A Tyneside couple are finally able to look forward to a bundle of joy - after more than 2 and a half years of fertility treatment. And for Jacqueline Blackett, 33, it's been a short trip for treatment, because she works in a laboratory at the Centre for Life herself.
Jacqueline and husband Dan, 37, live in Walbottle and are now delighted that Jacqueline is 20 weeks pregnant. But it's been a long road to get there.
At an event at the Centre for Life marking its 25th birthday - it first opened in 2000 as reported by ChronicleLive - the couple told of how as scientists themselves they knew what was involved in IVF, but that this doesn't stop the devasating fear that it might not work.
Jacqueline said: "Like everyone, we got married and wanted to start a family. And we tried the old-fashioned way - it was quite a while and nothing was happening. So we asked to see the GP. They won't start investigations until you've been trying for 12 months."
But the couple had no luck - and so were able to access fertility treatment including IVF. Because of where they live, they were able to access three rounds of funded IVF. And eventually, they had success earlier this year, with their baby due early in 2026.
Jacqueline said: "The hardest part is continuing to hope. You do start to believe that you are just going to be unsuccessful. But I'm 20 weeks now - and that's amazing."
Dan, also a scientist, agreed, adding: "We've had a lot of tears on the way - this was our sixth round of embryos. It does get to the point where you do just quite honestly think it's not going to work. We're both scientists so for us part of it has been that we've kept trying to really believe in that - the science should work. I have definitely been the optimist of us, I think."
The couple also both paid tribute to the fantastic care they said they had received. Later, Jacqueline spoke as part of a panel event, along with fertility experts Prof Alison Murdoch, Mr Kevin McEleny, Dr Louise Hyslop and Eilis Moody. She reflected on her own experience, and spoke of the need for others to have fair access to the support she and Dan have had.
Discussing the anxiety around IVF, she said her scientific knowledge - she works a geneticist herself - helped but only to an extent. She said: "I did a placement at the fertility centre long before I would ever have thought I would be a patient. I wasn't frightened of the process, but what I was frightened about was the process not working."
Jacqueline added that she was keen to be open about her own experience in order to help tackle the stigma around IVF and fertility struggles. She added that having "incredibly supportive" friends and family had been vital during the process.
Our ChronicleLive Daily newsletter is free. You can sign up to receive it here. It will keep you up to date with all the latest breaking news and top stories from the North East.