to twins Isabella and Grace on 20th January 2015.

Sara’s story:

Sara was 32 when she decided she wanted a baby. Her husband was in a band, and whilst on tour, she excitedly sent him a text with the words “Let’s have a baby!!!”. Four years later, and after 2 rounds of IUI, 2 rounds of IVF and a serious case of OHSS, she finally realised her dream.
The journey was a tough one though. Tests at her local hospital revealed she had polycystic ovaries so she underwent two rounds of IUI, which sadly didn’t work. Looking back now Sara feels she should never have wasted time with IUI. You can imagine the life of a band on tour..not the most healthy of lifestyles, and certainly not any good for the quality of sperm!! IUI was never going to work, but she went with what the doctors told her she should do.
About to embark on IVF treatment, she was told the devastating news that her mother-in-law had terminal cancer, but Sara and her husband took the decision to continue with the IVF.
Still working as a Floor Manager in TV, Sara had to put on a brave front at work. Emotionally exhausted, she remembers having to nip into the loo during live shows to inject her medication, then arriving back on the studio floor all happiness and light. She got through the treatment, but tragically, not one egg fertilized. Again, looking back, with the fertility issues Sara and her husband had, this was never going to have worked.
“I shut myself off from friends,” she said. “My best friend rang to say she was pregnant and after congratulating her I deleted her number from my phone. I felt a failure, isolated and desperately unhappy.”
Sara tried a second IVF (through ICSI) treatment and shortly after she developed the potentially life-threatening condition OHSS – a side effect of the IVF treatment not fully explained to her. Hospitalised, she suffered major bloating, swollen ovaries, difficulty breathing, moving and speaking. Miraculously the embryos survived and Sara gave birth to Lola and Darcy on 1st November 2010.

“IVF has changed my life. It has given me my beautiful family. However, the one regret I have is that I wasted too much time not asking questions or doing my research. IVF babble is exactly the kind of website I wish I had had”