BBC's Emma: My f ive failed rounds of IVF trying for a second baby
WOMAN’S HOUR presenter Emma Barnett revealed yesterday that she had a miscarriage during several gruelling rounds of IVF to conceive a second child.
The 37-year-old gave birth to her son four years ago after a single round of IVF, but five further attempts to have another baby have failed.
Ms Barnett said she wanted to speak publicly about her experience to support other women who have struggled to get pregnant.
She told The Times: ‘Over the past 18 months I have been struggling with secondary infertility.
‘I have had five rounds of IVF, one miscarriage and more internal examinations than I care to recall. There is still no second baby.’
The former BBC Newsnight presenter said she last spoke about her fertility problems after her son was born, saying that stories of unsuccessful IVF treatment were rarely shared.
She added: ‘My womb is definitely empty, and I am reporting to you live from the front lines of failure in the hope that it may be helpful and to be honest. I am not looking for sympathy or pity – I am sharing my story in the hope it will help more people understand and to explore what motivates us to keep trying.’
Recent research shows that fertility issues affect up to one in seven people of working age.
The study, conducted by Fertility Matters at Work, revealed 69.5 per cent took sick leave during fertility treatment rather than ask for time off to avoid alerting work colleagues, and 36 per cent of those undergoing assisted conception considered leaving their jobs.
Ms Barnett said that at the start of her IVF treatment four years ago she was diagnosed with endometriosis, a painful condition that causes tissue similar to the lining of the womb to grow in other places, such as the ovaries.
She became pregnant after a fifth round of treatment shortly before Christmas last year, but miscarried nine weeks later.
She and her husband plan to try again and will embark on their seventh round of IVF treatment. She added: ‘Casting my mind back, I used to read those stories of women who had been able to endure and afford six, seven or eight rounds of IVF and think, “How on earth could they keep going?”
‘That question is front of mind as I potentially embark on what will be our seventh turn on the IVF merry-go-round. I only hope that sharing my experience while it is happening may help someone else trying, failing and trying again.’
The success of IVF has increased in every age band over the past 30 years. Birth rates per transferred embryo are at 32 per cent for under-35s but just four per cent for women over 44, NHS data shows.