UK’s National Fertility Awareness Week to mark the 40 year anniversary of IVF

On 10 November 1977, IVF worked and nine months later Louise Joy Brown – the world’s first IVF baby – was born. Since then more than a quarter of a million UK babies have been born via IVF

As part of this year’s National Fertility Awareness Week (Oct 30 to Nov 5) Fertility Network UK is commemorating 40 years of IVF by revealing what IVF means to the one in six couples whose lives have been affected by it – for better and for worse.

The charity, that works to support anyone struggling with fertility issues, is talking to many people who have had good and bad experiences and will share their thoughts and feelings during the awareness week.

A charity spokeswoman said: “During the week we’ll also be revealing the best and worst places to live in the UK if you’re hoping to access NHS IVF (Oct 30); the first ever qualitative survey of men’s experiences of infertility (Nov 1); plus advice on fertility etiquette: what to say, what not to say and how best to support anyone experiencing fertility issues (Nov 2).

Award-winning all-female trio The Beatrix Players are working with Fertility Network during National Fertility Awareness Week and are available for interviews and to perform. The group’s recently released single All That Thinking is a song about the difficulty of having a child and the blame that goes on between partners.

Commenting on her experience of fertility difficulties, Beatrix Players’ vocalist and songwriter Amy Birks said: ‘I hope that All That Thinking helps in some way to lift the lid on a subject that is so often hushed into embarrassment, a subject that causes conflict and so much pain, where you feel totally alone, but as I say each time before I sing this song; All That Thinking is for anyone that has suffered. It is for the one in six.”

View the video for All That Thinking, produced in association with Fertility Network UK

If you want to get involved, visit Fertility Network UK for more information