BBC's Emma Barnett acts as an 'IVF fairy' for mums struggling to conceive
16.05.2022 - 18:35
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
The voice of Woman's Hour on Radio 4, Emma Barnett, revealed on Saturday that her efforts to have a second child have so far been in vain. The Manchester-born broadcaster and journalist told The Times that she had a miscarriage during numerous draining rounds of IVF.
Recent research, by the campaign group Fertility Matters at Work, shows that fertility issues affect up to one in seven people of working age. It also revealed that 69.5 per cent of those opted to take sick leave during fertility treatment instead of asking for time off to avoid alerting work colleagues.
Four years ago, after a single round of IVF, Emma gave birth to her only son. However, five further attempts to have a second child have since failed.
Read more: 'It's like a tax on gay mums': Married couple's NHS IVF fight
Wanting to use her tragic experience as a force for good, the 37-year old chose to speak publicly in a bid to support other women who have faced similar setbacks when trying to get pregnant.
She said: “Over the past 18 months I have been struggling with secondary infertility. I have had five rounds of IVF, one miscarriage and more internal examinations than I care to recall.
"There is still no second baby. My womb is definitely empty and I am reporting to you live from the front lines of failure in the hope that it may be helpful and to be honest.”
The former BBC Newsnight presenter, who recently announced that she was leaving this role after three years, added: “I know there will be people reading this, women and men, who will be thinking: you have a child, what more do you want? I agree, up to a point, and nearly didn’t write this as a result.
“I remember being childless and resenting people like me. Especially the couple that we