Table 1

Respondents’ details

Name (age)Personal and medical background
Erica (35)3 IVF attempts, 4 ICSI attempts, currently doing a fifth ICSI attempt. Several pregnancies, one stillbirth at 28 weeks. No (living) children.
Gwen (29)2 IUI attempts, 2 IVF attempts. Last attempt was successful. Has a daughter.
Fay (44)4 IVF attempts. Last attempt was successful. Has a daughter.
Leanne (43)3 ICSI attempts, 5 IUI attempts. Had a miscarriage 11 weeks into her pregnancy. No children.
Roxanne (46)6 IVF attempts over 17 years, last one successful. Has a son. Cannot have infertility treatment (for a second child) because of medical reasons.
Kate (41)5 IUI attempts, 13 IVF attempts, 2 of which were successful. Has a son and a daughter.
Emily (45)3 ICSI attempts, 2 IVF attempts. Had to stop infertility treatment because of age restrictions. No children.
Josephine (33)3 ICSI attempts. No children.
  • ICSI, intracytoplasmic sperm injection; IUI, intrauterine insemination; IVF, in vitro fertilisation.