TV3 Ireland AM - Lucille Furlong and Elaine Grange talk about their Fertility Struggle

In part Two of the Ireland AM ‘Focus on Fertility’ series, we meet same sex couple Lucille Furlong and Elaine Grange to hear about their fertility journey that gave them two beautiful boys.  Dr. John Kennedy joined the couple to talk about the Sims IVF fertility service for same sex female couples and single girls.

According to Dr. Kennedy, usually when same sex couples or single girls come to Sims IVF to discuss having a baby, they are not there as patients.  Patients of the clinic are those who are diagnosed with a fertility issue and have to be tested and treated, in order to achieve pregnancy.  Same sex couples and single girls who visit the clinic are very often seeking a service to help them become pregnancy and are more like clients than patients needing treatment.

However, in Lucille and Elaine’s case, there were fertility issues that needed careful management.  On the way to becoming pregnant, Lucille experienced a number of miscarriages and a serious and rare twin ectopic pregnancy. 

Lucille describes her journey bravely and honestly.  Her first son, Cayden, was conceived after two IUI attempts.  This rate of success is not unusual.  There is a 60% rate of success with IUI.

When the couple decided to have a second child, the fertility issues became more pronounced.  Following six miscarriages and a double ectopic pregnancy, an extremely rare phenomenon, left Lucille feeling very vulnerable. 

Despite the set-backs, the couple could not imagine not having a second child.  That fueled their determination to succeed.  They were reassured by their Sims IVF consultant, Dr. David Walsh, who said that:  ‘An ectopic pregnancy is a good pregnancy in the wrong place’.    Dr. Walsh who advised that an ectopic pregnancy had a significantly higher chance of recurrence, having happened before.  A twin ectopic pregnancy meant that Lucille’s chances of having a second ectopic pregnancy increased to over 50%.    The best recommended course of action was IVF. 

This story has a happy ending.  Baby Senan was born following the IVF procedure.

Lucille and Elaine are deeply content with their family of two healthy, lively boys – Cayden and Senan.