'I'm pregnant with twins thanks to IVF!'
We tried to get pregnant naturally for seven years and it was heartbreaking. I cried for days every month when my period came and my husband Luke found it doubly hard, comforting me and dealing with his own unhappiness.
The worst thing was the doctors couldn't tell us why we couldn't conceive. All the tests showed we were normal - it was just 'unexplained infertility'.
Every time a friend of family member, fell pregnant, it got harder and harder. It got to the point where I'd feel like battering pregnant women I was so jealous. I couldn't even bring myself to see my niece and nephew when they were little babies.
We'd talked about IVF but were really reluctant to try it. We didn't have the money for a start but also my friend Danielle had gone through it six times before it finally worked and we'd seen what it did to her.
But when I inherited some money from my gran, we decided to give it a go. I was in my mid thirties already and I knew it was now or never. We decided to go private to give ourselves the best shot. It cost £3700 for just one go! It meant the pressure was huge but we tried to stay calm.
I had to take what's called a 'down-regging' drug to shut down my reproductive system. You take it in the form of a nasal spray then when the time's right, you start injecting to kick-start your body into ovulating again.
I had to keep going for blood tests and scans to check my eggs were growing. I didn't want to tell my boss what we were doing so that was another good thing about going private - they could give me really early morning appointments.
They put me under general anaesthetic to harvest the eggs. They ended up removing about 18 but only fertilised six. Two days later, I went to have them inserted. It was only like having a smear test done.
The next two weeks were the longest of my life. When I finally did a pregnancy test, I didn't think for one minute it would have worked. When it turned positive, I did four more tests before I believed it.
Luke was over the moon like me. Then six weeks later I went for a scan and they found two heartbeats not one! I'm having twins! They're due in January and everyone's so excited, especially my mum. I'd tell anyone thinking of trying IVF to have a go but be warned, it is a rollercoaster. I don't know how we'd have coped if it hadn't worked - emotionally or financially.
Sarah Leech, 36, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne
By Sarah Leech
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Vesper, 17 days [Offensive? Unsuitable? Report this comment.]
My first try with IVF and 6 weeks 2 days pregnant with twins.