IVF

The new way to meet your baby's other parent

baby on laptop

Jo Hartley A rise in co-parenting and donor websites are giving wannabe parents an alternative way to meet their future child's mum or dad.

Have a baby or your money back - but there's a catch

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JO HARTLEY A new IVF scheme offers couples the chance to fall pregnant and give birth - or get their money back. But there's more to it than you might think.

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'Is that baby yours?'

The shape of a family: Sarah, Max, Marie and Olive.

Marie Holmes She is my daughter. I gave birth to her. I nurse her. But she doesn't have any of my genes.

The truth about IVF

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JO HARTLEY In what other instance would you ever happily pay for your husband to ‘produce’ a sample and let a team of people examine your vagina on a regular basis?

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NSW Health dumps 10-year limit on frozen embryos

Limits changed: An IVF embryo.

KIRSTY NEEDHAM A 10-year time limit on storing frozen embryos that were created with donor sperm has been dropped by the NSW government.

Devastated widow discovers she's pregnant the day before husband's funeral

Kristy Kirchner and her husband Royce.

LETITIA ROWLANDS They had been trying to conceive a baby for seven years. Tragically Kristy Kirchner found out she was pregnant the day before her husband Royce's funeral.

Crowdfunding for a baby

Asking strangers to help fund fertility treatment or adoption is becoming more common.

Paige Cornwell Nick and Stephanie Fattal desperately want to have a baby.

Finding a positive path through IVF

Having a glass-half-full approach to IVF can make a big difference to the experience.

VICTORIA BIRCH It’s not surprising that IVF is often seen as a negative journey towards the ultimate positive, but having a glass-half-full approach can make a big difference to the experience.

Giving strangers the gift of parenthood

LETITIA ROWLANDS A mum explains why she and her husband are choosing to gift their leftover embryos to help strangers achieve their dream of parenthood.

Sonia Kruger speaks out against IVF stigma

Small antipasto, stuffed sardines and calamari with parsley salt at Rosa's Kitchen.

PAUL KALINA Sonia Kruger speaks about how her ''miracle baby'' is actually all about science.

Single, 51 and pregnant

tracy khan

LETITIA ROWLANDS Tracey Kahn didn't realise she wanted to become a mother until she was well into her 40s. Now 51, she is pregnant with her second child.

A daughter's search to find her sperm donor father

Sarah Dingle who has been trying to find her genetic father who was a donor and all records from Royal North Shore Hospital have been destroyed.
21st July 2014.
Photo: Steven Siewert

Sarah Dingle was in her late 20s when she learnt she had been conceived using a sperm donor. Shock gave way to disbelief when she discovered there's no way of finding out who her biological father really is.

Stigma still attached to IVF

Many people believe there is still a stigma attached to using IVF to create a family.

Leah McLennan Despite the fact 12,000 Australian babies are born thanks to IVF each year, many women still feel there is a social stigma attached to the fertility treatment. Experts say it is time for this attitude to change.

IVF costs slashed at new clinic

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LETITIA ROWLANDS For people struggling to become parents IVF can be a blessing, but it's also a costly process. Now a new clinic is offering cut-price treatment.

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A family's journey from heartbreak to sheer joy

twins newton

Rochelle Moore Julia and Lee Newton faced one of their darkest moments when they realised they couldn't have more children. Then a friend offered the gift of a lifetime.

Second time lucky: conceiving naturally after IVF

second time

JO HARTLEY One in three Australian women who have their first baby with the help of assisted reproductive technologies, such as IVF, fall pregnant again without treatment within two years.

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I fell pregnant after my husband passed away

Sunday Life. Husband's sperm story. 
Katie Elfar with sons Oscar,4, and beau, 15 weeks. 
Photo: Edwina Pickles.  27th May 2014.

Erin O'Dwyer Although Katie Elfar's husband was no longer with her, she says that having a baby using his frozen sperm was the best decision she ever made.

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The IVF letter we dread

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JO HARTLEY You can often never have a full understanding of what’s involved in certain situations until you're in them - like choosing when to let go of your frozen embryos.

American woman sets record as oldest IVF mum

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A 46-year-old American has become the oldest woman to have a baby through IVF using her own fresh, unfrozen, eggs.

Choosing to be a solo parent

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JO HARTLEY Two women share their stories of longing for a baby so much that they each decided not to wait for a partner before becoming a mum.

IVF leaves woman pregnant with another couple's twins

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An Italian woman has been told the twins she is three months pregnant with are not hers.

Older women travelling to Europe for cheaper IVF

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ALEXANDRA SMITH More and more Aussie women in their late 40s and even 50s are travelling to Greece and Spain to get pregnant with cheaper IVF and looser laws.

Breakthrough a big boost for IVF success

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Matt Stewart A new technique could boost the chances of predicting a successful IVF pregnancy by as much as 90 per cent.

IVF babies grow up just the same

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LETITIA ROWLANDS The health risks faced by babies conceived via In Vitro Fertilisation have been well publicised. Now researchers have looked at whether health concerns linger into adulthood for IVF children.

Couples with unexplained infertility could be rushing into IVF, doctors say

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Kate Hagan Providing IVF treatment for unexplained infertility may be leading to overtreatment of couples who could go on to conceive naturally, a group of fertility doctors has argued.

Putting intelligence on the designer baby wishlist

smart baby

Letitia Rowlands A healthy baby is what every parent wishes for. But will couples one day be able to guarantee their baby is also born intelligent?

Sperm-swap nightmare at fertility clinic

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Lauren F. Friedman Couples trying to get pregnant through artificial insemination may have been victims of a disturbed fertility clinic worker in the US.

Assisted conceptions have more risk of serious complications

Newborn babies sleeping in hospital nursery

JULIA MEDEW Babies conceived through assisted reproductive therapies have a greater risk of stillbirth, premature birth and death in their first days of life, a study has found.

Having a baby at 47

Pregnant in water

Jenny Sinclair We were just getting some freedom back in our lives; now we're back at square one with its midnight horrors and 24/7 responsibilities.

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Why IVF parents are choosing girls over boys

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AMY CORDEROY Parents are increasingly asking to choose the sex of their children in an attempt to lower their baby's risk of diseases ranging from cancer to autism, IVF doctors say.

Baby born four months after mum loses cancer battle

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Letitia Rowlands A baby girl will be surrounded by family members this Christmas - the only exception will be her mother, who lost her life to cancer four months before her daughter was born via surrogate.

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Reader's story

Our first Christmas with our 'wee miracle'

olive

Janelle Shaw Finally, after so many years of trying, we're having our first Christmas as a family.

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Prenatal autism screening: a step forward or back?

ivf gender

Andrew Whitehouse Health authorities in Western Australia have given approval for IVF clinics to ‘screen’ embryos to reduce the chances of a couple having a child with autism. But is this a good thing?

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How to IVF-proof your relationship

couple kiss

KASEY EDWARDS IVF takes its toll on your body, your emotional state, your finances, and sometimes, your relationship. Here are some tips on how to reduce the collateral damage to your relationship during your IVF journey.

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Dreams fulfilled as donor use soars

Margaret Ambrose

JULIA MEDEW In Victoria, more women are using donor sperm than ever before. A single mum of two who went through IVF tells her story.

IVF costs soar as infertility business booms

IVF file pic

Julia Medew and Mark Baker The cost of some IVF services has soared as private equity funds have moved in on many Australian clinics, looking to profit from the booming business of infertility.

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Couple tries crowdfunding for IVF baby

joel kimberleigh

Patrick Williams Kimberleigh and Joel Earle need your help to make a baby.

Police checks for IVF patients 'absurd and illogical'

Christopher Scanlon

CHRISTOPHER SCANLON Victorian couples undergoing assisted reproduction are treated like criminals, according to one dad who's been through the "absurd and illogical" process.

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Surrogacy for cash on the rise

(L) Halimah Shams, Kabir Khaira 8mths and Sanjeet Khaira.

AMY CORDEROY Heterosexual couples appear to have overtaken gay men as the biggest users of overseas commercial surrogacy, a groundbreaking study has found.

IVF not so effective after five cycles

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MELANIE MAHONEY There is little chance of pregnancy after the fifth round of IVF treatment, a national report has found.

Why I'm open about my IVF treatments

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KASEY EDWARDS Many women feel the need to keep their fertility treatment a secret, and that's fine, but I'm taking a stand and talking about our journey.

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Australian woman receives groundbreaking ovarian tissue transplant

Vali, ovarian transplant recipient

AMY CORDEROY An infertile Australian woman is pregnant with twins after growing eggs in ovarian tissue transplanted into her abdomen.

Psychologist calls for stricter controls on IVF

IVF.

JULIA MEDEW People seeking infertility treatments should be better screened to ensure they are fit to parent, an Australian psychologist says.

Success varies for IVF clinics

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AMY CORDEROY The chance of getting pregnant using IVF could depend on what clinic you are using, new statistics show.

Britain to green-light first 'three-parent baby'

IVF clinic

Nick Collins Britain will become the first country in the world to create babies with the DNA of three people, to avoid passing on a range of hereditary conditions.

Forums

Assisted ConceptionForum

When trying just hasn't worked, find information, support, advice on assisted conception from our EB members here.

Blogs

Needles and natural killer cells

I thought I would do a bit of a run-down on what is involved with a fresh IVF cycle, because unless you have done it, why would you know? It's easy for some, difficult for others, both emotionally and physically.

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The Essential Baby & Toddler Show is back this April! Save $8 off the door price for a limited time only!

Good news: science says coffee is good for you

For centuries, coffee has caused a stir over health impacts, good or bad, with many people resigned to accept it as a guilty pleasure.

Man faces jail after giving woman abortion pill smoothie

A Norwegian man is facing jail after putting abortion pills in his ex-girlfriend's smoothie, causing her to have a miscarriage.

'He's a blessing': family of baby born without eyes

Jordy Jackson was born without eyes. He has anophthalmia, which affects one in every 100,000 babies born.

Super fit model Sarah Stage defends her pregnancy body

Model Sarah Stage has defended her pregnancy body after critics claimed her slim figure at eight-and-a-half months pregnant wasn't "normal".

Why I had the new test for Down syndrome

Early last year I turned 35, and having just found out I was pregnant, I opted to have the new test for Down syndrome.

The day I broke my baby

There are things I wish I didn't know. I wish I didn't know that companies make tiny braces, small enough to hold necks no bigger than a wrist.

Why I post breastfeeding photos online

I love to take pictures of my children. In some of the pictures, my younger son is nursing.

Brave mum calls for domestic violence law reform

A brave mum of two has shared details of the harrowing attacks she suffered at the hands of her partner in a bid to help other victims of domestic violence.

The place just for dads of multiples

When a couple discovers they're expecting multiples, the dad can sometimes be almost forgotten in all the excitement and preparation. But one group offers a space just for dads of twins and higher-order multiples.

Pete Evans' cookbook 'not safe' for babies

A baby and toddler cookbook co-authored by celebrity chef Pete Evans has been held back from publication after health officials said a baby could die if parents followed its Paleo recipes.

5 unspoken fantasies of mums of young kids

Every so often, you descend into one of these mum fantasies that so many of us have but don't usually discuss aloud.

6 handy apps for new parents

We’ve got the low down on six of the most popular and useful apps available today, specifically designed for new mums.

How a common painkiller almost killed my baby

I decided to get my baby some Nurofen. Little did I know I was about to set off the most horror filled week of my life to date.

How brain training helped me recover from postnatal depression

Put simply, I had to re-train my brain. And it was a real process, not just a moment between 'not good' and 'better'.

How my iPhone addiction made me a terrible mum

I embarked on an experiment. I decided to quit my phone, cold turkey, for one week. I wanted to see if I really needed all that connectivity.

The tidying trick that works for us

We have four kids. We could be the poster house for how not to display stuff. But I've discovered a new trick that's working ... for now.

5 ways to rekindle the romance once you have kids

Having a baby is the most profound thing you can do as a couple, but it's important to understand that the shape of your relationship is bound to change.

New mum's cancer warning

Nina Langley and Ed Cusick should be basking in the joy of new parenthood. Instead the couple's first weeks at home with baby son Teddy is overshadowed by the first-time mum's cancer diagnosis

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Sign up to our 30 days of #playiq challenge

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Grandbabies: the babies born looking old

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Family kicked off flight after toddler seatbelt drama

An entire family was kicked off a Cathay Pacific flight when a misbehaving toddler refused to put his seatbelt on.

Stolen baby found after 17 years

A baby stolen from her mother's arms shortly after birth has been found through an astonishing coincidence.

Stop asking 'why didn't she leave?'

When people talk about domestic violence, they almost always ask one question: "Why didn't she leave sooner?"

Toddler almost strangled by teething necklace

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The Essential Baby and Toddler Show

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The Essential Baby & Toddler Show is back this April! Save $8 off the door price for a limited time only!