Case Studies
Izzy Raby (1988)
"WERE you born in a test tube?" That is one of the more bizarre questions Izzy Raby is asked when she tells people she was an IVF baby.
The 19-year-old drama student was once a frozen embryo in storage at Bourn Hall.
And she thinks that is "rather cool."
"I really like the fact that I was a frozen embryo for three months," she said.
"It makes me feel that I fought my way to get here."
"I feel really special," she said. "I read my mum's diary and felt really emotional - it was really heart-wrenching."
Izzy's Mum Lucy Raby certainly faced a difficult future when she discovered a contraceptive device had destroyed her chances of getting pregnant.
"I was really shocked when I discovered the damage caused by the IUD" said Lucy. "This was the 1980s and in vitro fertilisation (IVF) was thought of as very unnatural and a bit sci-fi."
Lucy remembers her time at Bourn Hall fondly.
"The staff there were wonderfully caring and supportive. You felt at home, being with people in the same situation, which was tremendously therapeutic. It was also a very spiritual experience, it made you understand the mysteries of life."
