'We know how lucky we are': Bristol’s IVF babies celebrate 40th anniversary
IVF babies old and new met in Bristol on Saturday to celebrate 40 years since the first IVF baby was born in the city.
The Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine (BCRM) put out an appeal last year to find the first people conceived and born in Bristol as a result of IVF since the first baby was born in 1984.
The party was attended by more than 150 people, including current and retired practitioners as well as patients who underwent the then ground-breaking fertility treatment and many of their IVF babies, plus parents with much newer babies born thanks to assisted fertility treatment.
While the younger guests enjoyed face painting and ice creams, their parents listened to contrasting accounts from two mothers who had experienced IVF treatment at the clinic 37 years apart.
One of the earliest patients to be treated, Caroline Harvey, gave birth to one of Bristol’s first IVF babies, daughter Clare on 13 June 1985.
Caroline Harvey said: “I don’t think anyone who hasn’t been childless can ever begin to understand what it’s like not to be able to have children.
“We heard about the birth of Louise Brown and that was obviously exciting: our doctors had mentioned that Bristol was starting with IVF treatments, but it never entered our heads we would have a chance.
“After 11 years of infertility, we have since had more than 38 years of wonderful parenthood and have loved every minute. Clare is everything to us.”
Emily Glennon’s daughter Olivia arrived on 10 December 2021 and she’s expecting her second BCRM baby in October.
Emily said: “When we got the invitation to come along today, and I thought about the place being full of people who had lived the IVF journey just like us, I felt really emotional. It’s such a powerful image and thought: that all these families only exist because of fertility treatment. That without it, this site would stand empty.
“We know how lucky we are: for the science, and medicine, and learning and advancements and dedication of everyone working in this field exist, which in turn have allowed our family to exist.
“Our lives could have been so different. There are probably people all of us know, in our own families, amongst our friends or colleagues, for whom IVF wasn’t an option. One, now in her 80s, described it to me once as ‘her greatest sadness’. And those three words, understated as they were, will stay with me forever.
“We’re lucky too to have found this clinic. We’re lucky everyone here cares so much: like the fertility nurses who see us at our most vulnerable, but never make us feel anything of the sort and are our greatest cheerleaders, whilst bearing witnesses to the highest highs and the lowest lows.
“And the embryologists who somehow know we’re about to pass out from fear when they call us with updates from the lab, and how important it is to just get straight to the news.
"Don’t ever think we don’t notice or appreciate that."
BCRM’s medical director Valentine Akande said: “We were overwhelmed by the amazing response to our appeal and delighted that so many of our past and present patients, their IVF offspring and the healthcare professionals involved in their care over the last 40 years have been able to join us today to celebrate this remarkable milestone.”
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