“One chance, one shot”
We met with Kaylie and Jason to find out more about their fertility journey with HSFC and their path to parenthood. While their beautiful baby Daniel slept, Kaylie and Jason were reflecting on the highs and lows of going through IVF.
The start of their fertility journey
After trying and failing to get pregnant naturally for a while, Kaylie and Jason thought to carry out fertility checks, to find out what was happening. Kaylie and Jason didn’t want to have to join an NHS waiting list for these fertility checks as they were aware that these could have taken months. “We were just so desperate for a baby, that private seemed like the best option”, says Kaylie.
The couple decided to do their own research about how and where they could get their fertility checks, and they came across Harley Street Fertility Clinic online. They read our reviews and, despite living over 2 hours away from the clinic in Essex, decided that HSFC was their best route.
After a fertility check-up, Dr Venkat informed Kaylie that both of her tubes were blocked and this was most likely the reason that she was not falling pregnant ‘naturally’. Kaylie tells us, “I was really shocked by this as I had been pregnant before. Dr Venkat told me that our best chances would now be to have IVF treatment.” Jason also had fertility checks done to check the quality of his sperm and to enable to doctors to work out the best form of treatment.
Their IVF treatment
The couple tell us that they had standard IVF, which involved stimulating the follicles in Kaylie’s ovaries with medication, followed by egg collection from the follicles when they were ready. Kaylie and Jason opted to have Kaylie’s eggs fertilised and then the embryos tested. After starting with 12 initial embryos, after PGT-A testing, they were down to just “1 perfect embryo,” as they both proclaim.
Finding out about the pregnancy
About the day she found out she was pregnant, Kaylie recalls that, “I had to go into the clinic as they do a blood test to confirm the pregnancy. I was with my Dad as Jason had to work and it was just so special. We were both so happy and full of emotion.”
Kaylie tells us that even though she was pregnant, the worry didn’t stop there. “It felt never-ending. [In] those first few weeks and months you constantly think something will go wrong”. The couple opted to have additional early scans for peace of mind and it was here that they found out they were expecting a boy. Jason, in particular, was overjoyed.
The most challenging part of their IVF journey
Jason and Kaylie both agreed that the emotional toll was, without doubt, one of the hardest parts of their journey. Jason shared “Lots of people told us that it would likely not be successful, that usually it takes 2 or even 3 times for it to work and knowing that we only had 1 viable embryo, it felt like everything hinged on it. The emotional toll in those few weeks was indescribable. If we had a few embryos, I think that would definitely have eased the pressure slightly.” Kaylie adds, “It felt like we had one chance, one shot”.
Did you have any add-ons to your treatment?
Kaylie tells us that she underwent a ‘standard IVF protocol’, but did opt to have embryo testing and a endometrial scratch. An endometrial scratch is often recommended as there is evidence to show it gives a better chance of the embryo attaching to the womb. Read more about the embryo scratch on our website.
The experience with the HSFC team
“Everyone we dealt with was just wonderful. From the Doctors and Nurses to the people in Reception. They looked after me so well, especially as I was scared of needles so needed a lot of extra time and patience”, recalls Kaylie.
A sibling for Daniel?
“This is something we have discussed many times, but we just don’t know if we can go through it all again. Going through fertility treatment is so hard, emotionally, mentally and physically,” recalls Kaylie. “Daniel is our miracle baby and I couldn’t ask for more.”
A message for other couples
“The number one piece of advice we would offer would be, if you can afford it, just go private”. Jason and Kaylie tell us that although the NHS did all they could, the waiting times for referrals were just too long. “If we had stuck with the NHS, would our outcome have been the same? Who knows? We’re just so glad we found HSFC”. The couple tell us that they were also blown away by the state-of-the-art facilities at HSFC.
At the time of this interview, it was National Fertility Awareness Week and so we asked Kaylie and Jason to sum up their fertility journey in 5 words.
“We don’t have just 5 words to explain all that we have been through, but I can say that it has been an emotional rollercoaster with lots of happy and lots of sad times, however I wouldn’t change it now as I have Daniel”, says Jason.
If, after reading Kaylie and Jason’s story, you would like to come for a fertility check-up, or to start your journey to parenthood, don’t hesitate to get in contact with our caring and supportive team today.
