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Success Stories – Molly and Jake
Molly and Jake share their journey with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) that led to the arrival of their baby, Lily.
Jake
“Molly and I met while teaching at a secondary school near Oxford. After buying a house and getting married, we faced challenges conceiving. I had an undescended testicle as a child, which affected my fertility. That’s when we started considering IVF.”
“The lockdown put our plans on hold, but once the clinics reopened, we were ready to go. We discovered Oxford Fertility on our own, not realizing how fortunate we were to have it nearby, unlike some friends who had to travel far.”
“We decided to fund the process privately since the NHS required us to try conceiving naturally for two years first. I underwent a semen analysis and was relieved to find I had enough quality sperm to proceed. Initially, we knew little about ICSI, but the clinic recommended it, and it truly changed our lives. In this procedure, they inject a single sperm into an egg, ensuring fertilization occurs. We ended up with nine fertilized eggs, three of which reached day five.”
Molly
“The egg collection was a bit uncomfortable, but the transfer felt fine—like having a smear test. Unfortunately, our first cycle didn’t succeed; the embryo wasn’t meant to be. The second cycle was easier since we already had two embryos ready to go. They timed the transfer perfectly with my cycle. After the first attempt, my period started just before the pregnancy test, but this time, I decided to test early.”
“I can’t explain it, but I felt different this time. As soon as we left the clinic, I felt slightly lightheaded. A few days before the official test date, I took a home pregnancy test in dim light, waiting nervously for the results. I thought I saw a faint line and called out to Jake, ‘Do you see this? Two lines mean I’m pregnant!’ We could just make out two lines.”
“After that, I kept testing to confirm. When the day arrived for the official test, I was thrilled to find out I was pregnant!”
“The first 16 weeks were tough—I experienced significant nausea and heartburn. But the last few months were wonderful as my bump grew and I could feel Lily kicking.”
“I had hoped to give birth at the Wantage maternity unit with a water birth, but plans changed. After 36 hours of labor, I ended up delivering at the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford. My waters broke, but contractions hadn’t started, so I needed antibiotics to prevent infection. Despite our meticulous planning, that’s how Lily came into the world.”
Jake
“Now, she’s eight months old and loves her food—she’s quite the eater! We’ve tried 94 different foods so far, and she’s especially fond of Weetabix. She can eat as much as an adult!”
“She’s at the crawling stage, but she crawls backward, which can be frustrating for her when she wants to explore something.”
“I appreciated the honesty of the clinic; they’re straightforward and don’t sugarcoat anything. We’re now considering another round of IVF since we lost the first embryo and used the other two. We’ll need to start fresh.”
Molly
“I’d prefer to do it sooner rather than later. Even though the clinic made everything easier, it was still challenging. We want to get it done without it looming over us. As both teachers, we’re thinking of scheduling this during the summer break when we have more time.”
“Most of our experience with the clinic happened during lockdown, so the waiting room was essentially our car. It could have felt formal, but the staff made sure we felt supported. I had to attend many appointments without Jake, but I never felt alone.”
In conclusion, Molly and Jake’s journey highlights the emotional rollercoaster of fertility treatments, but also the joy when it results in a bundle of joy like little Lily. If you’re exploring your own options, you might find this blog post on intracervical insemination helpful. Additionally, for more insights on insemination techniques, check out this authority on the topic. And if you’re looking for a comprehensive resource for donor insemination, American Pregnancy offers excellent information.