The history

In mid May 2006 the husband and I decided to ditch the BCP. We had been married for just over 5 1/2 years. It was more my idea than his, he was worried about it happening sooner rather than later, I told him it was unlikely to happen so quickly but was secretly hoping that it would.

In August 2006 I felt different/odd so I tested three days before my period. Four positive pregnancy tests later I was beginning to believe it but the following week I started to spot and it eventually turned into a full blown period. Did I miscarry? I think yes but I'm not a 100% comfortable with actually saying that I had a miscarriage.

By December 2007 I had had enough so I made an appointment to see the doctor.

I started 2008 with blood tests. The results were good. I was ovulating and my egg quality was great. In February the husband produced his first sample for a SA, the doctor told us that the results were OK but that there were a few issues with morphology. We were told that this could be why it is taking us so long to conceive but that it wouldn't stop us from conceiving naturally. The husband was told that he would need to repeat the SA.

In April I had another blood test, this time to check my rubella antibody levels. We were told that we would be referred to the hospital for further tests. Three months later and we were still waiting to hear from the the hospital, I phoned the doctors to check on the referral and was told that it hadn't taken place. They had been waiting for the husband to do his second SA. In July the husband produced his second sample, we were informed that the results showed an improvement in the morphology and that we would now be referred to the hospital.

Finally, in September we received our first hospital appointment. Discovered at the appointment that the husband's morphology had registered at 2% on the first SA and 4% on the second. Alarm bells started to ring that we were dealing with MFI although the consultant was reluctant to confirm that this would stop us conceiving naturally. In October I had an HSG (horrible experience) which showed that one of my tubes did not pass dye through it. It was decided that I would have to have a laparoscopy to see if there was a blockage in my left tube. In December I had the laparoscopy which showed that there was no blockage but they did remove some endometriosis and a cyst. We were told to try naturally for six months.

After a VERY long 6 months we found ourselves back at the hospital in June 2009. We were left devastated that day as we were told by the consultant that there was nothing more that they could do for us, that we would need assisted conception but that there was no funding on the NHS so, whatever we decided to do next would have to be paid for by us. The consultant's farewell gift was to tell us 'not to leave it too long because we had been trying for quite some time now already.'

The remainder of 2009 was spent writing letters to the PCT, moving house, being referred for NHS funded IVF at the neighbouring PCT (that we had moved into, which was literally 4 miles away), being accepted for funding and receiving a letter from our chosen clinic with the date of our initial consultation in 2010.