Coffs Coast IVF babies Ariana Bell, Abigail Smith, Zack Egan born after treatment

From hundreds of needles to thousands of dollars, having a baby can be an immense challenge. The hardships these Coffs Coast families endured have brought their ultimate reward.

Jade and Ben Bell had Ariana Bell through IVF after 10 years of trying.

Three Coffs Coast mothers have opened up about the challenges and happiness that IVF has brought them.

In vitro fertilisation is a process used to overcome fertility issues by combining an egg and sperm in a laboratory and transferring the fertilised egg, or embryo, into a woman’s uterus.

Ariana Bell

Jade and Ben Bell had Ariana Bell through IVF after 10 years. The couple moved up to the Coffs Coast to be closer to a fertility clinic in Queensland.

Together for 19 years, it was Jade and Ben Bell’s dream to have a baby and took a decade of trying to become a reality.

The Corindi couple uprooted their lives on the Central Coast to aid their quest and Mr Bell’s boss assisted the landscaper in relocating to be closer to their IVF clinic in Queensland.

After at participating in a trial for an experimental medication, in late 2020 the couple knew “this was it” and Ms Bell went through what was to be their last cycle of IVF.

Jade and Ben Bell had Ariana Bell through IVF after 10 years. The couple moved up to the Coffs Coast to be closer to a fertility clinic in Queensland.

The loss of one of her last embryos put Ms Bell in “a dark place” before the family was hit by another tragedy.

Mr Bell’s mother, one of just two people who knew they were actively trying for a baby, passed away.

One week later the couple discovered they were pregnant.

Understandably over the moon, Ms Bell said she bought “about 400 pregnancy tests” before seeing the faintest of positive lines on one.

“I just ran through the house screaming, all the way out the front and (Ben) said ‘you know you are not dressed’,” she said.

“I just couldn’t believe it and I just kept testing so I could believe it.”

A small sample of Ms Bell’s pregnancy tests.

Ms Bell said there was sometimes a lack of understanding in the community about IVF and the challenges some families faced having children.

She acknowledged everyone’s paths were different and sometimes throwaway comments and questions like “when are you having a baby?” could be extremely hurtful.

“Don’t ever just assume someone is going to have a baby,” she said.

Abigail Smith

Kelly Smith had daughter Abigail through IVF. Ms Smith was no longer able to use her own eggs and was donated four embryos from a family in Queensland.

Kelly Smith had been trying to get pregnant via IVF for more than four years.

After multiple unsuccessful attempts and the discovery of more reproductive issues, Ms Smith said to herself “I can’t do this anymore” and made the tough decision to give up trying to use her own eggs.

She had joined a notoriously long donor registry queue when something incredible happened.

Her doctor called and said a family from the clinic had offered her four embryos.

She couldn’t believe it.

“I was sitting on the side of the road on my way to work and I just cried and cried and cried,” she said.

“It was the best Christmas present I could have ever gotten.”

Kelly Smith had daughter Abigail through IVF after a family in Queensland donated four embryos.

After “jumping for joy” at becoming pregnant, daughter Abigail was born on December 29, 2019.

As a single mum who chose to have a child on her own, Ms Smith said she would like to see the stigma around IVF disappear by having more people consider donating their eggs, embryos and sperm.

While she hadn’t been on the receiving end of discrimination or judgment for her decision, she said it existed and everybody had a right to be a parent.

“Not everybody can do it naturally and it’s the only way (some) people can have their families,” she said.

“It’s not something you decide overnight.

“If somebody wants to do it they have thought long and hard about it and really want to give a child a loving and happy life.”

Zack Egan

Luke and Steph Egan had Zack through IVF. Ms Egan went through more than 15 cycles and says the experience was extremely challenging.

Steph Egan had always wanted to be a mum but was told in her late teens that she wouldn’t be able to have a child.

Ms Egan and her husband Luke spent three years trying IVF and said the experience was a lot harder than she expected, having gone through “at least” 15 to 20 cycles.

They took a break after a miscarriage in 2019 before Ms Egan decided to do another cycle towards the end of 2020 simply “for the sake of it”.

“And then it worked,” she said.

Ms Egan said a lot of people had told her to “just relax and don’t worry about it” and that time, with lower expectations and less pressure, she was able to conceive.

Luke and Steph Egan went through more than 15 cycles of IVF and Ms Egan said the experience was extremely challenging.

Having put so much into trying to have a baby, Ms Egan said when Zack finally came the experience was “surreal”.

“I tried for so long and went through so much, and put my husband through so much,” she said.

“When I had him it’s like I didn’t believe it.”

She said they spent $30,000 on IVF and deciding whether to go through the process again after a failed cycle was challenging and stressful.

With each cycle comes a strict regime of daily needles and medications and Ms Egan said it had a significant impact on her moods.

She said women considering it should be financially stable and have a good relationship.

“It’s an incredible experience and I’m glad I managed to have a child,” she said.

“You have to be prepared for the mental heartache if it doesn’t work.”