The Ember of Hope - Stephanie's Story
Fifteen out of every one hundred pregnancies sadly will end in a miscarriage and there were 4,477 baby deaths in the UK in 2024. Read Stephanie's story of hope.
Fifteen out of every one hundred pregnancies sadly will end in a miscarriage and there were 4,477 baby deaths in the UK in 2024.
These are not just statistics or numbers but families and individuals whose stories need to be heard, supported and cared for. Stories like Stephanie’s below, that shape not just the individual but all those caring for them.
For myself as someone working in the sector for over twenty years, her story will always be remembered, and it was truly a privilege to walk some of that with her.
-- Anya Sizer, Fertility Advocate, HFEA & Fertility Alliance Trustee
Stephanie's Story
Our fertility journey started in 2010. We had tried for a baby for around eighteen months and had no idea why we hadn’t conceived. We came to the clinic confused, scared and hopeful all at the same time.
I responded well to the first cycle of IVF treatment, not too many side effects and my first egg collection resulted in thirteen eggs. Thirteen had always been a lucky number for me!
As I lay in Theatre after the procedure feeling every emotion in technicolour, news reached me that my partner hadn’t been able to produce a sample and we were left with no sperm for my thirteen eggs.
Whilst I couldn’t have seen them, the image I remember is of thirteen tiny unfertilised eggs in a petri dish. Knowing that the odds (back then) of defrosting frozen eggs to use at a later stage was only 10% was agonising and I couldn’t bear the thought of losing them.
I had to decide quickly and decided to fertilise them with donor sperm. I needed to create embryos that day.
The next few days were a blur. Four embryos developed quickly and well enough to be transferred or frozen. Our thinking of what to do had to move at the same rate although I knew I would never be able to go through with the transfer.
We chose to freeze the embryos (and to put off any decision about them) because we weren’t ready to give up on creating a child that was fully biologically ours. We would try again.
Next time I needed certainty of having the sperm sample ready before the egg collection. The plan would be to freeze a sperm sample before egg collection which could be defrosted on the day.
To our complete surprise, on testing the sample, we were told there were hardly any sperm and those that could be seen, were immobile. With so few viable sperm, not only was freezing not an option, but the odds of us also creating our own biological child by any method had just plummeted.
We were told the only option was for my partner to have a surgical procedure to remove individual sperm on the same day as my egg collection, with the hope of being able to fertilise the eggs directly through a process called ICSI.
Back through the daily injections and round two of egg harvesting we went with a microscopic chance of creating any embryos. It was a difficult time for us; not expecting success yet not ready to give up.
On the day of my second egg collection, the minutes passed as hours whilst I waited in theatre, another petri dish of eggs collected and hoping with every fibre of my body that our doctor would work her magic and find some viable sperm.
The team were incredible and kept me company and updated during the agonising wait. “She won’t give up until she’s found some” one of the nurses told me and she was right. Our doctor was as determined as us. Eventually after the longest time, I was told that she had found a few usable sperm, managed to extract them and they were preparing for fertilisation. We had a chance again.
And suddenly from despair to hope – we had, unbelievably, five embryos.
The next few days were tough, the waiting and wondering how our five balls of cells were doing.
I remember exactly where I was standing when we got the call from the clinic to give us the results of the quality of the embryos. To my amazement there were two that were ‘top-grade’ and the rest were also viable. What a feeling! Better than receiving any top-grade exam result I had ever had - we really did have a chance!
We agreed that a three-day embryo transfer would be best to avoid any risk of them not surviving if we left it longer and suddenly there I was having a double embryo transfer. The remaining three we froze.
The two-week wait was like two years. I was too scared to take any early tests and the thought of being possibly pregnant was infinitely better than definitely not.
Two weeks to the day of the transfer, I went to the clinic for a blood test. I remember exactly what I was wearing and the streets I walked around in the couple of hours before having the test and getting the results.
I remember the room – the look on Alex the nurse’s face which meant I knew before I knew and her words. “Well, you aren’t just pregnant - you are very pregnant!” Hormone levels off the chart which meant there was a high chance that both embryos had taken. She told me years later that this was one of the highlights of her career!
The joy! Hugs and tears all around – a miracle had happened.
Beyond the stress of fertility treatment came the new stress that I was wholly unprepared for – the stress of staying pregnant. Searching for symptoms, worrying about every twinge or brush to my stomach. The six-week scan couldn’t come soon enough.
And there we were, the day I had imagined over and over had become a reality. Two heartbeats. We were having twins! The room was crammed with so many of the team I had become close to during our journey. Everything had led up to this moment and the noise of the heartbeats was the most beautiful sound in the world.
The next few weeks were a mix of elation and fear – one minute looking at double buggies and another unable to look at anything, being terrified of something going wrong. The milestone twelve-week scan felt too far away so I went back to the clinic at around ten weeks to hopefully get a bit of reassurance.
Sadly, this time I only heard one heartbeat. One of the twins hadn’t made it. I didn’t know what to feel or what to do. We had lost one of our precious babies, yet I was still pregnant. Sadness and happiness sat right next to each other, not knowing how to exist in each other’s company.
I took the next couple of weeks off work and rested and worried and watched the days tick by until the twelve-week scan. Our baby was developing well and I started to relax enough to let myself get excited. We planned the nursery and started to buy everything I had always dreamed of.
I loved my developing bump and with every week that passed, our excitement grew as well.
Everything was fine with my pregnancy until it wasn’t.
Amelie was born prematurely at 28 weeks. Twelve weeks early yet statistically far enough along that she should have been ok. We didn’t know she was a she until she arrived – tiny, yet perfect, the darkest of hair and the shrillest of cries. She was here.
She wriggled and cried but I didn’t get to hold her and watched as she was whisked away by one of the specialist nurses to the neonatal unit.
Amelie was a good weight for her weeks at 2 lb 9 oz but sadly her lungs weren’t strong enough and despite the incredible efforts of the team there, she died later that night, nestled in my arms wrapped in a pink butterfly blanket.
Going home without her, without being pregnant and without any hope of creating our family was impossibly hard. Our miracle baby, our beautiful daughter had fleetingly appeared and then disappeared just as suddenly. It was too hard to process.
Three months later we found some energy to go skiing for Christmas as staying at home that year felt too hard. Up in the mountains, I regained some strength and became focused on trying to get pregnant again.
We had three frozen embryos left and I wanted to start the process as soon as possible – that meant that very same week. I found a chemist at the ski resort and the clinic sent through the prescription for the medication to start to thicken my womb lining. In a daze, here we were going again.
I remember almost nothing of the clinic visits or the frozen embryo transfer. I let myself be told what to do every step of the way and couldn’t even think of getting excited. I was numb yet determined to keep going and the wonderful team at the clinic got me through those weeks.
I tested at home after ten days and before I even took the test, I knew I was pregnant, knew he was a boy and most crucially, knew (or had to at convince myself at least) that he would be ok.
Oscar* was born a year and two weeks after his sister and fourteen years later I sometimes still look at him and can’t believe he is here.
When Oscar was almost five, the time came to make a decision around the last couple of frozen embryos. They were so unlikely to work given the quality, yet something in me knew we needed to give one a chance.
I went for the transfer without any real hope of success. I knew either way this was the end of our treatment journey and whatever happened I was blessed to have had Amelie (who I had come to believe was brought to us to accompany my dad, who had died suddenly a few months earlier, up to heaven) and Oscar, our incredible little boy.
I don’t remember finding out I was pregnant with Jacob* or really any of the pregnancy. He is now nearly nine and I find myself often wondering how we managed, against the odds, to complete our family with another little miracle.
I have fragmented memories and complex emotions around our fertility, pregnancy and parenting journey, however, there are two things I know to be true:
Firstly, whilst fertility treatment is tremendously hard in so many ways, you will be guaranteed to meet some of the most caring, generous and dedicated people you could hope for. You will remember their names and their impact will stay with you forever.
And secondly, an ember of hope, however small, can be enough to keep you moving and to keep you believing that the universe has a way of guiding us towards where we are meant to be.
As we mark Baby Loss Awareness Week, we know just how difficult this time can be. More than anything, we want every person to know they are not alone and that support is here when needed.
Amazing organisations such as Saying Goodbye, Tommy’s, and the Miscarriage Association exist to end isolation and provide a way forward.
We at London Women’s Clinic stand with all those affected, and together will look forward, providing hope for the journey ahead.
*names have been changed to protect patient confidentiality
All of our blog posts are written, edited, or produced by the London Women's Clinic Content Team. This is a collaboration between our expert writers, health editors, and the leading researchers and senior doctors at our Harley Street clinic.
What Our Patients Say
‘We started our IVF process with LWC around a year ago. It felt very daunting and a long road ahead, and the entire team were so supportive and explained everything so clearly. When we were undergoing the egg retreival and transfer, the team were so kind and we felt really looked after. We have now welcomed our little girl and after years of trying, we wouldn't have gotten here without the support and guidance given by LWC. Thank you all!’
Alice Maker
22 January 2026, LWC London Bridge
‘Dr Suraya made our appointment a really enjoyable experience. She made us both feel at ease and was so knowledgeable throughout the scan. Dr Suraya is a real asset to LWC’
Liz Troup
22 January 2026, LWC London Bridge
‘I received excellent care from all the staff at London Women's Clinic, we felt very welcomed as a same sex couple. We are so grateful to have been able to have our wonderful daughter. I would definitely recommend the clinic to anyone starting fertility treatment!’
Megan Knox
21 January 2026, LWC Canterbury
‘I've recently completed a round of egg freezing with London Women's Clinic harrow and I couldn't recommend them as a clinic more. Carla and Ana-Maria quite literally held my hand throughout the entire process, making me feel really relaxed and supported. It's made such a stressful experience super positive and if anyone is thinking of using them, I'd absolutely recommend them!’
Brooke Day
19 January 2026, LWC Harrow
‘I undertook Kind IVF, which even though is nurse led as opposed to consultant led, the care, professionalism and knowledge is there. The nurses consult with consultants during your protocol, so the difference really is you see the nurses instead. The medication doses are less and less medication, but this doesn't mean it will be less effective, it is an option worth exploring, as the cost is less and can open the door when more traditional ivf is out of reach. I am currently pregnant having gone through the kind ivf protocol one time.’
APINTOF MEGAN
19 January 2026, LWC London Bridge
‘Exceptional service from start to finish. Highly recommend Harley street team for looking after us. Absolutely loved your service and care. Thank you London woman's clinic :)’
Anh Nguyen
19 January 2026, LWC Harley Street
‘The team at the Cambridge LWC branch have been incredibly supportive, encouraging and helpful throughout our journey, and have been with us through the ups and downs. It's a very safe and inclusive space, and we feel very well cared for. We can't recommend them enough! Sarah and Jacqui’
Sarah Peace
16 January 2026, LWC Cambridge
‘We will be forever grateful to London Women's Clinic Bromley for helping us achieve what once felt impossible -- welcoming our beautiful, healthy baby boy in November 2025. Our IVF journey was emotional, overwhelming at times, and deeply personal, but from the very first appointment we were met with nothing but kindness, compassion, and unwavering support. Every step was clearly explained, we were kept fully informed throughout, and there was always someone available to answer our questions or simply reassure us when we needed it most. We never once felt like just another patient -- we felt truly cared for. Dr Malini, Sarah, Nicky (Nikita) and Dom were exceptional and will always hold a very special place in our hearts. Their warmth, patience, and genuine kindness made the process so much easier to cope with. They made us feel safe, comfortable, and supported during some of the most vulnerable moments of our lives. Every nurse, embryologist, and member of staff we encountered was wonderful. We honestly cannot recommend London Women's Clinic Bromley enough to anyone struggling with fertility or facing similar challenges. The dedication, empathy, and expertise of this team has changed our lives forever. We hope to take the clinic up on their offer to visit with our little miracle, who we are endlessly thankful they helped bring into this world. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Lucy & Sayed ’
Lucy morgan
16 January 2026, LWC Bromley
‘My journey with egg freezing in the LWC has been amazing. I had started consultations with another provider before but didn't feel comfortable there, and I'm SO GLAD I listened to my instinct and went to this clinic! The whole team was so knowledgeable and supportive throughout, but also just lovely. I would recommend the clinic, ESPECIALLY if you are worried about the process and feel emotional, the understanding and support here is way beyond what I was hoping for!!!’
Charlotte M
15 January 2026, LWC London Bridge
‘My journey with the LWC in London Bridge + Harley Street has been outstanding. The team is so lovely, I felt welcomed and understood from the first to the last call and through every appointment in between. I would recommend it to every friend!’
Charlotte M
15 January 2026, LWC Harley Street
‘Nicki has a beautiful and excellent personality, she was so kind, polite and sweet. I felt so happy after the scan . Bless her. Right woman for the job.’
Steave Oyinloye
15 January 2026, LWC Bromley
‘Nikita was fab - really put me at ease with my scan and able to relax. Feel very supported’
S S
15 January 2026, LWC Bromley
‘Just had my scan with Nikki and she was very informative and made me feel very comfortable.’
Lisa
15 January 2026, LWC Bromley
‘Nikita was excellent and mindful during our initial scan/consultation explained everything well.’
james harris
15 January 2026, LWC Bromley
‘Myself and partner have had a lovely experience with LWC Canterbury they are thoughtful and caring. Always made us feel comfort and welcome even through the difficulties that we have faced on our journey, however we will be forever grateful for all they have done and are contiuing to do.’
Natasha Elliott
14 January 2026, LWC Canterbury
‘This was my first fertility treatment, and I cannot express enough how thankful I am to have chosen LWC and to have been treated at the Harrow clinic. I would highly recommend it to anyone considering starting their fertility journey! From the start, I appreciated how transparent the admin team was about all the costs involved at every stage, giving clear ranges when the decision depended on how the treatment would go. I am also extremely grateful for their support in helping with securing financing, even when I decided to move forward at short notice. They took the time to schedule calls to answer my questions, and I truly felt listened to and cared for as a patient. At the Harrow clinic, I experienced an exceptionally caring and positive environment. All the nurses were highly professional while also being incredibly comforting and supportive. I would especially like to thank Ana Maria, who was there throughout the process, offering practical advice based on her own experience, a hug when needed, and making the entire journey feel much more like home. I would also like to thank Carla for her positivity, high energy, and encouragement during difficult moments, and Laura for her empowering and reassuring approach to the injections. Dr Goswami was also outstanding--extremely professional and clear in her advice. She carefully adjusted the treatment to aim for the best possible outcome while prioritising safety and minimising risks. I am also very grateful for the support groups organised by the clinic. Through these, I met incredibly brave and empowered women and couples. Sharing this journey with some of them made the experience far more bearable and positive. Thank you to everyone at the Harrow clinic and LWC for your incredible support!!’
Marina Riabiz
14 January 2026, LWC Harrow
‘We had a very positive experience at this IVF clinic and would highly recommend it. From the very beginning, we felt well supported and looked after throughout the entire journey. A special thank you to Safak, our patient coordinator, who was incredibly helpful and always very quick to respond. We would also like to thank Princess, the receptionist, as well as the Italian receptionist whose name we unfortunately don't remember, for always being kind and welcoming. We are extremely grateful to Dr Suraya, who performed many of our scans and was exceptional throughout the process, and to Dr Rao, who followed our journey step by step with great care, professionalism and attention. Finally, a big thank you to all the nurses, especially Hannah,Ella and Paige, for their support, kindness and professionalism. Overall, we felt very well cared for and supported, and we truly recommend this clinic to anyone considering IVF!’
Alicia Gioia
12 January 2026, LWC London Bridge
‘The reception staff are amazing nothing is to much trouble. Always answered any queries we had. The whole team were brilliant from our first initial appointment too our very last. They made us feel so comfortable.’
Rachel Powell
12 January 2026, LWC Bristol
‘We don't know where to begin, this place truly is wonderful. So so comforting and welcoming. Every single staff member went above and beyond and really felt like family. We couldn't be more appreciative of everyone who helped us on our way to creat our little one, who is cooking away nicely at 20 weeks. From choosing a sperm donor to my egg collection and then to getting my wife pregnant with the embryos a few months later, it was so stress free and we felt supported every single step of the way. We can't thank all the lovely wonderful ladies at the Brentwood clinic enough for what they have helped us achieve- and of course the amazing people at the Harley street clinic for doing the procedures who were just as welcoming! Thank you all so so much, we can't wait to bring our little man to meet you all when we are ready to try for baby number 2 xxxxx’
molly bannister
9 January 2026, LWC Brentwood
‘Following a seminar I attended at LWC, I arranged a consultation with Dr. Naware who specialises in fertility for women over 40. It was a refreshing experience. Dr. Naware is empathetic, kind and thorough. The follow up from the clinic was excellent, with Safak, Patient Coordinator, providing regular updates.’
A Patel
9 January 2026, LWC London Bridge
‘We are incredibly grateful to London Women's Clinic - Canterbury for their outstanding care and support throughout our IVF journey. Both the Canterbury and Bromley teams surrounded us with genuine kindness, understanding, and constant attention. We always felt listened to and truly cared for, and the level of professionalism was exceptional at every stage. Thanks to their dedication and hard work, we had the chance to welcome our beautiful little daughter into the world. We cannot recommend this clinic highly enough.’
Natalia Twardochleb
8 January 2026, LWC Canterbury
‘We can't recommend the London Women's Clinic enough. My partner and I are a same-sex female couple and are currently pregnant with our baby due in July -- after only two attempts. From the moment we chose the London Women's Clinic, the experience was incredible. The Harrow branch in particular felt so welcoming and supportive. Carla Lang, Ana-Maria, Laura Adagbon, and Dr Gill were absolutely amazing -- accommodating, kind, friendly, and genuinely caring. They went above and beyond throughout our entire journey, even responding to emails outside of working hours, which meant so much to us. We had previously completed blood tests and scans at another clinic but didn't feel it was the right fit. The London Women's Clinic didn't push us to repeat everything unnecessarily -- they accepted our previous tests, which really showed that they are not money-driven. On that note, their pricing is also very affordable compared to other clinics. Dr Gill is incredibly thorough and precise, taking so many factors into account when planning treatment, which gave us complete confidence. Our insemination was carried out at the Harley Street London Women's Clinic by Dr Yogita Date, who was equally wonderful. She made us feel comfortable, supported, and genuinely wished us luck during the procedure. Overall, this clinic felt more like family than a medical service. Even now, they continue to check in on us and our pregnancy, which says everything about the level of care they provide. We are beyond grateful and wouldn't hesitate to recommend the London Women's Clinic to anyone starting their fertility journey.’
Maisie Thomas
8 January 2026, LWC Harrow
‘The team at LWC Harley Street have been outstanding. They have supported my wife and I through our IVF journey at every step, keeping us informed and making the entire journey feel seamless. A special thanks to Dr Serra, Nurse Mimi, Vita and the rest of the LWC team that have helped us along the way. We are now 20 weeks into our pregnancy and LWC have continued to follow up to ensure all is well. A big thank you once again and we highly recommend LWC Harley Street to anyone considering IVF.’
Keyur Nakum
29 December 2025, LWC Harley Street
‘Cannot fault the ladies here at all. I felt so so welcome and looked after during the visit and consultation. The nurses were so compassionate and lovely, and I really felt like I was being listened to and understood. Would recommend to anyone looking to start a fertility journey/make some enquiries into their fertility healthxx’
Ellie Brown
19 December 2025, LWC Canterbury
‘Myself and my partners experience with LWC in Canterbury has been AMAZING! They have been so supportive and friendly throughout our whole IVF journey and gave us no stress throughout any part of it. Would very highly recommend as our first round of ISCI IVF worked ’
Mia Summers
19 December 2025, LWC Canterbury
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