Pride Month: Mums Praise Inclusivity At BCRM

When Kimberley and Kirsty became a couple in spring 2022, Kim already had two daughters, now aged nine and five, from a previous relationship. But Kirsty knew from the start that she also wanted to have a baby and it would have been a deal-breaker for her if Kim hadn’t felt the same way.

Fortunately that wasn’t a problem: Kim was just as keen for the pair to have a baby of their own, and three years on they now have that baby, thanks to the miracle of IVF and the efforts of the team at Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine (BCRM).

Kirsty, a nurse associate with the NHS, and Kim, who works in a tea-room, started investigating fertility clinics after they’d been together for about a year.

Kim said they picked BCRM because they were impressed with their track record, found them very informative and easy to deal with on the phone, and were happy with the way they put them at ease when they visited.

Kirsty said: “The plan was that I would be carrying the baby, and it was really important to us that all the staff at the clinic understood how we wanted to be looked after.

“They didn’t disappoint. At all our appointments people were friendly and reassuring, supportive when examinations were taking place and worked at just the right pace for us, offering an exceptional level of inclusivity for a same-sex couple.

“We used the sperm bank at BCRM: it was fun and quite interesting to browse the catalogue of donors to find someone who ticked all our boxes.

“The next step was a very positive and thought-provoking counselling session which included how to enlighten others about the altruistic motives that drive sperm donors.

“We had multiple trips to the clinic, so were grateful that access and parking are easy.

“I had normal IVF treatment, and the transfer process was just lovely. Kim and I held hands and could see the whole process happening on the monitor.

“Our beautiful daughter, Willow Dot, was born on 16 June weighing 7lb 9oz, and we couldn’t be prouder parents. She is amazing.

“We will be forever grateful to the team at BCRM who made it possible for Kim and I to have our own little girl, and for the modern miracle that is IVF.”

BCRM www.fertilitybristol.com has one of the best success rates with IVF and other fertility treatments in the UK and is involved in innovative research covering a range of fertility issues.

Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine (BCRM) 135 Aztec West, Bristol BS32 4UB • Tel: 0117 259 1159