Fertility in the Workplace

Judy with baby Rebecca (feat)

Australian IVF campaigner and Bourn Hall baby turns 40

Rebecca Featherstone was one of the first IVF babies in the world; her parents had treatment at the then-brand-new Bourn Hall Clinic in Cambridge, UK, before starting a new life in Australia. Now, as she turns 40, Rebecca and her dad reflect on the impact of IVF on their lives. 

Nickie Aiken campaign time off for IVF appointments

Paid leave for fertility treatment?

Currently you have no legal right to take paid leave for fertility treatment. A private…

Megan successfully lost eight stone

Getting pregnant was the motivation I needed to lose weight

Megan was 25 when she and husband Mike started trying for a baby. She had…

antioxidants for sperm health

Antioxidants and fertility health

Antioxidants and fertility health have been the subject of much research. Antioxidants in the diet can help to protect sperm and eggs.

Sarah and Esme

Milestones of IVF: 2002 – Bourn Hall introduces the first egg sharing programme

Bourn Hall’s egg sharing programme enables a couple having treatment to donate some of their eggs to another woman in return for free IVF treatment.

The Greatest Gift egg donation or egg sharing

Could you give the greatest gift?

For many people their only chance of a baby is through donated eggs or sperm. If you need IVF treatment or want to egg freeze then you will also benefit.

Matt and Laura with Elle and Louis (and Father Christmas)

Milestones in IVF: 1995 – the birth of Bourn Hall’s first baby conceived through ICSI

In December 1968 Robert Edwards, together with Barry Bavister and Patrick Steptoe, submitted a paper to Nature in which IVF in humans was described convincingly for the first time.

Julie Spence (Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire), Mike Macnamee (Bourn Hall), Gwenda Burns (Fertility Network UK), Kate Brian (Fertility Network UK), Megan and Effie

Milestones in IVF: 1990 – the first Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act was passed

There was a real concern that without an act of parliament IVF and embryo research would be stopped. But after a campaign by Professor Robert Edwards and others, the Bill was passed and became The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. 

Katie Warburton, Bourn Hall's egg bank coordinator calls for egg donors

Bourn Hall launches Christmas appeal for egg donors – could it be you?

For many women in the UK their only chance of having a baby is through IVF with a gifted egg. Latest findings from the HFEA have shown 1 in 6 IVF treatments in 2019 involved donation but following the cut in non-essential treatment during the Covid lockdown, stocks at all egg banks have decreased and there is a shortage of donors.

Thanos Papathanasiou (Bourn Hall), Jessica, Marc and Lizzie with Mike Macnamee (Bourn Hall) and Julie Spence (Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire)

Milestones in IVF: 1985 – the first baby born from a frozen blastocyst

Lizzie was born after a ‘freeze all’ cycle, which is when all the embryos are frozen to allow the body to recover from stimulation.

Bourn Hall Day 1-170

Find out how can we help you

To make an appointment, or to find out how we can help, please contact us.

Patient reviews you can trust

Genuine experiences from real patients. See why so many trust us with their fertility care.

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“We went to an open evening at Bourn Hall Wickford and came away feeling really positive about the place. The staff were really friendly and the presentation was clear about the statistics regarding success rates and live birth rates; their data was very transparent. We came away feeling like we would really be looked after.”

Katy and Leigh are parents to Charlie after IVF

Patient 2023

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“We chose to make an appointment at Bourn Hall Wickford because of the favourable reviews. When we got there and met the staff they were just so lovely, making us feel welcome and explaining to us what tests would need to be done and what our options were; we just thought ‘yes, let’s get the ball rolling!”

Jess and Fran are mums to Nathan after IVF with donor sperm

Patient 2023