From unexplained infertility to two Kind babies

When Charlotte and her husband decided they were ready to start a family, they assumed it would happen naturally. Like many couples, they had spent years carefully avoiding pregnancy, so when they finally started trying, it felt like the next logical step.

But things didn’t unfold as expected.

Charlotte had her copper coil removed in October 2020. She and her fiancé were planning their wedding and thought it would be lovely if they happened to be pregnant walking down the aisle (as long as there wasn’t a noticeable bump!) Life had other plans though.

Charlotte works as an ITU nurse at the Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel. In the middle of the pandemic, she received her COVID vaccine early while working in the Covid wards. Around the same time, she lost her period completely.

“It could have been stress, the coil, the vaccine, we never really knew,” Charlotte says.

The couple eventually got married and began trying for a baby. But nothing happened. Like many people starting this journey, Charlotte first went to her GP. The experience wasn’t reassuring.

“I asked for tests and was told they wanted to check whether I might be perimenopausal. I’d never even had a pregnancy scare before. You spend your teenage years being told how easy it is to get pregnant, so when it doesn’t happen it’s a huge shock.” Charlotte wanted to ensure she wasn’t perimenopausal, however felt that her local GP was not supportive of investigations. After being told that there was no NHS treatment available locally to her, Charlotte decided she wanted to seek private gynaecological advice.

She went to see a private gynaecologist who recommended Clomid. Clomid can help stimulate ovulation, but it can also come with side effects.

Charlotte experienced what she jokingly calls “the Clomid crazies”.

“Night sweats, painful sex, mood swings, it wasn’t pleasant.”

At the same time, the couple were renovating their home and living between their parents’ houses.

“It felt like everything in our lives was unsettled.”

After nine months of Clomid (and two years of trying to conceive, they still had no answers. Two years after first starting to try for a baby they found Kind iVF online.

Charlotte decided she needed more information and booked a fertility MOT at London Women’s Clinic Brentwood.

“I was expecting to hear something was wrong,” she says. But the results told a different story. Her hormone levels were normal. Her husband’s sperm analysis was excellent. Tests including a HyCoSy showed no clear problem.

The diagnosis was ‘unexplained infertility’.

“If we had been in the NHS system, we probably would have been sent away to keep trying for another year. But by that point we’d already been trying for two years.”

The couple decided to try three cycles of IUI with London Women’s Clinic. Unfortunately, none of them worked. Charlotte knew IVF was likely the next step. But like many patients, the cost was a real concern.

“I work with someone who spent £60,000 on IVF and still doesn’t have a child. It made me realise you need to know your limits. You can keep throwing money at it.”

Traditional IVF would have cost around £8,500 plus medication.

While researching their options, Charlotte discovered Kind iVF at London Women’s Clinic, which had recently launched.

“The packages really stood out. Medication was included, and if the treatment wasn’t working the cycle could be cancelled before egg collection. It felt like a sensible way to try IVF without risking huge costs.”

Charlotte began treatment with Kind iVF in January 2023. She received her medication at home in pre-filled pens.

“It was so easy. Everything arrived ready to go, there was no mixing or measuring.”

Living in London meant travelling to Harley Street for treatment was straightforward, while the Brentwood clinic was convenient for scans. At egg collection, Charlotte was initially disappointed.

“They collected six eggs, and I remember thinking, ‘Is that enough?’”

But the results exceeded expectations.

“All six fertilised. And all six became high-quality blastocysts.”

Her embryo transfer took place just a few days later, and Charlotte’s first embryo transfer worked. Her son Toby was born that October 2023.

“We always knew we wanted more than one child,” Charlotte says. As Toby approached his first birthday, the couple started trying naturally again for the next six months. When that didn’t work, they returned to the clinic for a frozen embryo transfer. The transfer took place on Valentine’s Day 2025, and their daughter was born in October 2025.

Charlotte now has four embryos still frozen, leaving the door open for the future.

“I’m 37 now, so we’ll probably go for another frozen transfer once I’ve finished breastfeeding.”

Becoming a mum of two has brought new joys, and new perspective.

“I actually found the transition from zero to one baby harder than from one to two. My first baby didn’t sleep at all, whereas my daughter sleeps brilliantly!”

One thing Charlotte particularly remembers about her experience is the personal care.

“Karina at the Brentwood clinic knew my name and my children’s names. Two years later I popped in and she said ‘Hi Charlotte, how are you? How’s Toby?’ That meant so much.”

Charlotte was also mindful of other patients.

“When I brought Toby into the clinic, I came at lunchtime because I didn’t want to upset anyone. I know how difficult it can be when you’re still trying.”

“It’s not something anyone wants to do,” she says. “But if it’s the right step for you, it can work.”

Her advice is simple:

“Trust your instincts, but set a limit for yourself. Know what feels right for you.”

Charlotte has since recommended Kind iVF to friends, including a solo mum by choice and another couple, who now also have children.

“It was such a positive experience for us. The process was simple, the care was personal, and it helped us build our family.”

And with four embryos still waiting, their story may not be finished yet.