Natalie and Andrew Thompson say they feel “the happiest of parents” after welcoming their daughter, Ember Rose, following a long and emotional fertility journey.
The couple, who live near Taunton, conceived their first child, Oscar, within three months. When they tried for a second baby after he turned one, they weren’t expecting difficulties. After a year with no pregnancy, they visited their GP. Both were in their late twenties, healthy and with no issues indicated on blood tests or a pelvic scan, so they were advised to keep trying.
Another 12 months passed with no success. At that point, they began exploring private treatment. Secondary infertility affects around one in 20 couples in the UK, but NHS funding is not available when a family already has one child.
Natalie and Andrew chose the Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine (BCRM) because of its high IVF success rates and strong reviews. They bought a three-cycle Access Fertility refund package, which includes up to three IVF cycles, unlimited frozen embryo transfers and a full refund if treatment is unsuccessful.
Natalie said, “Private fertility treatment is never cheap, but this package gave us real reassurance. We had no idea how much we would need it.”
She added that the emotional challenge of secondary infertility took her by surprise. “If you had no problem first time around, it’s hard to get your head around it not being so easy next time.”
Over two years, Natalie underwent three full cycles of ICSI and ten embryo transfers at BCRM. The final transfer – using the very last frozen embryo – was the one that worked.
In July, the couple welcomed Ember Rose, a baby sister for Oscar, who Natalie describes as “the proudest big brother.” The family says they feel “relieved, thankful and incredibly lucky”.
“Andrew and I would like to say a huge thank you to the team at BCRM for our little miracle, and for being so consistently supportive and reassuring,” Natalie said. “Their positive reputation is very well-deserved.”
BCRM, based in Bristol, is the region’s longest-established fertility clinic and treats both private and NHS patients from across the South West and Wales. The clinic is known for its innovative research and strong IVF success rates.
