HEALTH FOCUS: IVF made me discover strength I never knew I had

In any given class of school children today, at least one is likely to be there thanks to fertility treatments known as assistance médicale à la procréation (AMP) or procréation médicalement assistée (PMA). 

France’s institute for demographic studies, INED, states that 3.9% – or one in 25 – of all births in France result from fertility treatment; the UK equivalent is 3%, while in the US it is 2.6%. 

Across the board, figures rise with the mother’s age, so for first-time mothers aged 40 or more, fertility treatments account for 11% of births.

In France, legislation passed in June 2021 means that all women aged 42 and under can access AMP, including lesbian couples and single women. 

Over 70% of AMP treatments are fécondation in vitro (IVF), and the French health service covers 100% of the costs for up to four rounds of IVF. 

You will also find private fertility clinics in France offering ‘cutting-edge technology’ for which they charge additional fees. These can reach several thousand euros.

What the process involves

An initial consultation with your GP should prompt a referral to a specialist or clinic for further tests to determine if IVF is the right route for you. 

The clinical team makes their decision based on the likelihood of successful treatment and your ability to welcome a child into a good environment. 

Waiting times vary across France, but the process often takes two years. 

As with any country, it involves daily hormone injections for the mother-to-be, cycles of egg retrieval and insemination, and possible disappointment. 

In one recent French study, patients reported that IVF can feel like ‘a real obstacle course’: 27% of couples discontinued treatment when their first cycle did not work; 34% stopped after a second unsuccessful attempt; and 42% after a third attempt.

Happily, 70% of couples undergoing IVF in France become parents, although not always through medical treatment: 11% adopt children and 12% conceive naturally.

‘Crazy journey’

“IVF is not for the faint-hearted,” says Chloé, who did not wish to disclose her full name. She went through the process four years ago. 

“The daily injections are not much fun, egg retrieval is really difficult, ultrasounds are unpleasant, and it certainly puts a strain on your relationship. But when it works, you forget all that.”

She warns that there are differences between IVF rules in France and those abroad. 

“When I was going through the first stages of IVF, I spent a lot of time browsing online forums,” she adds. 

“I used to see a lot of American women posting about doing several egg retrievals before transferring and testing embryos. 

“Laws are different in Europe and certainly in my part of France, you’re not allowed to test embryos unless you are over 35 or have a condition that makes you an exception. 

“What you’re hoping for is a ‘blast’, or blastocyst – an embryo that has been fertilised and successfully developed for five to six days. 

“That’s when the embryo can be implanted, when you cross your fingers and hope to God it takes.”

Chloé said there were 10 mature eggs from her first egg retrieval, and she had four ‘blasts’. “When I asked about doing another retrieval, I was told that you need to use the eggs you have before creating more embryos,” she says. 

“I understand their ethics, because you can’t bank lives you don’t intend to use, but when you’re already 39 and feel that time is running out, you’re desperate to maximise your chances.”

Chloé now has a two-year-old daughter and says that going through IVF was stressful but well worth it. 

“As a couple, we got through it, but we soon learned not to tell our families when we were going through another cycle, because they were counting down the days as much as we were. 

“Just remember, thousands of other women are going through this same crazy journey. Even if it seems like you can’t do it again, you absolutely can, and you’ll discover strength you never knew you had. 

“I’m thankful for my daughter every day, and for the IVF that gave me the chance to be her mum.”

French site Procréation Médicale has lots of useful information from legal updates to case studies. 

If you are concerned about your own fertility, make an appointment with your GP to discuss your options.