Case Studies
Sam Cheney (1987)
After two years of trying unsuccessfully for children, she and her husband David decided to consult their GP. After several invasive tests, doctors eventually discovered that Jane had numerous adhesions on her fallopian tubes, caused by her appendicitis more than 10 years before.
"I was shocked," said Jane. "I couldn't believe the damage that had been done."
Jane, was recommended to try in vitro fertilisation (IVF), but was warned that she was not a good candidate for the procedure. But she and David decided to go ahead anyway.
The couple's first attempt at IVF failed because no eggs were retrieved. But three months later a doctor who could use ultrasound for retrieving eggs rather than laparoscopy joined the team. This time egg collection was successful.
"There had been huge ups and downs, but I felt very lucky," she said. "I remember my time their fondly - even staying in the portakabins they had for treatment in those days and collecting urine through the night and presenting it in a plastic milk jug."
