The IVF journey to have a baby can be a rollercoaster ride and is the reason behind a Macarthur couple’s move to form a support group for those in the south-west.
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Kate Bowe, a Hamilton nurse, said she started a Facebook IVF support group about five weeks ago and hopes to grow the group to include face-to-face meetings. She said the group was not just aimed at women, but also men and parents of couples who are on the IVF journey.
“I just found that my husband and I have been going through IVF for coming up to five years now and I’ve just found there’s no support whatsoever in this area,” Ms Bowe said.
“There’s plenty of other online ones that are Melbourne based, but nothing around here.”
She said while the initial aim was to create a Facebook support group, Ms Bowe hoped that it might lead to a face-to-face support group that could meet regularly.
“Actually speaking to people who are going through the same thing is different to speaking to your friends,” Ms Bowe said.
“It’s all well and good talking to the counsellor but you’re better off talking with people that you can explain your journey to, and it is an up and down rollercoaster.
“So I thought if I could get it out there and find other people in this area and if they were happy to meet in person or, depending on how many people join, even starting an actual group where you meet once a week.”
Ms Bowe said the couple had done four rounds of IVF but none of the pregnancies have taken.
“We’re hopefully going for our fifth at the end of the year,” she said. “We started trying to have kids as soon as we got married and just been trying for the five years, automatically assumed we’d just fall pregnant normally like most people.”
Mrs Bowe said whatever was talked about on the Facebook group would be kept private.
She said the group also aimed to also support those who might be starting out on their IVF journey and letting them know what to expect.
“My husband is very open with our fertility issues as well,” Ms Bowe said.
“My husband and I are both on the support group because we have a mixed fertility issue. I’ve got some problems and so does he.
“My mother is also on it as well so if there’s parents who want to talk to other parents whose children are going through it.”
To get in contact with the support group search on Facebook for IVF Support Group South West Victoria.
