IVF Success Story: Emma’s Journey from Infertility to Two Miracle babies

This is my IVF success story. We started trying for a baby back in 2015. I honestly thought it would happen quickly — I was 34, healthy, and assumed getting pregnant would be straightforward. But a year passed with nothing, so we went to the doctor and began the fertility testing process.

All the results came back clear. In one way that was a relief, but it was also frustrating. I almost wanted them to find something we could fix. Instead, we were told it was unexplained infertility and advised to just keep trying.

Clomid, Miscarriage, and the First IVF Round

I was prescribed Clomid, even though there were no issues with ovulation. To my surprise, I actually fell pregnant naturally while on it — but heartbreakingly, I miscarried at six weeks.

By then we had been trying for two years, and IVF was the next step. In October 2017, we started our first round. We ended up with five embryos and felt full of hope. But the first transfer ended in miscarriage, and the second attempt with two embryos failed as well. Within a few months, we’d lost three embryos, and only had two left. It was devastating. Those early IVF attempts felt like anything but a success, but they became part of the IVF journey that shaped our eventual IVF success story.

Taking a Break and Searching for Answers

We decided to pause and give ourselves some space. We travelled to Italy, South Africa, and Sydney — those trips gave us some much-needed breathing room. At the same time, I couldn’t stop searching for answers.

Further tests revealed I had the MTHFR gene variant, which can affect blood clotting, and high natural killer cells. That led to treatment with steroids, and I also worked with Grace Dugdale on nutrition and supplements. For the next transfer, I would also go on blood thinners.

Baby T’s Arrival

In March 2019, with two embryos left, we transferred one. This time I was on the full plan — blood thinners, steroids, supplements, and a carefully designed diet. I got pregnant.

At six weeks I had a bleed and feared the worst, but to my amazement, the scan showed a heartbeat. That pregnancy continued, and in December 2019, our son T arrived.

More Losses and a Fresh Round

We still had one embryo left, but sadly it ended in another early miscarriage. Later we found out that T’s embryo had been the only genetically normal one from that first cycle.

By 2022, we were ready to try again. This time, we included genetic testing to avoid more heartbreak. Out of four embryos, three were good enough to freeze and test, but only one came back genetically normal.

Baby E’s Story

Before transferring, I also did the Alice and Emma tests to check for womb environment issues and the best transfer timing. These showed I needed treatment for bacteria, which I completed, and in March 2023 we transferred that one healthy embryo.

In December 2023, we welcomed our daughter, E. After years of trying, loss, and persistence, our IVF success story was finally complete.

Looking Back

At the time, infertility and IVF felt like the hardest thing in the world. The uncertainty, the heartbreak, and the constant waiting wore me down. But now, looking back, I’m so grateful we kept going. IVF gave me T and E — two beautiful children I once feared I might never have.