I met my partner in the very late period of our lives. Or I would rather say – we just needed more time to find each other.
I was then 39, and he was almost 50, each of us with a different baggage and life experience. The plans we had made as young people just on the threshold of adulthood somehow didn’t work out the way we wanted. We knew more bends than straight paths. I wanted to have children very much, but earlier I didn’t met a person with whom I would like to raise them. Paul probably postponed the decision too long, when there was the right time for this. His wife left him for the man who wanted to set up a family with her. He stayed alone. When we already found each other, the other halves of us, the first thoughts about children appeared. But we? In this age? Is it still possible? Is it safe?
Since the beginning of our relationship we didn’t try to avoid a potential pregnancy, but after 8 months of more intensive attempts which were not effective, we went to a doctor. In the clinic we did all tests and consulted with several specialists. As a lady just before 40 I had already low ovarian reserve, and Paul had very poor semen results.
Earlier we had already talked what we would do if the treatment were needed. We were already ready so when the doctor mentioned that in our situation in vitro would be the best solution, we received this information without any special emotions. However, later some doubts arose – after all, we were not so young any more.
We were referred for the consultation to the genetic outpatient clinic. I knew that prenatal tests would be necessary and that the risk of genetic defects in the child is already high due to our age. We talked a lot about this and the closer the date of the in vitro programme was, the more concerns we had.
During our next visit in the clinic we learnt about the No Genetic Risk IVF Programme. Our attending physician told us about the embryo testing which gives the couples like us the chance to avoid the disease in a child. This was something new.
We made the decision and started the treatment. From 6 retrieved oocytes, 4 were successfully fertilised. Three embryos were developing properly and were examined. Two of them were healthy and they were administered during the transfer. We decided to freeze the one which was left.
From the time perspective, I remember the numbers and the awareness, how ruthless the nature is. For us, however, it proved generous. We have a beautiful, healthy daughter – the harvest of love of parents who found each other in the prime of life, and not at the stage of secondary school; who dreamt about a true family and did everything to make it happy.
