48-year-old british woman gave birth after IVF attempts and the onset of menopause

Acupuncture, hypnotherapy, long-term hormonal treatment, 5 failed IVF attempts and the fight against menopause – these are what Fiona McCluskey and her husband Darren had to go through, who at all costs wanted to become parents. 

It all started in 2004 when newlyweds Fiona and Darren were honeymooning in Jamaica. Everything was ideal: the weather, the gentle Caribbean Sea and the long-awaited seclusion. It was here that the couple hoped to conceive a child, but, returning home to Edinburgh, they realized that they had not succeeded. 

“After two years of unsuccessful attempts, we went to the doctors, who found that I had a low supply of active eggs. We were offered to do IVF – the first time for free, and then for money, but in both cases it was not possible to get pregnant, ”Fiona recalls in a conversation with the Daily Mail reporters. The couple spent over £ 50 on the procedure.

In 2010, the couple went to a private clinic in Glasgow: after testing, they were offered intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), an assisted reproduction technique used as part of IVF therapy. As many as 6 times, Darren has undergone this procedure to increase his chances of becoming a parent. It helped. 

“The doctor said that I was in a position, and this was the best news in recent years. We were delighted. However, doctors soon discovered that this was a biochemical pregnancy, that is, the fetus did not actually exist. My body deceived itself, according to all the tests I was pregnant, but not on the ultrasound. “

Living through a difficult period of hormone therapy and exhausting visits to doctors, Darren and Fiona continued to work. According to the woman, a career saved from despair and helped to forget about problems. However, the constant stress and fear to seem weak and “sick” undermined McCluskey’s health: “I was afraid to tell colleagues about my medical procedures, I was ashamed to admit my infertility. I did not allow personal problems to influence my work, did not tell anyone about what was happening and even came up with non-existent excuses when I had to ask for another IVF therapy. Now I regret not taking a vacation at that moment. ” 

Ironically, both Darren and Fiona lost their jobs in 2011. The accumulated savings were enough, and they decided to devote the free time not to looking for new positions, but to an even more active search for a solution to the problem of infertility.

“We couldn’t believe – our dreams came true, I got pregnant! But in the eighth week, I started having severe cramps and then bleeding. We immediately went to the hospital and found out that the pregnancy was ectopic. I was completely shattered, ”Fiona recalls.

In 2015, another disappointment awaited the family: another IVF attempt did not bring any results. At that moment, the woman began menopause: she suffered from severe hot flashes. 

In 2018, it happened: Fiona became pregnant at 47. “I was in seventh heaven, but I still couldn’t believe it – I was smiling from ear to ear, like Darren. But at the same time, I was afraid, I thought that something bad would definitely happen and I was very worried. At night I had to listen to special meditation tapes to calm myself. “