Client Stories

Thank you to all our clients for your stories, we know from the feedback we get that they provide a valuable source of inspiration and support for women everywhere.

Jenny and Frazer

ICSI using Donor Sperm

As I sat on Emma's chair for the first time I was determined I was going to do everything possible to make this work. I was in the hands of an expert, if she'd helped other people get through this, then she could help me too. It was a month until we started our first round of IVF treatment; I was a bit battered but ready for the fight.

When I first started going out with my husband it wasn't long before he confided in me one drunken night that he couldn’t have children. When he was young one testicle hadn’t dropped & the hospital had damaged it when operating. Then at school he’d been in an accident & had lost the other which was replaced with prosthesis – still to this day I can never tell which is which! Lots of tests were done, harsh for a 13 year old boy but everyone confirmed there were no sperm – luckily his brother had always said he’d help out if needed. I listened to his story & insisted that technology had changed, I was sure there were things that could be done these days. So two years before we got married we started the ball rolling, the GP confirmed there was no sperm in his ejaculate & so his first mesa/tese operation was performed, although urology department insisted if sperm were found that they could not freeze it. We tried to see the funny side of the pants they sent him back in, balls shaved, purple with bruises. We couldn’t believe it when the hospital reported back that they had indeed found some sperm, they didn’t know if it was enough for IVF but they referred us to their fertility unit. IVF Hammersmith confirmed there was enough sperm for IVF & that it was a shame that the operation needed to be repeated. We were then devastated when the results the second time showed no sperm & we were advised to give up & use donor sperm. This was a few months before our wedding, so we left it six months & got a second opinion from a private clinic with the best success rates in the country, The Centre of Reproductive & Genetic Health. The consultant said he would operate but only once as there was a risk removing too much tissue which could result in my husband needing ongoing hormone replacement therapy. The plan was for me to do an IVF cycle & on the day they collected my eggs they'd operate on my husband, so if any sperm were located they’d not need to be frozen, which can harm some of them. If no sperm were found then sperm from my brother in law would be used – even though we'd found out during the process that his donor sperm has a very low count & needed ICSI – crazy seeing as he has four children naturally.

The hospital performed routine tests on me which showed that I had elevated FSH levels, that it was unlikely I'd be getting pregnant naturally anyway & so at the tender age of 32 I would need the highest dose of fertility drugs to stimulate my ovaries.

So this was the state I was in when I started seeing Emma. My family & friends were brilliant but the advice that penetrated most was from Emma – there was nothing fertility wise she'd not had experience in & helped me find the positive in my situation. Until then I'd lived a very fast pace of live, working silly hours, not eating well & being stressed out. I'd finished my contract at work & was solely focused on the upcoming treatment. Emma would recharge my mental & physical batteries weekly, spending about 30minutes of chatting & 60 minutes of the most amazing massage ever with oils chosen specifically to treat whatever was troubling you. Emma listened to my worries no matter how random, bringing me back to reality, helping me be focussed in the present and not rush ahead with negative thoughts and worries – She kept me from worrying the treatment could drag on for 5 years, Emma would remind me that it could work the first time. She helped me get in a positive frame of mind, envisaging it working through journaling, meditating CD's, focusing on the present & not going off at a tangent worrying about something further down the road that I was currently unable to do anything about. I improved my diet, took supplements and really tried to stay as positive as I could.

My husbands third operation didn't work & although we were devastated we took comfort in knowing we’d done everything we could – he'd been on every vitamin advised, brilliant diet & no booze for months. We continued on with the donor ICSI & had to stay strong to give the two embryos they placed back inside me a chance.

Amazingly we got a positive pregnancy result & were over the moon two weeks later when a scan showed twins!

Emma continued to coach me through any worries about 12 week, 20 week scans – nurturing me & advising me to put myself first. It was Emma who showed me the babies kicking as I couldn't figure out if that feeling was actually it or not.

I am now 32 weeks pregnant & delighted to say 3 stone heavier! These days with all my aches, pains & ridiculously swollen feet, ankles & sausage hands it's agony leaving her after the care and nurture her words and listening give not to mention the amazing aromatherapy massage you wish could last forever.

Seeing Emma throughout my pregnancy is the best decision I've made, she's been like a fertility & pregnancy tutor & I honestly don't think things would have worked out this well if I’d not had her never-ending support & now friendship.