0:00:02 > 0:00:04She's a little pumpkin, my God.
0:00:04 > 0:00:05Super-cute.
0:00:06 > 0:00:07We'd just got married
0:00:07 > 0:00:10and then, inevitably, the questions start,
0:00:10 > 0:00:11literally a week later -
0:00:11 > 0:00:14"When are we going to hear the pitter-patter of tiny feet?
0:00:14 > 0:00:17"Are you trying? Do you want children?"
0:00:17 > 0:00:22Now that Charlie and I are married, we do want to try and have a family.
0:00:22 > 0:00:26You know, it's really funny, because you spend your entire life
0:00:26 > 0:00:28trying not to become pregnant
0:00:28 > 0:00:31and, suddenly, everything changes.
0:00:33 > 0:00:35Settling down in our late 30s
0:00:35 > 0:00:39means that falling pregnant isn't something we can take for granted.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46Around 3.5 million people in the UK have difficulty conceiving a child
0:00:46 > 0:00:50and, as I'm 38, I'm concerned that I might, too.
0:00:51 > 0:00:56My main fear is realising too far down the line
0:00:56 > 0:00:58that it's actually not working.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05So I'm on a mission to find out more about fertility.
0:01:06 > 0:01:10It can be an issue for people of all ages, but these days,
0:01:10 > 0:01:13more women over 40 are having babies than those under 20.
0:01:15 > 0:01:17And that's possible
0:01:17 > 0:01:20because the science of fertility is keeping pace.
0:01:20 > 0:01:22This is where the magic happens.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25So I'm going to investigate
0:01:25 > 0:01:27what pioneering science is doing to help.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31This is personalised medicine.
0:01:31 > 0:01:33'I'll find out how cutting-edge techniques
0:01:33 > 0:01:37'are giving everyone new hope of having children...'
0:01:37 > 0:01:40Essentially, this is where life is created, in this room.
0:01:40 > 0:01:41Pretty much.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44'..even transplants for those born without a womb...'
0:01:44 > 0:01:46I think it's going to be a routine procedure
0:01:46 > 0:01:48in five to ten years.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51'..and how we can all keep our eggs and sperm healthy.'
0:01:52 > 0:01:55Let's get some tests done.
0:01:55 > 0:02:00'I'm even going to take the plunge to find out how fertile I am.'
0:02:00 > 0:02:01Oh, wow!
0:02:08 > 0:02:10- 20 seconds.- Cheers.
0:02:11 > 0:02:13'Today, we make a lot of choices -
0:02:13 > 0:02:16'choices about our career, our partner
0:02:16 > 0:02:19'and when we feel ready to have a baby.'
0:02:19 > 0:02:21Shadow, the black Labrador...
0:02:21 > 0:02:25'And often, that means starting a family later in life.'
0:02:29 > 0:02:31At 38, I'm leaving it later than many
0:02:31 > 0:02:34and I'm beginning to wonder about my biological clock.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42'So, where better to start than by asking my mother and sister
0:02:42 > 0:02:44'about their experiences of having a family?
0:02:46 > 0:02:49'So I've popped back to Jen's house in Cardiff
0:02:49 > 0:02:51'for a chat and a slice of cake.'
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Most people got married very early 20s -
0:02:57 > 0:03:00even at 23, people gave me funny looks, as if...
0:03:00 > 0:03:02"Oh, she's not getting married until she's 23."
0:03:02 > 0:03:05- Things have changed. - I know, they have changed.
0:03:05 > 0:03:06They have changed.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08- 23 is so young, though, isn't it? - Yeah.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10But obviously you can't do anything
0:03:10 > 0:03:13until you meet the right man, can you?
0:03:13 > 0:03:15No, and it just took me absolutely ages.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19- Yeah, yeah.- Fussy.- Fussy!
0:03:19 > 0:03:21SHE LAUGHS
0:03:21 > 0:03:25We had you at 25 and I was considered an old mum then.
0:03:25 > 0:03:28- Were you?!- Yes, at 25.- Wow.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31But I'd always planned to have my children before I was 30.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33Oh, right. What about you, then, Jen?
0:03:33 > 0:03:38- So you were 31 when you fell pregnant with Dash.- Yeah.
0:03:38 > 0:03:43What about conceiving Indy, then? Was that planned? Was it a choice?
0:03:43 > 0:03:46- It happened very quickly. - That happened quite easily, then.
0:03:46 > 0:03:48Easy-peasy.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Yes, but for all sorts of reasons, you haven't got time to hang around.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53You've got to consider,
0:03:53 > 0:03:55I was quite early having the menopause,
0:03:55 > 0:03:58I started the menopause at 44.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01- That's really young.- That is young.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04- Gosh - I mean, that's six years away.- Yes, so...
0:04:04 > 0:04:05Quick!
0:04:07 > 0:04:09'I had no idea my mother was so young
0:04:09 > 0:04:11'when she went through the menopause.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15'I don't suppose it's something you talk about, normally.'
0:04:16 > 0:04:20At 44, the number of eggs left in her ovaries had run so low
0:04:20 > 0:04:24that any chance of a natural pregnancy had virtually gone.
0:04:24 > 0:04:28If I take after her, it could mean that I have just six years
0:04:28 > 0:04:30to have a family of my own.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34For some reason, I just thought I was invincible, really,
0:04:34 > 0:04:38and didn't think that there was a cut-off point,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41but that really hit home.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44And I just suppose it goes to show that, you know,
0:04:44 > 0:04:48some people's biological clock ticks for a lot longer than others,
0:04:48 > 0:04:51and I'm just crossing my fingers
0:04:51 > 0:04:54that mine ticks for as long as we need it to tick!
0:04:56 > 0:04:59Most of us know that as we get older,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02the number of eggs in our ovaries decreases,
0:05:02 > 0:05:05but I want to find out exactly how age affects my chances
0:05:05 > 0:05:07of having a baby.
0:05:07 > 0:05:09So I'm meeting Professor Tim Child,
0:05:09 > 0:05:12a consultant in reproductive medicine.
0:05:13 > 0:05:17Now, somebody told me, and it scared the living daylights out of me,
0:05:17 > 0:05:19they said, "Alex, do you know that your fertility
0:05:19 > 0:05:22- "will literally fall off a cliff after 35?"- Yeah.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24- Tell me it's not true. - It's not true.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26During someone's 20s,
0:05:26 > 0:05:30About 90%, 95% of people will get pregnant after a year of trying,
0:05:30 > 0:05:33during early 30s, 85% to 90%,
0:05:33 > 0:05:37- late 30s, 75% to 80% chance of getting pregnant...- Oh.
0:05:37 > 0:05:39..but the risk of miscarriage does go up.
0:05:39 > 0:05:41Early 40s, you may be heading down
0:05:41 > 0:05:43towards a 50% chance of getting pregnant over a year.
0:05:43 > 0:05:44Mum recently told me
0:05:44 > 0:05:47that she started going through the menopause at 44,
0:05:47 > 0:05:48which was a huge shock to me,
0:05:48 > 0:05:50because that's really early, isn't it?
0:05:50 > 0:05:52In the UK, the average age is about 51.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55Women are born with 2 million or 3 million eggs in their ovaries.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58The numbers of eggs are actually not used up by ovulating them.
0:05:58 > 0:05:59Most of those eggs just die off -
0:05:59 > 0:06:01so they're not being used, they just die off.
0:06:01 > 0:06:03Once women get down to a few thousand eggs,
0:06:03 > 0:06:05then the menopause happens.
0:06:05 > 0:06:10The big question for me, Tim - is menopause hereditary?
0:06:10 > 0:06:12As with many things, if there's something in the family history,
0:06:12 > 0:06:15it can increase the chances of it happening to close relatives.
0:06:15 > 0:06:17Certainly, it can be a risk factor
0:06:17 > 0:06:19if someone has had a premature menopause,
0:06:19 > 0:06:22it could increase the chances for a daughter.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25But it does not mean they WILL have an earlier menopause.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32There's no way of knowing if I will follow in my mum's footsteps,
0:06:32 > 0:06:36but there is a chance I could have an early menopause.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38So I'm on my way to Hammersmith Hospital
0:06:38 > 0:06:42to find out how healthy my ovaries are.
0:06:42 > 0:06:45There are tests available to anyone, no matter what your age -
0:06:45 > 0:06:49just ask your GP for them if you're having problems conceiving.
0:06:50 > 0:06:53And the examination I'm having today
0:06:53 > 0:06:56could reveal my chances of becoming pregnant.
0:06:56 > 0:06:57Here goes.
0:06:57 > 0:07:01Well, first of all, we do two basic tests.
0:07:01 > 0:07:02One's a blood test,
0:07:02 > 0:07:06which looks at your ovarian health in several different ways.
0:07:06 > 0:07:10The second is an ultrasound scan which, first of all,
0:07:10 > 0:07:13looks at the general gynaecological health of the pelvis
0:07:13 > 0:07:16to see whether there's any ovarian cysts or fibroids present,
0:07:16 > 0:07:20but also, specifically on the fertility side,
0:07:20 > 0:07:23it looks at what's called the antral follicle count.
0:07:23 > 0:07:26That tells us if the reserve of eggs is good.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29So, between what we see with the ultrasound and the blood test,
0:07:29 > 0:07:31that's probably the most powerful predictor
0:07:31 > 0:07:35of the health of the ovaries that we've got at this stage.
0:07:35 > 0:07:38Well, let's start at the beginning, then, and get some tests done.
0:07:38 > 0:07:40Hi there, come in.
0:07:40 > 0:07:41Hello. Hi.
0:07:41 > 0:07:43'A blood test will help work out
0:07:43 > 0:07:45'whether or not I'm close to the menopause,
0:07:45 > 0:07:49'by checking whether I have a healthy reserve of eggs left.'
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Do you want to look to the side and think of something nice?
0:07:52 > 0:07:55- Yes, OK, I will think of something nice.- OK.
0:07:55 > 0:07:57- All done here. - Thank you very much.
0:07:59 > 0:08:02The more eggs that remain inside a woman's ovaries,
0:08:02 > 0:08:05the further the woman is from the menopause.
0:08:08 > 0:08:12The eggs develop within cells which produce a hormone called AMH,
0:08:12 > 0:08:15and it's this hormone that's being tested,
0:08:15 > 0:08:17to see if I have a healthy level.
0:08:20 > 0:08:23I'm also going to have a more intrusive ultrasound,
0:08:23 > 0:08:27to scan my womb lining and check my ovaries.
0:08:27 > 0:08:28Come through.
0:08:28 > 0:08:30'It should be able to tell me
0:08:30 > 0:08:32'if I'm still maturing a healthy number
0:08:32 > 0:08:34'of between 10 and 30 eggs a month
0:08:34 > 0:08:38'but could also reveal whether there are any other problems.'
0:08:41 > 0:08:45Over one in three women develop fibroids,
0:08:45 > 0:08:47benign growths in the womb,
0:08:47 > 0:08:50while around one in seven have polycystic ovary syndrome,
0:08:50 > 0:08:54a hormonal condition that affects how the ovaries produce eggs.
0:08:56 > 0:09:00Conditions like these can make becoming pregnant more difficult...
0:09:00 > 0:09:02or impossible.
0:09:02 > 0:09:04But they can respond to treatment.
0:09:09 > 0:09:12I'll have to wait a few days for my results.
0:09:12 > 0:09:15In the meantime, I want to find out what else I can do
0:09:15 > 0:09:17to improve my chances of conceiving.
0:09:18 > 0:09:20- Hello, Zita. - Hi, Alex, lovely to meet you.
0:09:20 > 0:09:22Lovely to meet you.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25- Well, what a nice office you have, Zita!- I know.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28Midwife Zita West advises couples,
0:09:28 > 0:09:30especially those in their 30s and 40s,
0:09:30 > 0:09:31who want to have a baby.
0:09:33 > 0:09:35So, if Charlie and I came in to see you,
0:09:35 > 0:09:40what sort of areas would be the first areas we'd be looking at?
0:09:40 > 0:09:41Age is the biggest factor
0:09:41 > 0:09:45and I think, for today's women, they look absolutely fantastic.
0:09:45 > 0:09:47I mean, you're 38 - you don't look 38.
0:09:47 > 0:09:48Oh, thank you, Zita!
0:09:48 > 0:09:53But it's understanding that your body and your eggs are still older.
0:09:53 > 0:09:57How can we maximise our chances?
0:09:57 > 0:09:58Have as much sex as you can.
0:09:58 > 0:10:01- Lovely.- Really, really important.
0:10:01 > 0:10:04But also, everybody's got a weak area in their lives,
0:10:04 > 0:10:05so look at your stress levels -
0:10:05 > 0:10:08you seem very relaxed and laid-back to me.
0:10:08 > 0:10:11You also seem very optimistic, which is a good thing.
0:10:11 > 0:10:15Alcohol, cigarettes, really cleaning up your lifestyle.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Look at your diet and look at the weak areas there.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22One of the things we do here is we test everybody for vitamin D.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25You know, vitamin D now is linked to fertility
0:10:25 > 0:10:27and many women and men are deficient in vitamin D.
0:10:27 > 0:10:29So making sure you're getting key nutrients
0:10:29 > 0:10:33from a wide range of food is really, really important.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35It's about building your reserves up.
0:10:35 > 0:10:37To get pregnant, it does require energy.
0:10:37 > 0:10:39I'm amazed at some of the couples I see
0:10:39 > 0:10:42that work really long hours, absolutely running on empty,
0:10:42 > 0:10:44and they're exhausted.
0:10:44 > 0:10:49'An initial consultation at Zita's clinic costs £240
0:10:49 > 0:10:51'and is very comprehensive.'
0:10:52 > 0:10:53Yeah...
0:10:53 > 0:10:57'But this kind of information is also available through your GP.'
0:10:57 > 0:10:59OK, great.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04'Luckily, I've always had a pretty healthy diet and enjoyed exercise,
0:11:04 > 0:11:06'although there's always more you can do
0:11:06 > 0:11:08'to improve your overall health.'
0:11:11 > 0:11:13But having a baby is a double act,
0:11:13 > 0:11:18so I want to discover all I can about male fertility, too.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23My husband, Charlie, is 37.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26So is age as important for men as it is for women?
0:11:26 > 0:11:29And what effect could a man's lifestyle have on his fertility?
0:11:31 > 0:11:32Charlie does the cooking.
0:11:32 > 0:11:37He used to be a chef, so he's...he's a very good cook.
0:11:37 > 0:11:39It's the only reason I married him.
0:11:39 > 0:11:40No, it's not.
0:11:40 > 0:11:44I've read that working in intense heat
0:11:44 > 0:11:46can actually affect your sperm count.
0:11:46 > 0:11:50I mean, that was a long time ago and he's worked in an office
0:11:50 > 0:11:52for, I suppose...
0:11:52 > 0:11:55Well, since I've known him, for about six or seven years, now.
0:11:55 > 0:11:57So it might not be relevant.
0:11:57 > 0:11:59But it might be, who knows?
0:11:59 > 0:12:01It would just be good to get the lowdown on sperm.
0:12:07 > 0:12:09I've come to the University of Sheffield
0:12:09 > 0:12:11to meet Professor Allan Pacey.
0:12:13 > 0:12:15That actually is really nice.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19He investigates what can have an impact on sperm quality
0:12:19 > 0:12:21and he reckons that age is a crucial factor,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24which is a new one on me.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26Age does affect male fertility,
0:12:26 > 0:12:29but not quite in the same way that it does in women.
0:12:29 > 0:12:31So men don't have the equivalent of a menopause.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35- Right.- But we know that men above the age of 40
0:12:35 > 0:12:39are about half as fertile as men under the age of 25.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42- Really?- They may have the same numbers of sperm,
0:12:42 > 0:12:46but the quality of the sperm in the 40-or-above-year-olds
0:12:46 > 0:12:49may be less good at the genetic level,
0:12:49 > 0:12:50compared to the younger chap.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52We can see this in many ways.
0:12:52 > 0:12:57We do detect more miscarriages in women who become pregnant
0:12:57 > 0:12:59through older men's sperm,
0:12:59 > 0:13:01in comparison to younger men's sperm.
0:13:01 > 0:13:02See, that's interesting,
0:13:02 > 0:13:04because we tend to think of a miscarriage
0:13:04 > 0:13:07as being the female's problem.
0:13:07 > 0:13:10- Indeed.- That's the first time I've heard somebody say that.
0:13:10 > 0:13:11But there's a lot of evidence now
0:13:11 > 0:13:14to show that the quality of the sperm has a bearing
0:13:14 > 0:13:17on how likely a miscarriage is to happen.
0:13:17 > 0:13:21There are many factors that affect a man's fertility.
0:13:21 > 0:13:22One of the important things
0:13:22 > 0:13:25that defines whether a man is fertile or not,
0:13:25 > 0:13:28or whether he produces lots of sperm or not so many sperm,
0:13:28 > 0:13:30are the size of his testicles.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32- Right.- To illustrate the point,
0:13:32 > 0:13:37I've actually brought a set of testicle-sizing beads.
0:13:37 > 0:13:39- It's like a necklace!- It is a bit like a necklace, isn't it?
0:13:39 > 0:13:42- OK.- We call this an orchidometer
0:13:42 > 0:13:46and this allows a doctor to assess how big a man's testicles are,
0:13:46 > 0:13:51by simply holding it next to the chap's testicles.
0:13:51 > 0:13:53That must be a lovely job!
0:13:53 > 0:13:56This is the testicle size you'd expect a young boy to have,
0:13:56 > 0:13:58but then, as he goes through puberty,
0:13:58 > 0:14:00the size of his testicles will increase
0:14:00 > 0:14:03and we would expect that the bigger testicle
0:14:03 > 0:14:06would be producing more sperm than the little testicle.
0:14:06 > 0:14:09So if a man's testicles grow to this kind of size,
0:14:09 > 0:14:12he'll have a much higher sperm production rate
0:14:12 > 0:14:15than if his testicles grow to this size.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18And that, really, is predetermined by his genes
0:14:18 > 0:14:21and by factors that happened when he was put together
0:14:21 > 0:14:23as a foetus inside his mother's womb.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26It's common sense, really, I suppose, isn't it?
0:14:26 > 0:14:28Think about it in terms...
0:14:28 > 0:14:30How big are they and how much can you get in them?
0:14:30 > 0:14:31Absolutely, it's like car factories -
0:14:31 > 0:14:33if you've got a bigger car factory,
0:14:33 > 0:14:34you'll make more cars per unit of time
0:14:34 > 0:14:36than if you've got a small car factory.
0:14:36 > 0:14:38Allan also investigates
0:14:38 > 0:14:41how a man's sperm can be affected by his lifestyle.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45And for certain men, changing it could be critical.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48There will be some men who have big testicles
0:14:48 > 0:14:49who produce lots of sperm,
0:14:49 > 0:14:52where lifestyle will have a small effect.
0:14:52 > 0:14:53But there will obviously be some men
0:14:53 > 0:14:56whose sperm production isn't as good as it could be,
0:14:56 > 0:14:59and what they then do is damage it further...
0:14:59 > 0:15:02- Right, OK. - ..by doing unhealthy things
0:15:02 > 0:15:04or being in an occupation which is at risk.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09To study risk factors linked to lifestyle,
0:15:09 > 0:15:11Allan is running a series of experiments.
0:15:11 > 0:15:15- Jacob.- Hi.- Nice to see you. - How's it going?- Come this way.
0:15:15 > 0:15:17- Take a seat.- Thank you.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20Every day, his lab welcomes volunteers
0:15:20 > 0:15:21who are willing to provide
0:15:21 > 0:15:23the raw material he needs for his work.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28Ten microlitres on the slide, cover slip, have a look.
0:15:28 > 0:15:32Allan has studied sperm samples from over 2,000 men.
0:15:32 > 0:15:37He judges the health of the sperm by how far and fast they swim.
0:15:38 > 0:15:42I'm going to move it along cos they've been zipping up here.
0:15:43 > 0:15:47He puts some of each volunteer's sperm into a glass tube
0:15:47 > 0:15:50and measures how many reach the top in 30 minutes.
0:15:55 > 0:15:57These sperm are much more meandery.
0:15:58 > 0:16:00Oh, that's lovely as well.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06So far, he's discovered that being exposed to certain chemicals,
0:16:06 > 0:16:08as painters and decorators
0:16:08 > 0:16:11or those working in the printing industry can be,
0:16:11 > 0:16:12could harm sperm quality.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18Other factors, such as wearing tight underwear,
0:16:18 > 0:16:21sitting down a lot, or working in a hot environment
0:16:21 > 0:16:24can also have a detrimental effect on sperm,
0:16:24 > 0:16:27because they raise the temperature of the testicles.
0:16:31 > 0:16:33My husband, Charlie, used to be a chef.
0:16:33 > 0:16:35- Mm-hm.- Is that going to cause problems, do you think?
0:16:35 > 0:16:38For the duration of time you're working in that environment,
0:16:38 > 0:16:42it's possible your sperm quality or your sperm production
0:16:42 > 0:16:43will be impaired.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47In fact, the ideal temperature for sperm production
0:16:47 > 0:16:49is around 35 Celsius -
0:16:49 > 0:16:52a couple of degrees below body temperature.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55That's why a man's testicles are on the outside.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59Anything that increases their temperature harms the sperm.
0:17:00 > 0:17:05The good news is risk factors like heat are very reversible.
0:17:05 > 0:17:09So if you stop the exposure, if you go to another job,
0:17:09 > 0:17:14then the likelihood is that your sperm production will increase
0:17:14 > 0:17:17to the point that then is natural for you.
0:17:18 > 0:17:22A man keeps producing new sperm throughout his life
0:17:22 > 0:17:25and the good news is that anything that harms it
0:17:25 > 0:17:27only really affects the existing batch.
0:17:27 > 0:17:29Once that problem's resolved,
0:17:29 > 0:17:31it should take about two or three months
0:17:31 > 0:17:33for the sperm quality to recover.
0:17:33 > 0:17:35BABY LAUGHS
0:17:39 > 0:17:42So there are some pretty simple things you can do
0:17:42 > 0:17:44to increase your chances of conceiving,
0:17:44 > 0:17:46both as a man and a woman.
0:17:46 > 0:17:48But what if it's not enough?
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Millions of people in the UK who struggle with fertility
0:18:01 > 0:18:03turn to science for help
0:18:03 > 0:18:07and try a technique like in vitro fertilisation, or IVF.
0:18:08 > 0:18:12The first IVF baby was born in 1978,
0:18:12 > 0:18:15after more than 100 attempts with the new technology.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18Since then, over 6 million IVF babies
0:18:18 > 0:18:20have been born worldwide.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26Your chance of having IVF on the NHS
0:18:26 > 0:18:29depends on how old you are and where you live.
0:18:29 > 0:18:32It's very variable.
0:18:32 > 0:18:33If you're under 40,
0:18:33 > 0:18:37the NHS can provide from none up to three cycles
0:18:37 > 0:18:42and for those in their early 40s, it could be one or none.
0:18:42 > 0:18:44If you choose to go private,
0:18:44 > 0:18:48IVF could set you back around £5,000 per cycle.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50OK, Alex, come on through.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55- This is where the magic happens. - Oh, wow!
0:18:55 > 0:18:59'Dr Cristina Hickman creates under a microscope
0:18:59 > 0:19:01'what usually happens inside a woman's body.'
0:19:03 > 0:19:04We have a dish like this
0:19:04 > 0:19:07where we would have the eggs and the sperm inside.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13She's working to push IVF science forward.
0:19:14 > 0:19:19The important thing is we are helping the sperm and these eggs
0:19:19 > 0:19:23get together when they wouldn't naturally be able to do that.
0:19:25 > 0:19:28Essentially, this is where life is created, in this room.
0:19:28 > 0:19:29Pretty much, yes.
0:19:31 > 0:19:35In the early '80s, IVF success rates averaged 10%.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39Today, it's well over 30% for women under 35,
0:19:39 > 0:19:42although rates fall as you get older
0:19:42 > 0:19:45to about one in ten for women in their early 40s.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50IVF success rates have been rising constantly,
0:19:50 > 0:19:54as new techniques have been introduced and improved.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58With ICSI, intracytoplasmic sperm injection,
0:19:58 > 0:20:01sperm can now be injected straight into the egg
0:20:01 > 0:20:03using a tube the thickness of a hair.
0:20:04 > 0:20:07OK, so this is how the IVF happens.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10This helps when sperm quality is poor
0:20:10 > 0:20:12and they don't easily penetrate the egg.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15And the egg still needs to go through the process
0:20:15 > 0:20:17of accepting the sperm inside.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19But we have improved the odds of it happening
0:20:19 > 0:20:22by putting them together in the same place.
0:20:23 > 0:20:27If the egg is fertilised, the cells will begin to divide
0:20:27 > 0:20:29and the egg becomes an embryo.
0:20:31 > 0:20:34However, not every embryo created in the lab
0:20:34 > 0:20:37will lead on to a successful pregnancy.
0:20:37 > 0:20:40There may be faults in the embryo's genes,
0:20:40 > 0:20:42problems with the way it develops,
0:20:42 > 0:20:44or it may fail at the next stage,
0:20:44 > 0:20:47which is implanting into the woman's womb.
0:20:48 > 0:20:51But a recent breakthrough has helped increase chances
0:20:51 > 0:20:55of picking a healthy embryo to transfer into the womb.
0:20:56 > 0:20:59A time-lapse camera inside the incubator
0:20:59 > 0:21:01monitors the embryo while it's growing.
0:21:03 > 0:21:05Because it takes pictures every ten minutes,
0:21:05 > 0:21:08you can put a video together and you can see the embryo going on
0:21:08 > 0:21:10from one, to two...
0:21:10 > 0:21:14- Oh, wow! - ..to three cells to four cells
0:21:14 > 0:21:17and it continues, the embryo development.
0:21:17 > 0:21:19This allows the team to check constantly
0:21:19 > 0:21:22whether the embryos are developing correctly
0:21:22 > 0:21:24and which ones look like the best bet.
0:21:26 > 0:21:28But, in this lab, it's also possible
0:21:28 > 0:21:30to see some of the reasons it's more difficult
0:21:30 > 0:21:33to become pregnant as you get older.
0:21:33 > 0:21:36As you age, it's not just the egg quantity that drops -
0:21:36 > 0:21:38it also the egg quality.
0:21:40 > 0:21:43Some eggs collapse as soon as the sperm is injected,
0:21:43 > 0:21:45because their membrane is too soft...
0:21:48 > 0:21:51..while others develop a tougher membrane over time,
0:21:51 > 0:21:53making it difficult to be fertilised,
0:21:53 > 0:21:55as it's harder for the sperm to get in.
0:21:57 > 0:22:01It's not bursting, so this membrane on the top and the bottom,
0:22:01 > 0:22:02it's not letting go.
0:22:02 > 0:22:06This one comes from a woman about my age.
0:22:06 > 0:22:09So would this egg, then, be unlikely to fertilise?
0:22:09 > 0:22:11This one's less likely to fertilise
0:22:11 > 0:22:14and less likely to lead on to a baby.
0:22:19 > 0:22:24Today, it's hit home how fragile our little eggs are
0:22:24 > 0:22:27and how they do age.
0:22:28 > 0:22:32This is the ironic thing - we all feel ten years younger.
0:22:32 > 0:22:36You know, 40 is the new 25 or the new 30.
0:22:36 > 0:22:41But, inside, we're all still the same as we were 100 years ago.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45The trend to have babies later
0:22:45 > 0:22:48means more women are leaving it too late.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51Their eggs are just unable to be fertilised
0:22:51 > 0:22:54and, for some, their eggs have virtually run out.
0:22:57 > 0:23:01But another form of IVF is giving them a real chance to carry a child
0:23:01 > 0:23:06and it's now being used to help over 2,000 women in the UK every year.
0:23:14 > 0:23:16"Mommy and Daddy tried for a long time to have a baby,
0:23:16 > 0:23:18"but when no baby started to grow,
0:23:18 > 0:23:20"we went to the doctor for help."
0:23:20 > 0:23:23Sarah was a sales director at a global company
0:23:23 > 0:23:27and didn't start trying for a family until she married in her 40s.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29But she always wanted children.
0:23:29 > 0:23:33"The doctor said that we couldn't use Mommy's eggs..."
0:23:33 > 0:23:35By then, the condition of her eggs
0:23:35 > 0:23:37meant she couldn't conceive naturally,
0:23:37 > 0:23:39so she turned to an IVF technique
0:23:39 > 0:23:41that doesn't rely on using your own eggs.
0:23:42 > 0:23:45"The doctor said there are some women who are so kind,
0:23:45 > 0:23:50"they want to give one of their eggs to another woman who needs them."
0:23:50 > 0:23:53Sarah used eggs donated by a younger woman
0:23:53 > 0:23:56and it allowed her to have the child she always wanted.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Hello.
0:24:01 > 0:24:03Hi, you!
0:24:03 > 0:24:04Have you gone shy?
0:24:04 > 0:24:07- No!- No?
0:24:07 > 0:24:09- How old are you? - This is Alex, Andre.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12Hello, Andre. Shall we shake hands?
0:24:12 > 0:24:14- How old are you, Andre? - Three.- Three!
0:24:14 > 0:24:16Wow! You're a big boy.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19'Sarah didn't meet her husband until she was 43.'
0:24:19 > 0:24:22We tried to have a baby naturally,
0:24:22 > 0:24:25until I then needed to go to the doctor
0:24:25 > 0:24:30and get a read what my fertility was like at that age.
0:24:30 > 0:24:33I had the test done and it was very clear
0:24:33 > 0:24:36that I had a 2% chance...
0:24:36 > 0:24:38- Oh, gosh.- ..of using my own eggs.
0:24:38 > 0:24:41And with a donor egg, you have a 60% chance.
0:24:41 > 0:24:46And for me, it was a bit of a no-brainer,
0:24:46 > 0:24:52that I can maybe get pregnant and have a baby and become a mother.
0:24:52 > 0:24:57- There's something kind of magical about that.- Yeah, I bet.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01So when you decided that you were going to go for egg donation,
0:25:01 > 0:25:02how does the process start?
0:25:02 > 0:25:04I mean, what does it entail?
0:25:04 > 0:25:08So what happens is they identify the donor.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12You know, they create the embryos with my husband's sperm
0:25:12 > 0:25:15and then they tell you how many embryos you have
0:25:15 > 0:25:19and then you get prepared for those embryos to be placed back.
0:25:19 > 0:25:21- And because...- Mummy?
0:25:21 > 0:25:23- Yes.- There's a bee.
0:25:23 > 0:25:26No, that's just a little fly, it's fine.
0:25:26 > 0:25:31Does it feel strange at all to be carrying an embryo,
0:25:31 > 0:25:33a baby, essentially,
0:25:33 > 0:25:37that genetically wasn't created by yourself?
0:25:37 > 0:25:39I guess...
0:25:39 > 0:25:44because science even allowed me to carry a baby,
0:25:44 > 0:25:48I was just - and continue to be -
0:25:48 > 0:25:52just amazed that I was able to do that.
0:25:53 > 0:25:55'Sarah needed five attempts
0:25:55 > 0:25:59'before an embryo of her husband's sperm and a donor egg
0:25:59 > 0:26:02'was successfully transferred into her womb and implanted there.'
0:26:02 > 0:26:06How did you feel initially when you had the news
0:26:06 > 0:26:08and they said, "It's worked"?
0:26:08 > 0:26:12I had just turned 50, like, two weeks before.
0:26:12 > 0:26:15So I kind of knew, just naturally,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18that it was coming to its natural conclusion.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22And, um...they said, "It's positive", and I...
0:26:22 > 0:26:26Yeah, I just didn't believe it. I just didn't believe it.
0:26:28 > 0:26:29I still don't believe it.
0:26:29 > 0:26:30SHE LAUGHS
0:26:30 > 0:26:33- No! - SARAH LAUGHS
0:26:35 > 0:26:37I'm delighted that, at 50,
0:26:37 > 0:26:41science has enabled Sarah to have the child she always wanted.
0:26:41 > 0:26:46The success rate of IVF with donated eggs average about 40%.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49They largely depend on the age of the egg donor
0:26:49 > 0:26:54and, in the UK, all donors have to be under 35.
0:26:54 > 0:26:56But it comes at a cost.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00In some areas, the NHS does pay for egg donation, but if not,
0:27:00 > 0:27:05going private means adding around £2,000 per IVF cycle
0:27:05 > 0:27:08and it took Sarah several attempts.
0:27:10 > 0:27:11It's been an eye-opener, really,
0:27:11 > 0:27:14because my friends and I used to say,
0:27:14 > 0:27:16"Well, if nothing works, we'll just do IVF".
0:27:16 > 0:27:19We thought it was just a quick-fix solution, really.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22But what I've learned is that it's really difficult,
0:27:22 > 0:27:25both emotionally and physically.
0:27:25 > 0:27:28And, actually, the odds are really stacked against you.
0:27:31 > 0:27:34The success of IVF, with your own or a donor egg,
0:27:34 > 0:27:37depends heavily upon choosing a healthy embryo
0:27:37 > 0:27:39to transfer into the womb.
0:27:39 > 0:27:42If the embryo isn't healthy, it won't implant successfully.
0:27:44 > 0:27:49But an ongoing trial aims to make that critical decision much easier.
0:27:53 > 0:27:57In Oxford, Professor Tim Child is part of this international trial
0:27:57 > 0:27:59which involves screening embryos
0:27:59 > 0:28:01to check they are genetically healthy
0:28:01 > 0:28:04and carry the correct number of chromosomes.
0:28:07 > 0:28:09When we do a normal IVF cycle,
0:28:09 > 0:28:11we just look and see which embryos look best,
0:28:11 > 0:28:14but we've no idea what the genetics are like inside.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17So the embryologist will choose which embryos look best
0:28:17 > 0:28:19to put back into the woman's womb.
0:28:19 > 0:28:24How many on average for, say, a 35-year-old woman would be viable?
0:28:24 > 0:28:27Incredibly, only around half of embryos that couples make
0:28:27 > 0:28:28when a woman's in her mid-30s
0:28:28 > 0:28:30will have the right numbers of chromosomes in.
0:28:30 > 0:28:32As humans, we are fairly inefficient, actually,
0:28:32 > 0:28:34at making healthy embryos.
0:28:34 > 0:28:38I'm flabbergasted that you've just said, you know...
0:28:38 > 0:28:40- 50%.- Half, yeah.
0:28:40 > 0:28:42That's the reason why the success rate drops off.
0:28:42 > 0:28:43We know as women get older,
0:28:43 > 0:28:45the miscarriage rate goes up significantly.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47That's really linked to this,
0:28:47 > 0:28:50it's linked to these embryos having the wrong numbers of chromosomes.
0:28:50 > 0:28:54So what we can do is actually test the genetics of the embryo.
0:28:54 > 0:28:56It's called pre-implantation genetic screening
0:28:56 > 0:29:00and the latest technique is called next-generation sequencing, or NGS.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03So what we do is actually take away
0:29:03 > 0:29:07between two and five of the cells of the embryo from the outside -
0:29:07 > 0:29:09this is what Danielle is doing now.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12So she's sucking them into this tube here?
0:29:12 > 0:29:14There's a pipette that she's sucking a few cells into -
0:29:14 > 0:29:18you can see here, a laser is being used to separate the cells.
0:29:18 > 0:29:20Wow!
0:29:24 > 0:29:26What will happen now is those cells will be passed over
0:29:26 > 0:29:29to the genetics laboratory and they'll undertake
0:29:29 > 0:29:31the next-generation sequencing of those cells
0:29:31 > 0:29:34to see that those cells have the right numbers of chromosomes
0:29:34 > 0:29:36or don't have the right numbers of chromosomes.
0:29:36 > 0:29:39The embryos are frozen while Tim waits to find out
0:29:39 > 0:29:44which ones are normal and do have the correct number of chromosomes.
0:29:44 > 0:29:47Then he and the embryologist will decide which of those
0:29:47 > 0:29:49to transfer into the woman's womb.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55This test is already available privately
0:29:55 > 0:30:00and costs at least £2,000 on top of the IVF cycle.
0:30:00 > 0:30:01But it may be offered by the NHS
0:30:01 > 0:30:04if the trial shows it to be cost-effective.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07So, Tim, is it foolproof?
0:30:07 > 0:30:09In terms of, if you've had the screening done,
0:30:09 > 0:30:14is your embryo definitely healthy and will definitely implant?
0:30:14 > 0:30:19Or, sometimes, does it just not work for however many other reasons?
0:30:19 > 0:30:20We know that if we find an embryo
0:30:20 > 0:30:22that's got the right numbers of chromosomes in
0:30:22 > 0:30:24and is an otherwise healthy-looking embryo,
0:30:24 > 0:30:26when we put that back, the chance of it implanting
0:30:26 > 0:30:28is between 60 and 70%.
0:30:28 > 0:30:30So it's not 100%, but it's certainly much higher
0:30:30 > 0:30:32than just a random embryo.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35And the reasons why it's not 100% would be there are many other things
0:30:35 > 0:30:37that could affect why embryos implant or not.
0:30:39 > 0:30:41So even if doctors select
0:30:41 > 0:30:43a genetically viable embryo to transfer,
0:30:43 > 0:30:46there's still over a 30% chance
0:30:46 > 0:30:48that it won't implant successfully in the womb.
0:30:53 > 0:30:55But in the Spanish city of Valencia,
0:30:55 > 0:30:59a team has made a discovery about the timing of the transfer.
0:31:01 > 0:31:03'Dr Carlos Simon hopes it will help
0:31:03 > 0:31:06'transform implantation success rates.'
0:31:08 > 0:31:13We have calculated that one in four patients with implantation failure -
0:31:13 > 0:31:18the reason is because we are not doing the transfer of the embryos
0:31:18 > 0:31:20at the right time for the patient.
0:31:21 > 0:31:25One couple he's helping are Maite and Julio.
0:31:25 > 0:31:27They're both in their early 40s
0:31:27 > 0:31:29and have spent over five years having IVF.
0:31:29 > 0:31:32But Maite's womb keeps rejecting the embryos.
0:31:35 > 0:31:38IN SPANISH:
0:31:50 > 0:31:53Carlos believes there is just one optimum chance
0:31:53 > 0:31:56for the embryo to be transferred into the womb.
0:31:57 > 0:32:02This is a window of opportunity, just a few hours, in every woman
0:32:02 > 0:32:06and this is not the same time in each patient.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10- And synchronisation is crucial. - Right.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12If we transferred the embryos at the wrong time,
0:32:12 > 0:32:15they will not be able to attach to the mother's womb.
0:32:15 > 0:32:20Carlos gives each woman a bespoke combination of hormones
0:32:20 > 0:32:21to help prepare her womb.
0:32:23 > 0:32:27He then takes a tiny tissue sample from the womb
0:32:27 > 0:32:30to make sure that it's at its most receptive
0:32:30 > 0:32:33by testing the individual characteristics of the cells
0:32:33 > 0:32:34that make up the womb lining.
0:32:36 > 0:32:38This is personalised medicine
0:32:38 > 0:32:41and by transferring the embryos at the right time,
0:32:41 > 0:32:45this patient implants and has a healthy child.
0:32:48 > 0:32:51Four months ago, Carlos used this technique
0:32:51 > 0:32:55to choose the right time to transfer an embryo into Maite's womb.
0:33:33 > 0:33:37HEART PULSES ON SPEAKERS
0:33:46 > 0:33:48This treatment is currently only available
0:33:48 > 0:33:51in a handful of clinics around the world,
0:33:51 > 0:33:54but Carlos hopes it'll one day be available to everyone,
0:33:54 > 0:33:58improving the chances of having a baby for women of all ages.
0:34:05 > 0:34:10Science is constantly pushing the boundaries of what's possible.
0:34:14 > 0:34:17But for a few women, the odds are so stacked against them,
0:34:17 > 0:34:21they're told they will never carry a baby of their own,
0:34:21 > 0:34:22like Jenny.
0:34:23 > 0:34:25So, when did you first think
0:34:25 > 0:34:28that there might be a problem, then, Jen?
0:34:28 > 0:34:31I think I was probably about 15, 16,
0:34:31 > 0:34:35and I had to go and have an ultrasound
0:34:35 > 0:34:37because I was having some abdominal pain
0:34:37 > 0:34:40and I was called in to see one of the consultants,
0:34:40 > 0:34:43who sort of sat in front of me and looked at me in a certain way
0:34:43 > 0:34:46and I thought, "Oh, there's really something wrong, here,"
0:34:46 > 0:34:48and you get that feeling in your stomach.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51- Yeah.- And then she said,
0:34:51 > 0:34:53"I don't really know what to tell you.
0:34:53 > 0:34:58"You have a condition called MRKH and you were born without a womb."
0:34:58 > 0:34:59I remember saying to her,
0:34:59 > 0:35:01"So does that mean I can't have children?"
0:35:01 > 0:35:03And she shrugged, and said,
0:35:03 > 0:35:06"I really don't know what I can say."
0:35:06 > 0:35:09And that was it? No further support, no advice?
0:35:09 > 0:35:10No.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13I felt like the world had dropped out
0:35:13 > 0:35:15and I went and locked myself in the bathroom
0:35:15 > 0:35:18and sat on the floor and just cried and cried.
0:35:18 > 0:35:23- And how do you feel now, then, nearly 30...?- Yeah.
0:35:23 > 0:35:25Is a family something you want?
0:35:25 > 0:35:28Mm...eventually.
0:35:28 > 0:35:31Have you thought about the options that are open to you, then?
0:35:31 > 0:35:34Women with MRKH actually are quite lucky, in a way,
0:35:34 > 0:35:36because we're born with ovaries and eggs
0:35:36 > 0:35:39- and some women don't have that.- No.
0:35:39 > 0:35:42So we are able to have our own biological children,
0:35:42 > 0:35:45- we just can't carry them.- No.
0:35:45 > 0:35:49So there's agencies in the UK that can link you up
0:35:49 > 0:35:51with women that are interested in being surrogates.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53I'm lucky enough that I have two older sisters
0:35:53 > 0:35:55who have both said that they'd love to do it.
0:35:59 > 0:36:01So let's start over here.
0:36:05 > 0:36:09Four years ago, Swedish surgeon Mats Brannstrom
0:36:09 > 0:36:11made an extraordinary breakthrough
0:36:11 > 0:36:14that could transform the lives of people like Jenny.
0:36:15 > 0:36:18He became the first person in the world
0:36:18 > 0:36:22to successfully transplant a womb from one woman to another.
0:36:26 > 0:36:30A 61-year-old woman gave her womb to a family friend.
0:36:30 > 0:36:35That pioneering operation has led to six more transplants
0:36:35 > 0:36:37and five healthy babies so far.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46Jenny now runs a support group for women without wombs,
0:36:46 > 0:36:51and she's come to Sweden to find out more about this new technique.
0:36:51 > 0:36:54So this is the actually the story about the first baby,
0:36:54 > 0:36:56and I delivered the baby myself.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00- This was a very special moment. - Yeah.- And...
0:37:00 > 0:37:02To hear the first cry and so on.
0:37:02 > 0:37:07- And so, of course, that's something I will always remember.- Yeah.
0:37:07 > 0:37:09Today, he is one-and-a-half years, almost,
0:37:09 > 0:37:12- and he walks and is a very happy baby.- Aw.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14- That's amazing.- Yeah.
0:37:14 > 0:37:16So, obviously, there's lots of women back home
0:37:16 > 0:37:20that are really excited about this step forward in treatment.
0:37:20 > 0:37:23So if I go home and the women and the girls say to me,
0:37:23 > 0:37:27"Is this something that's going to be an option for me in the future?",
0:37:27 > 0:37:29what would you recommend that I say?
0:37:29 > 0:37:32If it comes into clinic, which I'm sure it's going to be,
0:37:32 > 0:37:36I think it's going to be a routine procedure in five to ten years
0:37:36 > 0:37:37in many, many countries around the world
0:37:37 > 0:37:40and, of course, including UK. because...
0:37:40 > 0:37:42you have done a lot of research in the UK
0:37:42 > 0:37:46and you're now starting your first trials, so definitely.
0:37:46 > 0:37:48- Hello.- Hi.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50Mats has arranged for Jenny to meet Cash,
0:37:50 > 0:37:55his fourth womb transplant baby, along with Cash's father, Patrick.
0:37:55 > 0:37:56Hi, Cash!
0:37:56 > 0:37:58You're beautiful, aren't you?
0:38:00 > 0:38:03Womb transplants could help thousands of British women
0:38:03 > 0:38:05in the future.
0:38:05 > 0:38:07Do you want a cuddle?
0:38:07 > 0:38:12'Even though I know that's not going to be the road that I'll go down,
0:38:12 > 0:38:14'it's the girls in my support group
0:38:14 > 0:38:19'that will potentially be able to benefit from it, which is fantastic'
0:38:19 > 0:38:24because...they might get this and that's amazing,
0:38:24 > 0:38:28because I don't want them to have to go through what I've been through.
0:38:28 > 0:38:30He is solid.
0:38:30 > 0:38:32THEY LAUGH
0:38:32 > 0:38:34'To be able to see someone else
0:38:34 > 0:38:37'who has gone through what I've gone through'
0:38:37 > 0:38:40and yet have the magic wand that I wanted...
0:38:42 > 0:38:43SHE SNIFFS
0:38:44 > 0:38:46It's amazing.
0:38:46 > 0:38:48Aw, you're so soft and warm.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04Jenny's story makes me all too aware
0:39:04 > 0:39:06that carrying a child is still not something
0:39:06 > 0:39:08anyone can take for granted,
0:39:08 > 0:39:13despite the extraordinary research happening right across the globe.
0:39:13 > 0:39:17It occurred to me that I never considered the possibility
0:39:17 > 0:39:19that I wouldn't have children one day,
0:39:19 > 0:39:23which is really naive, especially knowing what we know now.
0:39:23 > 0:39:24But that's changed.
0:39:24 > 0:39:28I do now realise it's something I might have to face.
0:39:28 > 0:39:32'Today, I'm going to hear the results of my fertility tests,
0:39:32 > 0:39:34'to find out how my ovaries are doing
0:39:34 > 0:39:37'and whether I've got a healthy reserve of eggs left.'
0:39:37 > 0:39:40- Good afternoon. How are you? - Very well.
0:39:41 > 0:39:43So starting, first of all, on the ultrasound side,
0:39:43 > 0:39:46the ultrasound shows there's no significant cysts
0:39:46 > 0:39:48in the ovaries at all,
0:39:48 > 0:39:50which, straight away, is very reassuring.
0:39:50 > 0:39:53Well, that's...phew! Yes.
0:39:53 > 0:39:55- We then come onto the fertility aspect.- Yeah.
0:39:55 > 0:39:59So the ultrasound measurement, the antral follicle count,
0:39:59 > 0:40:02that came out to be a total of 12.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04That means that about 12 eggs
0:40:04 > 0:40:07were maturing in my ovaries when I had the scan.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09So, for your age, that is absolutely fine,
0:40:09 > 0:40:12with no concerns at all.
0:40:12 > 0:40:17We then look at the blood test - yours has come out at 14.8.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20This is the level of the AMH hormone in my blood
0:40:20 > 0:40:23that indicates how many eggs I have left in my ovaries
0:40:23 > 0:40:26and whether or not I'm close to the menopause.
0:40:26 > 0:40:29- You're in the very healthy range, there.- Oh, great.
0:40:29 > 0:40:34I'd be reassured, not worried, about the health of the ovaries.
0:40:34 > 0:40:36That's very good news.
0:40:38 > 0:40:40Well, I'm really relieved.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44It was really unnerving to be faced with it suddenly,
0:40:44 > 0:40:47and therefore, I've got every sympathy
0:40:47 > 0:40:49with any couple or individual
0:40:49 > 0:40:53who are having a difficult time of it.
0:40:53 > 0:40:54Yeah, it's a big thing.
0:40:59 > 0:41:03I know now there are no guarantees when it comes to getting pregnant -
0:41:03 > 0:41:05there are so many things at play,
0:41:05 > 0:41:08and the tests I've had have only shown me a few of those.
0:41:13 > 0:41:15I mean, Dr Trew said everything was OK,
0:41:15 > 0:41:18but I know that is for a woman of my age.
0:41:18 > 0:41:22And my eggs really aren't getting any younger.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25This process has been brilliant, though, because I've learned so much
0:41:25 > 0:41:27and I now feel that I've got the right information
0:41:27 > 0:41:29to maximise my chances,
0:41:29 > 0:41:34so I really hope that we can start our own family pretty soon.
0:41:42 > 0:41:43It just so happens
0:41:43 > 0:41:45that my husband and I, Charlie and I,
0:41:45 > 0:41:46are having a baby...
0:41:46 > 0:41:48CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
0:41:50 > 0:41:54Lots and lots of you had guessed, and I was trying to breathe in,
0:41:54 > 0:41:57and eventually, I can breathe out, which is just lovely.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59'Fantastic news. We've got a new One Show baby on the way
0:41:59 > 0:42:01'and we are so thrilled for you.'
0:42:01 > 0:42:02'Thank you very much.'
0:42:04 > 0:42:06When I started filming this documentary,
0:42:06 > 0:42:09I had no idea how things would turn out for us
0:42:09 > 0:42:12but, luckily, it was a straightforward process
0:42:12 > 0:42:15and of course, we are thrilled to be having a baby.
0:42:15 > 0:42:20But what I've learned is how precarious conception can be.
0:42:20 > 0:42:25It can be a heartbreaking process, both emotionally and financially.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28But we've met some really inspiring people
0:42:28 > 0:42:31and it's been amazing to see what science can do
0:42:31 > 0:42:34and I really hope it can help everybody,
0:42:34 > 0:42:37no matter what their circumstances, to have a family.