When Laura and her partner Sam first started trying for a baby, they imagined it would happen fairly quickly. Like so many people, they were fit, healthy and hopeful, picturing a future that felt just within reach.
But their journey to parenthood took them through years of trying, two pregnancy losses, NHS funding delays, a diagnosis Laura had never heard of before, and eventually IVF treatment at Care Fertility Woking.
Here, Laura tells their story, from the heartbreak of pregnancy loss and years of uncertainty to IVF with Care Fertility Woking, and the arrival of their baby girl, Cleo.
Thinking we’d have a baby by Christmas
In December 2020, my then boyfriend, now husband, Sam and I decided we wanted to start a family.
We were so naïve. We were both fit and healthy, and we thought it would be straightforward. In our heads, we’d probably have our baby by Christmas.
Oh, how wrong we were.
Our first pregnancy and a heartbreaking loss
We finally fell pregnant in August 2021 and were so excited. Yes, it had taken a little longer than we first thought, but we didn’t mind. We had just bought our house and couldn’t wait to welcome a baby into it nine months later.
Sadly, in October, we experienced a missed miscarriage, which completely devastated us.
We had seen a heartbeat at an early scan at seven weeks, but our baby stopped growing a week later. A trip to A&E the day before our 12-week scan confirmed that we had lost our baby.
I had never even heard the term “missed miscarriage” before, so learning what it meant while experiencing it was one of the hardest things we’ve ever had to deal with. We were told the miscarriage was likely due to chromosomal abnormalities, and that nothing we had done had caused it. That helped a little, but it didn’t make the heartbreak any easier.
Starting fertility testing
In January 2022, we went to the GP to get the ball rolling with fertility testing, as we had been trying for over a year with no baby to show for it.
We had various blood tests, a sperm analysis for Sam and internal scans for me. Our results came back as “normal”, apart from my HSG test, which led to an MRI scan. That scan confirmed I had a unicornuate uterus, something I had never even heard of before. Google told me it only affects around 0.4% of the population.
Despite this, my “unicorn”, which means I only have one fallopian tube and “half” a womb, still left us with a diagnosis of unexplained infertility. We were told to keep trying and hope for the best while we waited to become eligible for NHS IVF funding.
Waiting for NHS funding
In our ICB, the criteria meant we had to have been trying for three years before we could receive NHS funding. So, in January 2024, we finally had our application submitted.
It was quickly rejected.
It turned out that a miscarriage resets the calendar. It felt so unfair that our heartbreaking pregnancy loss two and a half years earlier meant we were even further away from trying to grow our family through science, but there we had it. We were told we could reapply in October 2024, three years after our missed miscarriage.
Another positive test, and another loss
In what felt like a stroke of luck, we got another positive pregnancy test in April 2024, just a few months after our funding had been rejected.
We thought this meant we wouldn’t have to go through IVF after all.
Sadly, that pregnancy ended as quickly as it started. I had a bleed at seven weeks and was diagnosed with a pregnancy of unknown location. All my hormones were saying baby, but my uterus was saying otherwise.
Finally starting IVF with Care Fertility
In October 2024, our NHS funding was finally approved, and we were keen to start our IVF journey as soon as possible.
From the moment we stepped into Care Fertility Woking, we felt at ease. We were excited that we were finally going to make our baby, with a little help from science.
Even though we were NHS-funded patients, we were treated just like anyone else, with kindness, compassion and care.
Egg collection, OHSS and freezing our embryos
In January 2025, I started stimulation medication to prepare for our egg collection on 12 February.
I was told I was at high risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, or OHSS, another medical term I had never heard of. But the nurses and doctors at Care Fertility made me feel calm and informed about what it could mean.
After my egg retrieval, as expected, I developed OHSS. This meant we had an all-freeze cycle, and our six day-five embryos were sent to the freezer.
Although it wasn’t recommended because I was under 35, we chose to have PGT-A testing on our embryos. Given our previous losses, we wanted to do everything we could to give ourselves the best chance of success. I’m so glad we made that decision.
Why PGT-A felt right for us
We found out that our best visually graded embryo was chromosomally abnormal.
Our Care Fertility consultant told us that without PGT-A testing, it was highly likely this embryo would have been chosen for transfer. If it had implanted, it may well have ended in another miscarriage.
After testing, we had four chromosomally normal embryos.
On 11 April 2025, we had one transferred, quickly followed by McDonald’s fries.
Laura and Sam’s journey included IVF injections, waiting, hope and eventually celebrating their pregnancy with their family.
Pregnant again
I couldn’t believe it when we got our positive test eight days later. Yes, we tested a little earlier than we were told to. We were pregnant again, and we were hoping with everything we had that this would be third time lucky.
At six weeks, I experienced a bleed and instantly called Care Fertility. They had me in for a scan within an hour, which thankfully showed nothing of too much concern. They brought me back for another scan the following week, and again the week after that.
I couldn’t have been more grateful for how they helped ease my anxiety during those early weeks of pregnancy.
Welcoming our baby girl
On 16 December 2025, after a scheduled C-section because our breech baby couldn’t turn due to the limited space in my unicornuate uterus, we welcomed our baby girl, Cleo.
It truly was third time lucky.
We couldn’t be more grateful to Care Fertility for helping us have our double rainbow baby. We even have three of her siblings on ice, perhaps for another day.
After IVF treatment with Care Fertility Woking, Laura and Sam welcomed their baby girl, Cleo.
Looking back on our IVF journey
Our IVF experience was amazing from the very beginning. I never felt daunted by the process, and I always felt at ease.
My advice to anyone going through IVF is to trust your gut. Yes, the doctors know the scientific side, and without them none of this would have been possible, but you know your journey too.
Even though PGT-A testing wasn’t recommended for us, we knew it was the right decision and the right added expense for our situation. We couldn’t face the thought of another loss, and our gut told us to test our embryos.
And also, on transfer day, eat those fries.
The moment Laura and Sam had waited years for, bringing baby Cleo home.
We’re here when you’re ready
Laura and Sam’s story shows how different every fertility journey can be. There can be waiting, heartbreak, uncertainty and decisions you never expected to make. But with the right support, you don’t have to work through it all on your own.
At Care Fertility, we’ll take the time to understand your story, arrange the right fertility tests before your doctor consultation, and help you understand your results, options and next steps with care and clarity.
To speak to our team, call 0800 564 2270 or click here to get in touch
