"When I was 26, a diagnosis that would change my life forever: my fallopian tubes were blocked and I couldn't get pregnant. The devastating news came in 1972, the same year I landed my dream job as a college lecturer. Fertility treatment didn't exist back then, and adoption was our only hope for starting a family.
But I refused to accept that I had no options. I devoured every book on fertility treatments I could get my hands on and waited patiently for news of a medical breakthrough that would give me a second chance at motherhood.
Then it came: the pioneering IVF programme run by gynaecologist Patrick Steptoe and physiologist Robert Edwards. They told me I was an ideal candidate, and with my husband's sperm, my egg would be fertilized in a petri dish and implanted into my womb. It was a radical idea at the time, but I felt a spark of hope.
The journey wasn't without its setbacks. My first IVF attempt failed, leaving me heartbroken on a train ride home. But with support from Patrick, his team, and nurse embryologist Jean Purdy, I picked myself up and tried again. We were all in this together – fellow women who had given up hope and now found themselves fighting for the same thing: a baby of our own.
And then it happened. After months of waiting, I felt my period didn't come, and with that, I was pregnant – not just any pregnancy, but the second IVF birth in the world. The storm outside matched the turmoil inside me as I waited for Patrick to deliver our son Alastair by caesarean section.
It was January 14th, 1979, when Alastair finally arrived, weighing in at 5lb 12oz and beating all odds. He was the first IVF boy in the world, and my heart overflowed with joy as I held him in my arms for the very first time. The first cry I expected never came – he just looked up at me with an unspoken message: "It's about time."
Forty-six years on, Alastair is a proud father himself, working as a first officer in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Travelling together has brought us closer than ever. As we sleep under the stars or conquer New Zealand's Fox glacier, I'm reminded of how lucky I am to have him back in my life.
We formed an unbreakable bond with four other women from our IVF journey – a sisterhood forged by shared experience and mutual understanding. When I look back, it's hard not to feel blessed for having played a part in this medical breakthrough that has given countless families the gift of IVF-born children.
From over 13 million IVF births since, we owe it all to Bob, Patrick, and Jeanie – the pioneers who dared to challenge conventional wisdom. I was at the right place, at the right time – but I wouldn't be surprised if our story has inspired others to seek out hope in a world of uncertainty."
But I refused to accept that I had no options. I devoured every book on fertility treatments I could get my hands on and waited patiently for news of a medical breakthrough that would give me a second chance at motherhood.
Then it came: the pioneering IVF programme run by gynaecologist Patrick Steptoe and physiologist Robert Edwards. They told me I was an ideal candidate, and with my husband's sperm, my egg would be fertilized in a petri dish and implanted into my womb. It was a radical idea at the time, but I felt a spark of hope.
The journey wasn't without its setbacks. My first IVF attempt failed, leaving me heartbroken on a train ride home. But with support from Patrick, his team, and nurse embryologist Jean Purdy, I picked myself up and tried again. We were all in this together – fellow women who had given up hope and now found themselves fighting for the same thing: a baby of our own.
And then it happened. After months of waiting, I felt my period didn't come, and with that, I was pregnant – not just any pregnancy, but the second IVF birth in the world. The storm outside matched the turmoil inside me as I waited for Patrick to deliver our son Alastair by caesarean section.
It was January 14th, 1979, when Alastair finally arrived, weighing in at 5lb 12oz and beating all odds. He was the first IVF boy in the world, and my heart overflowed with joy as I held him in my arms for the very first time. The first cry I expected never came – he just looked up at me with an unspoken message: "It's about time."
Forty-six years on, Alastair is a proud father himself, working as a first officer in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Travelling together has brought us closer than ever. As we sleep under the stars or conquer New Zealand's Fox glacier, I'm reminded of how lucky I am to have him back in my life.
We formed an unbreakable bond with four other women from our IVF journey – a sisterhood forged by shared experience and mutual understanding. When I look back, it's hard not to feel blessed for having played a part in this medical breakthrough that has given countless families the gift of IVF-born children.
From over 13 million IVF births since, we owe it all to Bob, Patrick, and Jeanie – the pioneers who dared to challenge conventional wisdom. I was at the right place, at the right time – but I wouldn't be surprised if our story has inspired others to seek out hope in a world of uncertainty."
she went through so much and it's like her life changed forever when they invented IVF and now look at her son Alastair being a dad too 
it's crazy to think that there was no IVF back in 1972 lol can you even imagine not knowing if you'll be able to have kids 
I feel like I would've totally freaked out 
. I think its great how the story goes back to 1979 and shows the journey of getting IVF treatment back then, it's crazy to think about how far we've come. But you're right, we still owe a lot to people like Patrick Steptoe and Robert Edwards who paved the way for modern fertility treatments 
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I'm talking 40+ yrs later she has her son Alastair who is now a proud dad too, living his best life as a first officer in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary 
. And can you believe there are over 13 million IVF births since then?! 
this just goes to show how far medical breakthroughs have come! 
! It's so inspiring to see how one woman refused to give up on her dreams of motherhood, even when the odds were against her. The fact that she was part of that first-ever IVF birth in 1979 is just mind-blowing 
. The pioneering work of Dr. Steptoe, Dr. Edwards, and Jean Purdy is truly a testament to human ingenuity and perseverance 
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. The fact that Alastair is now a proud father himself just goes to show the power of perseverance and innovation 
So that's the story behind IVF... it's mind-blowing how far we've come! 
Still, it's amazing to think about how much has changed since 1972... the technology, the laws, even our attitudes towards family planning. 
The fact that there are now over 13 million IVF births is staggering – it just goes to show how far we've come in a relatively short period of time! 
My main concern, though, is the pressure on these pioneering doctors and nurses... I can only imagine how tough their journey must have been. 
They did change the world, but they deserve some serious recognition too. 
. The fact that there are still ppl out there who are going through the same struggles like back then is what makes this story even more touching 
.
, can you even believe how far IVF has come?! 
From IVF pioneer to proud dad himself... goals! 
#IVFPioneers #BreakingBarriers #MotherhoodJourney