Lesbian couple over the moon with IVF pregnancy after months of struggle

A same-sex couple are over the moon with their IVF pregnancy after months of trying to have a baby. The pair were unsuccessful with their attempts at NHS treatment and thought all hope was lost.

The Derby couple, Lisa Napford, 26, and Andrea, also 26, had exhausted all their options after trying to conceive using artificial insemination (IUI) as well as being unable to afford IVF treatment privately. But their luck changed when they found a Nottingham clinic that was able to cater to all their needs.

IVF treatment in the UK is often a long-winded process and stressful for the couple to undergo. The NHS will give heterosexual couples treatment after they show evidence that they have been trying to conceive for two years.

However this is not the case for same-sex couples who are forced to pay for artificial insemination privately to document that they have been trying for two years before they are able to access fertility treatments. This incurs significant costs after multiple rounds needed for the two years of trying to conceive before same sex couples are eligible.

While the NHS provides funding for eligible heterosexual couples to undergo IVF, often same sex-couples will have to undergo the process self-funded.

Lisa said: "As we are a same-sex couple, we obviously can't conceive naturally, and we didn’t qualify for NHS treatment. We had tried before with IUI and we were unsuccessful. So, we moved on to IVF and went to the doctors who referred us to another IVF clinic, but we didn't like them.

"We then went online, and found others that were local to us and abc IVF Nottingham was one of the first few that popped up. And it was the one that we liked the most."

If same-sex couples are unsuccessful with artificial insemination then they can turn to private IVF which doesn't have the same two-year process but does come with a high cost, making it very difficult for young couples without the necessary funds.

Lisa continued: "As young adults starting our life together, paying bills, et cetera, we had just got married and were looking for something affordable. The payment plan option at abc was essentially a lifesaver. The prices were a lot better for us as well."

The couple highly praised the clinic and said they found the services went "above and beyond" for even "simple things" that allowed the couple to feel comfortable while they underwent treatment.

Lisa added: “It was easier not to get your hopes up than to be let down again. But then when we saw the test, we were absolutely ecstatic. And so grateful to the clinic for everything that they have done for us.

“We've still got a long way to go but life has changed dramatically already. Preparing everything, we've just bought a new car, but we now think about the baby and fitting a buggy in the boot. We're sort of getting prepared in that sense, but obviously not officially the sleepless nights yet."

The young couple have also started a TikTok account to follow their journey, but they added that "every journey is unique and personal to you, so take it with a pinch of salt".