{"id":4956,"date":"2022-01-11T16:19:26","date_gmt":"2022-01-11T16:19:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.accessfertility.com\/pl\/?p=4956"},"modified":"2023-02-28T11:44:39","modified_gmt":"2023-02-28T11:44:39","slug":"ivf-for-lesbian-couples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.accessfertility.com\/pl\/ivf-for-lesbian-couples\/","title":{"rendered":"IVF for lesbian couples"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Our mission at Access Fertility is to make fertility treatment more accessible for everyone. With that in mind, we are proud to offer our affordable IVF treatment Programmes<\/a> to lesbian couples and other same-sex partnerships. Our IVF Refund<\/a> and Multi-Cycle<\/a> Programmes now help with Shared Motherhood IVF costs in most of our clinics. In order to better support our patients, we wanted to learn more about the IVF experience for lesbian couples. We caught up with Emma and Jessica Hill, who shared their story about IVF for lesbian couples to help others who are looking into lesbian fertility options.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When did your fertility journey start?<\/strong>
Jess and I met in 2012 when we were working together at ASDA. We knew straight away we wanted to have a family together. In 2016 we got married, and had started looking into fertility treatment even before then. We knew IVF for lesbians was a route we would need to go down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We had two rounds of IUI first, as many lesbian couples do, but unfortunately they didn\u2019t work. This meant we had to pause for a while, and think about how we could afford the next step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did you feel, embarking on that difficult journey?<\/strong>
There was no medical reason why the IUI hadn\u2019t worked. As a result, it felt stressful. We didn\u2019t know whether next time our IVF would be a success \u2013 no one prepares you for that mental strain. What\u2019s more, each time the physical demands were harder on Emma, and it was taking over our lives. Worse still, we thought we should be saving all our money to have a baby, so we stopped going out and spending money on ourselves. IVF for lesbians is no easy journey, just like with any couple going through the fertility process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the first round of IVF didn\u2019t work, we discovered Access Fertility. Their programme seemed like the perfect solution for us. Specifically, the Multi-Cycle Programme<\/a> gave us the reassurance that if it did fail again, it would be OK. We could keep going \u2013 it gave us hope. Additionally, by taking the pressure off, it put our mind in a different place and helped relieve the stress on Emma\u2019s body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What support did you find for your situation undertaking IVF as a lesbian couple?<\/strong>
In the early days, our family and friends were aware that we were undergoing treatment. However, after a while we stopped telling people, because it was heart-breaking to share the bad news. Like many people undergoing fertility treatment, we found it so hard hearing about other family members getting pregnant, too. Similarly, I think there were lots of times when they didn\u2019t know what to say, or what to ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The clinic offered us some counselling as a matter of course \u2013 it was a one hour session. It was fine but we didn\u2019t take them up on any more. It is important to know the lesbian fertility options though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How was your experience with Oxford Fertility?<\/strong>
We couldn\u2019t fault them, they were amazing. They have a satellite clinic in Swindon, so we didn\u2019t have to travel. What\u2019s more, we built a strong relationship with Jill there, she\u2019s incredible. Oxford Fertility go about everything in the right way. They supported us, they were helpful, and they always respected our situation and our decisions. Better still, whenever they did make a mistake, they were the first to put their hands up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did your fertility treatment go?<\/strong>
Our second round of IVF, through Access Fertility, wasn\u2019t successful. However, we\u2019d been lucky to have three frozen embryos from that round. Thanks to the Multi-Cycle Programme<\/a>, we were able to try again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the next attempt (our fifth cycle in total), I remember we took the pregnancy test right on the day we were first \u2018allowed\u2019 to do it. It was negative. Emma was in such a state, it was horrible. Two days later we checked again, just to be sure. It was positive! We couldn\u2019t believe it \u2013 we bought ten more tests to check. It was the most incredible feeling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lockdown baby<\/strong>
For us, the scariest part was the pregnancy \u2013 every day we were terrified that something would go wrong. That\u2019s the tough part with IVF \u2013 you tend to know far earlier that you\u2019re pregnant. As a result, you\u2019re much more aware at a time when statistically more likely that things won\u2019t progress. Nine months feels like a very long time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, in October 2019, Leo was born. He was just five months old when lockdown started. Just as he would have been going to playgroups and starting to recognise faces, he was stuck in a house with us! It\u2019s not how you imagine your maternity leave to be. I had to be at work, due to the nature of my job, meaning Emma was at home alone doing everything. It was a huge strain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Coming out of lockdown felt very strange for us all, and especially for Leo. Whenever he was with anyone else, he\u2019d have a total meltdown. Most families go into a little bubble with a newborn, but Covid-19 really exacerbated that situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What advice would you give to another lesbian couple going through IVF?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n