0:00:02 > 0:00:05In the UK, an estimated one in seven couples
0:00:05 > 0:00:08suffer fertility problems of some kind.
0:00:10 > 0:00:12Every year, thousands of these will seek help
0:00:12 > 0:00:14in the form of fertility treatment.
0:00:16 > 0:00:19For some, this will be a success,
0:00:19 > 0:00:21resulting in a much longed-for child.
0:00:21 > 0:00:24I suppose it's a different type of stress
0:00:24 > 0:00:26when you're pregnant through IVF
0:00:26 > 0:00:29because you just want it to work out so much
0:00:29 > 0:00:34and it was just the best day of our lives, I would say, to have our son.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39For others, it will be an uphill struggle.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43Society puts all of us under a massive amount of pressure
0:00:43 > 0:00:46and for those people who are struggling to have a family,
0:00:46 > 0:00:49or those people who choose not to have a family,
0:00:49 > 0:00:52I think people need to be more aware of that.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57This is the story of the arduous journey faced by many couples
0:00:57 > 0:01:01and individuals as they strive for their ultimate goal -
0:01:01 > 0:01:03a newborn baby.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18Ali and Andrew have been together for five years,
0:01:18 > 0:01:22and, after experiencing one unsuccessful IVF cycle,
0:01:22 > 0:01:25they are now embarking on the journey for the second time.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31'Well, we're going to meet the consultant that's going to be doing'
0:01:31 > 0:01:36our treatment and to basically make a plan as to where we go from here.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38So, did they do, at any stage,
0:01:38 > 0:01:41a blood test called AMH blood test,
0:01:41 > 0:01:44or anti-Mullerian hormone, do you remember that?
0:01:44 > 0:01:46I don't remember that as such, no.
0:01:46 > 0:01:50OK. Then I think the first thing I would want is your AMH level,
0:01:50 > 0:01:54to know exactly what sort of protocol we're going to use,
0:01:54 > 0:01:57and then the results are usually ready within a week.
0:01:57 > 0:01:58- OK, yep.- Great.
0:02:00 > 0:02:03By testing Ali's AMH, or anti-Mullerian hormone,
0:02:03 > 0:02:08the clinic will be able to determine the function of Ali's ovaries,
0:02:08 > 0:02:11and how she is likely to respond to fertility treatment.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14'I mean, the blood test that we had done'
0:02:14 > 0:02:16is something that we hadn't heard about before,
0:02:16 > 0:02:19and I think could answer so many questions for us.
0:02:20 > 0:02:24'You want to be excited but yet the disappointment and devastation
0:02:24 > 0:02:25'when it didn't work before
0:02:25 > 0:02:29'and you know there's a chance that might happen again, that's tough.'
0:02:29 > 0:02:31It's hard. It's not easy.
0:02:31 > 0:02:33The appointments are the easy bit.
0:02:33 > 0:02:36It's the bits in between that aren't the easy bits.
0:02:36 > 0:02:38When you've got time to think about things.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42Too much time to think about things! Yes, that's my problem!
0:02:51 > 0:02:55For many couples, the battle with infertility can last several years.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58This was the case for Sharon Davidson
0:02:58 > 0:03:01and her husband Gary who got married in 1997.
0:03:03 > 0:03:05'With infertility, it's a journey.
0:03:05 > 0:03:08You're waiting on tests, you're waiting on test results,
0:03:08 > 0:03:11'you're waiting on treatments - if the treatment doesn't work,'
0:03:11 > 0:03:14you sort of have to pull yourself out of that
0:03:14 > 0:03:17and go through the tests and treatments again,
0:03:17 > 0:03:20so it's a bit of a roller coaster ride, to be honest.
0:03:21 > 0:03:25After five years on this roller coaster ride,
0:03:25 > 0:03:31we went through a treatment cycle - it was a frozen embryo transfer -
0:03:31 > 0:03:33and it was successful.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41We were quite lucky because that was kind of the last throw of the dice.
0:03:41 > 0:03:43We're very blessed to have our son.
0:03:43 > 0:03:47Somebody was looking down on us that day, that's all I can say!
0:03:48 > 0:03:51Really, at that time, I think we just said, "That's enough.
0:03:51 > 0:03:53"Draw the line under fertility treatment."
0:03:53 > 0:03:57We decided to look at alternative routes to have a family.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03We embarked on this journey to go to an orphanage in Russia
0:04:03 > 0:04:05and that wasn't straightforward either.
0:04:05 > 0:04:09In some respects, that was more stressful than the IVF.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12In the spring of 2008, Sharon and Gary were finally able to bring
0:04:12 > 0:04:17their newly adopted daughter home, from Russia to Northern Ireland.
0:04:19 > 0:04:24We are very, very lucky to have two wonderful children and every day that
0:04:24 > 0:04:29goes by, you really pinch yourself to realise how lucky you are.
0:04:29 > 0:04:30PHONE RINGS
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Sharon's experience led her to become involved with
0:04:33 > 0:04:35infertility Network UK
0:04:35 > 0:04:38and she is now the regional organiser for Northern Ireland.
0:04:38 > 0:04:40Do you want to know about the support groups?
0:04:40 > 0:04:44So there's plenty of support and information out there if you want it.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48'I think that there is a bit of a culture in Northern Ireland
0:04:48 > 0:04:50'where people don't ask for help as readily,
0:04:50 > 0:04:53'and I think that that needs to be challenged a wee bit,
0:04:53 > 0:04:56'so that people will feel comfortable to ask for help
0:04:56 > 0:04:59'and to go along to support groups,'
0:04:59 > 0:05:01and they can gain support from each other, really,
0:05:01 > 0:05:03that kind of peer support.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10Ali and Andrew are at the clinic,
0:05:10 > 0:05:14and are anxiously awaiting the results of Ali's blood test.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17'The thought of getting those results today
0:05:17 > 0:05:20'and getting bad news is just sickening me to my stomach.'
0:05:20 > 0:05:23I don't even know how to put into words.
0:05:27 > 0:05:30OK, so from the last time that we met,
0:05:30 > 0:05:34- you had your blood test done on for the anti-Mullerian hormone.- Mm-hm.
0:05:34 > 0:05:39So we've got the reports back on that and that seems absolutely fine.
0:05:39 > 0:05:42They basically say that that's normal for your age,
0:05:42 > 0:05:47so the implication of this is that, A, it's highly unlikely that
0:05:47 > 0:05:51if we put you onto IVF hormonal medications,
0:05:51 > 0:05:53you would not produce eggs.
0:05:53 > 0:05:58'If I'm completely honest, I should be ecstatic because my results worked
0:05:58 > 0:06:02'to my favour and everything seems to be moving along, but I'm nervous.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04'I am nervous,'
0:06:04 > 0:06:06and I've three weeks now to get my head around,
0:06:06 > 0:06:08that when I start the treatment,
0:06:08 > 0:06:12it's in a positive frame of mind, so, quite nerve-racking.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15- And then we'll take it from there. - OK.- Good luck. Hope it works for you.
0:06:15 > 0:06:16- Thank you.- Thank you.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20'If it doesn't work eventually, then we deal with it afterwards'
0:06:20 > 0:06:21'but in the short term,'
0:06:21 > 0:06:24we have to think that it will work and that we'll get our twins.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35After marrying in 2009,
0:06:35 > 0:06:40Emma and Ben moved from London to Emma's hometown of Belfast.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43One of the reasons we moved back to Belfast was
0:06:43 > 0:06:45cos we'd like to bring up a family
0:06:45 > 0:06:48and we didn't think we could really do it in London,
0:06:48 > 0:06:52so we've been trying pretty much as soon as we got back.
0:06:54 > 0:06:59'We had a minor success about this time last year.'
0:06:59 > 0:07:04Found out I was pregnant but then miscarried at the start of January.
0:07:06 > 0:07:08After recovering from the miscarriage,
0:07:08 > 0:07:12Emma and Ben decided to seek medical help with their efforts to conceive.
0:07:15 > 0:07:16'We've had our tests,
0:07:16 > 0:07:20'so Ben's had his sperm tested and I've had my blood tested.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24'For the woman, they just test for your hormone levels'
0:07:24 > 0:07:27and mine were fine. The only one that was a bit low was oestrogen,
0:07:27 > 0:07:29but not enough to be too worried.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34'My sperm tests weren't 100%. There were two areas.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37'One of them, I think, was motility,
0:07:37 > 0:07:41'which is kind of the amount of movement of the sperm,'
0:07:41 > 0:07:44and then morphology was actually just below the normal range,
0:07:44 > 0:07:48which suggests that there's a higher number of ones with two heads,
0:07:48 > 0:07:51and double tails and, you know, freak sperm, basically.
0:07:51 > 0:07:52- Monster sperm!- Yeah.
0:07:52 > 0:07:53Which I thought was quite funny,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56but then I should probably be a bit more serious about it.
0:07:58 > 0:08:02Emma and Ben are now waiting to be called for treatment on the NHS,
0:08:02 > 0:08:05but in the meantime they are trying to conceive naturally.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10I've been keeping track of my cycles and everything, just in case,
0:08:10 > 0:08:15and we've been very good, and having regular sex.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19'And I haven't really thought about
0:08:19 > 0:08:21if it does or doesn't happen on this treatment.
0:08:21 > 0:08:25I don't want to play too many scenarios in the future in my head.
0:08:25 > 0:08:27No, we can't really afford to think about
0:08:27 > 0:08:30- the other options at the moment, so one day at a time.- Yeah, exactly.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40At home, Ali has begun administering her own injections,
0:08:40 > 0:08:42with the help of her husband Andrew.
0:08:44 > 0:08:45I have to be honest. I don't...
0:08:45 > 0:08:47SHE LAUGHS
0:08:47 > 0:08:49I don't fill them up or anything.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51I tried one day and completely freaked out
0:08:51 > 0:08:53because I couldn't work out what I was doing.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Andrew's quite good at it. It's quite fiddly.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02These injections are designed to allow Ali's cycle to be artificially
0:09:02 > 0:09:06controlled and to stimulate her ovaries to produce more eggs.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13Many of Ali's friends and family are pregnant,
0:09:13 > 0:09:15or already have children,
0:09:15 > 0:09:18a situation which can be difficult to cope with.
0:09:19 > 0:09:25I currently have a sister-in-law and two very good friends pregnant.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28My cousin just had a baby this morning,
0:09:28 > 0:09:33and a very good friend of mine's daughter is seven weeks old,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36and then you've other people who you know want children,
0:09:36 > 0:09:40or have one already, and are starting to try again for a second,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43or things like that, so...
0:09:43 > 0:09:45You know, everybody's different, mind you.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49I'll just take one if I can get it!
0:09:51 > 0:09:53'I can't pinpoint a reason.
0:09:53 > 0:09:58'I just know that the last few days for me have been difficult,
0:09:58 > 0:10:02'but for Andrew especially when I go into my little downtimes,
0:10:02 > 0:10:05'that I can't really explain to him.'
0:10:05 > 0:10:08You know, when a woman wants to be a mother,
0:10:08 > 0:10:12it's quite hard to explain the feeling when you can't.
0:10:15 > 0:10:18In an effort to gain more insight into the way Ali is feeling,
0:10:18 > 0:10:23Andrew is accompanying her to a counselling session.
0:10:23 > 0:10:26'We're going tonight to a counselling lady
0:10:26 > 0:10:29'that's being provided by the IVF clinic.'
0:10:29 > 0:10:34I think it's important for me to go to the counselling so that
0:10:34 > 0:10:37I can understand, as we go through this process,
0:10:37 > 0:10:39exactly how she's feeling.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48'I have had a rough couple of days the last couple of days,
0:10:48 > 0:10:49'just very emotional,'
0:10:49 > 0:10:52and almost angry feelings,
0:10:52 > 0:10:56towards having to do this again, and I've struggled to deal with that
0:10:56 > 0:10:59and, unfortunately, Andrew's borne the brunt of that.
0:10:59 > 0:11:03I've tried to train myself to ignore the bad bits
0:11:03 > 0:11:06and just focus on the positive.
0:11:06 > 0:11:10I don't want to look at this process as there being a possibility
0:11:10 > 0:11:14of negative, whereas Ali obviously has much more of that
0:11:14 > 0:11:20roller coaster emotional ride, and I'm blocking that part completely,
0:11:20 > 0:11:24and trying to focus on the positive, and look at that as our outcome.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28Maybe I don't realise that Ali's getting upset
0:11:28 > 0:11:31and then her way of dealing with that is...
0:11:31 > 0:11:37I wouldn't go so far as to say pick a fight, but something...
0:11:37 > 0:11:40I'm sitting upset and I feel to myself,
0:11:40 > 0:11:44"Why hasn't he come looking for me? He should know I'm upset,"
0:11:44 > 0:11:47and then, eventually, I'll come down the stairs
0:11:47 > 0:11:50and Andrew will talk to me like nothing's happened,
0:11:50 > 0:11:53and I'll feel quite angry that perhaps he hasn't...
0:11:54 > 0:11:57..noticed and, because of that, will lash out.
0:11:57 > 0:12:01So maybe there's some other way of showing that you
0:12:01 > 0:12:03would like Andrew to acknowledge
0:12:03 > 0:12:05and step into your space.
0:12:05 > 0:12:10Going through treatment - it's not the normal kind of situation and,
0:12:10 > 0:12:16therefore, maybe it requires slightly different ways of doing things.
0:12:16 > 0:12:19A hand gesture, maybe there's something to move, physically,
0:12:19 > 0:12:21from one place to the other,
0:12:21 > 0:12:25to let the other person know, "Yes, I need something different here."
0:12:25 > 0:12:28- I quite like that idea, actually. - Moving something?
0:12:28 > 0:12:31Yeah, cos it's something that you moved or
0:12:31 > 0:12:34something physical that you did that I could understand and go,
0:12:34 > 0:12:36"OK, I need to take some time out for,"
0:12:36 > 0:12:39even if it's only 15 or 20 minutes or half an hour,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41and to put aside what I'm doing
0:12:41 > 0:12:43and come back to it again at a later time.
0:12:43 > 0:12:45Maybe that is a good idea.
0:12:46 > 0:12:50You need to do something that is different and obvious,
0:12:50 > 0:12:54so that you can actually come together.
0:12:54 > 0:12:57I think that's probably something that's workable
0:12:57 > 0:12:58and not even just in the IVF.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00I think probably going forward,
0:13:00 > 0:13:04cos we haven't had anything before that we would have
0:13:04 > 0:13:08necessarily done and because you are so emotional, and you get...
0:13:08 > 0:13:13I'm not that emotional! I cry at movies and X Factor, but that's OK.
0:13:13 > 0:13:14Most birds do.
0:13:14 > 0:13:15SHE CHUCKLES
0:13:15 > 0:13:17It's what we do!
0:13:19 > 0:13:21And our hearts aren't made of stone.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23- OK.- OK.
0:13:30 > 0:13:33Emma and Ben have been for an initial consultation
0:13:33 > 0:13:37at the Regional Fertility Centre, but before any treatment starts,
0:13:37 > 0:13:41the doctor has advised them to keep trying to conceive naturally.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46The fact that we've already been pregnant briefly before,
0:13:46 > 0:13:50and that I've had positive ovulation tests, is a really good sign,
0:13:50 > 0:13:54and he kind of even said himself, "You know, the best outcome for us
0:13:54 > 0:13:58"would be that you wouldn't even have to have that much intervention."
0:13:58 > 0:14:01So, we're crossing our fingers and uncrossing our legs!
0:14:04 > 0:14:05Emma is a photographer
0:14:05 > 0:14:09and is currently working towards a master's degree.
0:14:11 > 0:14:15Well, for my master's, I've begun a project about
0:14:15 > 0:14:20women's access to reproductive rights in Northern Ireland.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24I think it makes me feel quite strongly.
0:14:24 > 0:14:28For instance, when I found out that in Northern Ireland,
0:14:28 > 0:14:30we only get one cycle of fertility,
0:14:30 > 0:14:35it's somebody else forcing their moral or other opinions
0:14:35 > 0:14:38onto a woman legally.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41I feel very strongly that the moral or, I don't know,
0:14:41 > 0:14:45financial opinions of an MOA shouldn't affect at all
0:14:45 > 0:14:48whether a woman wants to have a child or not.
0:14:54 > 0:14:57Five weeks after her drugs regime began,
0:14:57 > 0:15:00Ali is at the clinic for her egg collection.
0:15:00 > 0:15:04Although she has been regularly scanned, it is not yet known
0:15:04 > 0:15:06how many eggs she will produce.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12Once the anaesthetist gives you the drugs to make you feel dizzy,
0:15:12 > 0:15:15I'm going to locate the ovary, give a single jab
0:15:15 > 0:15:18and start draining the fluid from the follicles.
0:15:18 > 0:15:23Try not to be nervous, try to listen to my instructions in theatre, OK,
0:15:23 > 0:15:25and everything will go smoothly, OK?
0:15:35 > 0:15:39Although she remains awake, Ali is sedated for the procedure,
0:15:39 > 0:15:43which involves draining the fluid from the follicles in her ovaries.
0:15:48 > 0:15:50That is the follicle,
0:15:50 > 0:15:56so the fluid goes on that tube and that follicle is drained slowly.
0:15:58 > 0:16:02The fluid is then taken to the adjoining lab where
0:16:02 > 0:16:06it is examined under a microscope to check for the presence of eggs.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21As the procedure concludes, the result is a positive one for Ali.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26Everything went smoothly, straightforward,
0:16:26 > 0:16:31and we hit nine eggs, which is slightly above the average.
0:16:31 > 0:16:35On average, we expect eight eggs per patient so we are pleased with that.
0:16:43 > 0:16:47A few hours later, Ali and Andrew meet embryologist Richard,
0:16:47 > 0:16:51who wants to discuss whether they are treated with conventional IVF
0:16:51 > 0:16:56or ICSI, which involves injecting an individual egg with a single sperm.
0:16:56 > 0:17:01The one issue this morning is when I first looked at the sperm sample,
0:17:01 > 0:17:03it was worse than your previous, OK.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07I think in the past, you'd had about 70% motile in your initial.
0:17:07 > 0:17:12Today, it was about 20, 30, so that was a bit of a concern initially.
0:17:12 > 0:17:17I've done the preparation now and that's prepared much better, OK,
0:17:17 > 0:17:20so the motile percentage is about 55% now.
0:17:20 > 0:17:22So there's plenty of sperm swimming there.
0:17:22 > 0:17:26The initial analysis raised a few question marks for me,
0:17:26 > 0:17:28as to whether we should be doing ICSI.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32The other options are we could always do a split,
0:17:32 > 0:17:35where we do half IVF, half ICSI, but I think the fact you've
0:17:35 > 0:17:38had this IVF before, I think we should stick to IVF.
0:17:38 > 0:17:39Wherever possible,
0:17:39 > 0:17:43we use the least invasive technique which is conventional IVF.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48- Are you all right?- Yeah, I just...
0:17:48 > 0:17:52- The whole sperm thing just kind of threw me a little bit.- Oh, sorry.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55I just... I wanted to put you in the picture, obviously,
0:17:55 > 0:17:57of what's going on there.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00I think there's plenty of sperm there, it's just more the percent.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03The question initially was, was there enough there,
0:18:03 > 0:18:05or enough to do conventional IVF?
0:18:05 > 0:18:08That's why we wanted to check, so we've just got to wait to see
0:18:08 > 0:18:11tomorrow how many fertilise and we'll go from there.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15- OK? I'm sorry to upset you today. - No, no, no.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17I just... I think it just threw me a little bit.
0:18:17 > 0:18:20I'll call tomorrow to tell you how things have gone on
0:18:20 > 0:18:24and we'll go from there. Best of luck. All right? Good to meet you.
0:18:24 > 0:18:26- Thanks.- Thank you.- Thanks.
0:18:26 > 0:18:30Yeah, I think you're always hoping that you're going to hear that
0:18:30 > 0:18:35everything's perfect and it's clearly not perfect today, but...
0:18:37 > 0:18:40..I think at the end of that, we probably got from that
0:18:40 > 0:18:42that he was happy enough to proceed.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45I don't know, it's just one of those things.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48You spend so long focusing on your eggs, I think that you
0:18:48 > 0:18:53forget that there's another side to it, you know, and... I don't know.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56You expect everything to be normal and perfect,
0:18:56 > 0:18:57as it has been all along,
0:18:57 > 0:19:01and when it's not, it kind of throws you a little bit.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03The next 24 hours are going to be pretty tough.
0:19:05 > 0:19:08But...we just have to wait and see.
0:19:18 > 0:19:22Fertility problems can put a huge strain on a relationship,
0:19:22 > 0:19:26and Ben and his wife Emma are no exception to this.
0:19:27 > 0:19:30'We have a very strong relationship
0:19:30 > 0:19:33'but the whole process has put some pressure on us,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36'whether we'd like to admit it or not.
0:19:36 > 0:19:37'It gets really hard.'
0:19:37 > 0:19:39I mean, we felt a lot of pressure
0:19:39 > 0:19:43and have kind of fallen out with each other unnecessarily.
0:19:43 > 0:19:45I don't think I would happen if...
0:19:45 > 0:19:47Well, put it this way - if Emma was pregnant,
0:19:47 > 0:19:51we'd have something to focus on that is very real, and very big,
0:19:51 > 0:19:53and scary and stressful, but at the same time,
0:19:53 > 0:19:57this is our challenge together and it's, like, we're having a family!
0:19:59 > 0:20:02After reading all the advice on the pregnancy websites,
0:20:02 > 0:20:06it suggests you have sex every other day and, after a few months of that,
0:20:06 > 0:20:08it started to get really difficult for us.
0:20:08 > 0:20:12I felt I was actually struggling to perform and then, thankfully,
0:20:12 > 0:20:15the two of us sat down and talked about it, realised what was going on -
0:20:15 > 0:20:18it was just the pressure of the situation -
0:20:18 > 0:20:21and did exactly what the pregnancy websites advise you to do,
0:20:21 > 0:20:22which is just enjoy it!
0:20:26 > 0:20:28We have busy lives as it is.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31We both do freelance work and we would obviously try
0:20:31 > 0:20:34and squeeze in our sex lives into that anyway,
0:20:34 > 0:20:38but when you realise that you have to do it on that particular day,
0:20:38 > 0:20:43it actually suddenly changes the whole kind of pressure you're under.
0:20:43 > 0:20:45It's quite... It's quite weird, actually,
0:20:45 > 0:20:47experiencing it for the first time
0:20:47 > 0:20:49and trying to fit that into our lives.
0:20:55 > 0:20:58Back at the clinic, a decision has been made to proceed with
0:20:58 > 0:21:02conventional IVF for Ali and Andrew.
0:21:02 > 0:21:06Today, embryologist Steve is carrying out the process.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09Four eggs, plus those five, so we've got nine eggs.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13We have the sperm prepared in the incubator
0:21:13 > 0:21:17and we're going to inseminate a small fraction of that
0:21:17 > 0:21:20directly into the eggs and that will give us
0:21:20 > 0:21:25a concentration of around about 200,000 sperm per insemination.
0:21:30 > 0:21:36And...inseminate around the eggs.
0:21:36 > 0:21:40This process involves the mixing of sperm and eggs in a Petri dish.
0:21:40 > 0:21:44Hopefully, the strongest sperm will enter an egg
0:21:44 > 0:21:46and fertilisation will occur.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49So that's the egg and the sperm...
0:21:51 > 0:21:54..are swimming around the egg there.
0:21:57 > 0:21:59All nine of Ali's eggs are treated in this way
0:21:59 > 0:22:02before being left to incubate.
0:22:03 > 0:22:05So we'll leave those to incubate overnight
0:22:05 > 0:22:10and then we'll check them for fertilisation in the morning.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20The following morning, Ali and Andrew are anxiously awaiting
0:22:20 > 0:22:24news from the clinic of how many eggs have fertilised.
0:22:24 > 0:22:26PHONE RINGS
0:22:26 > 0:22:27Hello?
0:22:28 > 0:22:29Yes, yes.
0:22:31 > 0:22:32Hi, there.
0:22:37 > 0:22:39OK, that's great. That's a big relief.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42OK, that's great. Thank you very much. Bye.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46All nine fertilised.
0:22:47 > 0:22:49HE CHUCKLES
0:22:49 > 0:22:54So they'll go back either Thursday or Saturday, definitely not tomorrow.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57That's really good news. Oh, my God, I feel sick.
0:22:58 > 0:23:01Oh, your wee swimmers were really strong!
0:23:01 > 0:23:03HE LAUGHS
0:23:04 > 0:23:06Ah!
0:23:06 > 0:23:08- Brilliant.- Such a relief.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12SHE EXHALES LOUDLY
0:23:12 > 0:23:14Oh, bless them, we've got nine little embies.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18THEY CHUCKLE
0:23:18 > 0:23:21- Yeah, that's good. - At least I'm not for the high jump.
0:23:21 > 0:23:23I was concerned if they didn't,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26if they didn't get fertilised today, I'd be for the high jump.
0:23:27 > 0:23:32I know people who have broken up after ongoing efforts, but...
0:23:34 > 0:23:36..thankfully for us, and hopefully for us,
0:23:36 > 0:23:39this is it, we're back on track and...
0:23:40 > 0:23:42..it's our time.
0:23:42 > 0:23:44Again.
0:23:48 > 0:23:50Four days have passed
0:23:50 > 0:23:54and the moment has finally arrived for Ali and Andrew.
0:23:54 > 0:23:58Today, the embryos will be placed back into Ali's uterus.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03This is the biggest day of my life to date.
0:24:03 > 0:24:04Apart from our wedding day.
0:24:04 > 0:24:07THEY CHUCKLE Well.
0:24:07 > 0:24:09At least I got to wear a pretty dress that day!
0:24:12 > 0:24:16Ali has six embryos which have reached an advanced stage.
0:24:16 > 0:24:20Today, she will have two embryos transferred back into her uterus.
0:24:20 > 0:24:23The other four will be frozen for use in the future.
0:24:25 > 0:24:29We are going to be putting back two blastocysts.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31They've got to blastocyst stage,
0:24:31 > 0:24:33which means that the embryos are dividing well.
0:24:37 > 0:24:42Before the procedure begins, Ali is shown one of the embryos in the lab.
0:24:43 > 0:24:48- Now that will develop into the baby. - OK.
0:24:48 > 0:24:50That's a lovely grade.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54So when that develops into the baby, does this go away, the outer bit?
0:24:54 > 0:24:56Well, these are all cell lines,
0:24:56 > 0:25:00- so that they'll all proliferate and go their own separate way.- OK.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03- All right?- Yeah. - I'll get those ready for you.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05I had no idea what they did.
0:25:11 > 0:25:13This painless procedure involves
0:25:13 > 0:25:18placing the embryos into a catheter for transfer into Ali's uterus.
0:25:23 > 0:25:27The catheter is then checked to ensure the transfer is complete.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34They're fine.
0:25:34 > 0:25:35OK. That's that over, then.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38'She's had a strong group of embryos from the beginning
0:25:38 > 0:25:42'and she's got more than average number of blastocysts
0:25:42 > 0:25:44'from that group of embryos,'
0:25:44 > 0:25:47so, you know, I'm very hopeful.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52This is the late-stage embryo,
0:25:52 > 0:25:55so implantation, if it's going to occur,
0:25:55 > 0:25:59is going to occur in the next 24 to 48 hours, right?
0:25:59 > 0:26:04If that does, your chances of getting pregnant are very good,
0:26:04 > 0:26:10because we've selected the embryos which are able to get that far.
0:26:10 > 0:26:13- OK, thank you very much.- All right. So all the best, all the best.
0:26:13 > 0:26:16- Thank you.- Thanks, Steve. - Take care.- Thank you.
0:26:18 > 0:26:21It's as good as it could be, so I think...
0:26:23 > 0:26:26I think we're in as good a position as we can be and...
0:26:28 > 0:26:32..the next 48 hours are restful.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36From what he said, that's just about as good as it gets, yeah.
0:26:48 > 0:26:51Emma and Ben are no longer trying for a baby.
0:26:52 > 0:26:57Since we spoke last, Ben and I aren't together any more,
0:26:57 > 0:27:01so obviously that means we're not trying for a baby any more.
0:27:02 > 0:27:04Yeah, so months later,
0:27:04 > 0:27:07and I've...sort of stabilised quite a bit
0:27:07 > 0:27:10and am mostly thinking about the future,
0:27:10 > 0:27:12and trying to make the most of the situation,
0:27:12 > 0:27:15not feeling too regretful or anything like that.
0:27:15 > 0:27:18If I didn't have children in my life ever,
0:27:18 > 0:27:20that would just be the way things were,
0:27:20 > 0:27:24but having got close to that, it sort of...
0:27:24 > 0:27:27It's very much on my mind, I think, as something that's there,
0:27:27 > 0:27:31and I have to... Well, we'll see, we'll see who comes along.
0:27:31 > 0:27:33If I find the right kind of person.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35Otherwise, we'll just go with what's going, really.
0:27:35 > 0:27:39I still want children but I don't want children now,
0:27:39 > 0:27:42and I don't think, um...
0:27:42 > 0:27:45Yeah, I don't think I'm in the right kind of place mentally,
0:27:45 > 0:27:48or in terms of work and everything.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51Erm, but, yeah, I would like to look after children,
0:27:51 > 0:27:55or have my own children at some point in the future.
0:27:58 > 0:28:04Two weeks after her embryo transfer, Ali's pregnancy test was negative.
0:28:04 > 0:28:07Unfortunately, we are sitting here today which means
0:28:07 > 0:28:09that your treatment didn't work, so...
0:28:09 > 0:28:11It is taking time, but they are beginning
0:28:11 > 0:28:14to come to terms with the outcome.
0:28:15 > 0:28:19'Emotions are back intact as such,'
0:28:19 > 0:28:24but it's been a rocky road since it didn't work.
0:28:26 > 0:28:32In that moment, and at that time, it's a loss. It's grief.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35It's traumatic. Very, very traumatic.
0:28:37 > 0:28:40'Because we found ourselves in the situation where'
0:28:40 > 0:28:44we had the bonus of extra embryos that we didn't expect to have,
0:28:44 > 0:28:48that's given us an opportunity to have another go,
0:28:48 > 0:28:50in the springtime, I think.
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