Your Stories

Hear from our patients as they share their paths to parenthood.

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Spotlight Story

Chantelle

An open culture at HSBC allowed Chantelle to build her career and navigate her fertility journey

Alongside her 17-year career at HSBC, Chantelle has navigated the roller-coaster journey of infertility – and says she doesn’t feel her career has been penalised by her dream of having a family.

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“I needed help to face a future without children”

“I didn’t know how I was going to carry on living the rest of my…

Family at last for Hannah after tests revealed why she couldn’t get pregnant

“When are you going to have a baby?” is something which Hannah from Cambridgeshire is always careful to never ask people. After struggling to conceive for a number of years she is only too aware of how painful that question can be.

MRKH diagnosis meant surrogacy was only chance of a baby

After MRKH diagnosis at 16, surrogacy was my only chance of a baby

Chloe had always wanted to be a mum – but at 16 she was diagnosed as having Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) Syndrome and told she would never be able to carry a baby.

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Baby joy after struggle with severe endometriosis symptoms

Natalie’s stomach used to bloat so badly on some days that she looked six months pregnant – which was cruelly ironic as she and her husband Alex had been unable to conceive.

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IVF baby joy after endometriosis ‘agony’

Coming off the pill and trying for a baby had involved years of coping with the previously hidden symptoms of endometriosis – including ‘agonisingly’ painful periods. When surgery further diminished Carlene’s fertility, IVF provided the light at the end of the tunnel.

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Donated eggs a precious ‘gift’ after Premature Ovarian Failure at 16

Elle was still a teenager when doctors told her that she had Premature Ovarian Failure and was infertile.  Her only chance for having a baby in the future would be with IVF using donated eggs. More than a decade later Elle has just welcomed her first child.

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People assumed that us not having children was a ‘lifestyle choice’

Lockdown and turning 30 made Amy and Nick reconsider what was important in their lives. After battling with the frustration of unexplained infertility they feel so blessed that they were successful on their first cycle of NHS-funded IVF – their scan was just days before Christmas 2022 – what a difference a year makes!

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I was about to turn 30 when I discovered early menopause ran in my family

It was only when an AMH test at Bourn Hall revealed that, aged 29, Lauren had a low egg store that she discovered that both her mum and nan had gone through the menopause in their thirties. “The earlier you freeze your eggs the better,” she advises others with a family history of early menopause.

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Over-active thyroid and miscarriage risk added stress to Gemma’s fertility journey

Gemma had an over-active thyroid caused by Graves’ Disease, an auto-immune condition resulting in a full thyroidectomy. It can cause irregular periods and make it difficult to conceive. There is also an increased risk of miscarriage in the early stages of pregnancy and the medication can have side-effects. So, naturally, Gemma’s medical history made her anxious when trying to conceive.

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Patient reviews you can trust

Genuine experiences from real patients. See why so many trust us with their fertility care.

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“We went to an open evening at Bourn Hall Wickford and came away feeling really positive about the place. The staff were really friendly and the presentation was clear about the statistics regarding success rates and live birth rates; their data was very transparent. We came away feeling like we would really be looked after.”

Katy and Leigh are parents to Charlie after IVF

Patient 2023

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“We chose to make an appointment at Bourn Hall Wickford because of the favourable reviews. When we got there and met the staff they were just so lovely, making us feel welcome and explaining to us what tests would need to be done and what our options were; we just thought ‘yes, let’s get the ball rolling!”

Jess and Fran are mums to Nathan after IVF with donor sperm

Patient 2023