Woman who shed weight to qualify for IVF becomes pregnant

Paul Sbardella and Marie Cheetham are expecting their first child in June.

A woman who had to lose weight to qualify for IVF treatment is celebrating becoming pregnant.

Marie Cheetham and her partner Paul Sbardella had been trying for a baby but she has a condition that made it harder for her to conceive.

The 32-year-old was told her body mass index (BMI) was too high for her to get an NHS-funded IVF cycle in Derby.

She said it had prompted her to change her diet and lifestyle and she subsequently lost a stone (6.3kg).

Ms Cheetham, from Littleover in Derby, said she was able to bring her BMI down below the threshold to make her eligible for IVF in the city.

Now, after successful treatment, she is expecting her first child in June despite having polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition that affects how the ovaries work.

'So shocked'

She said: "In Derby, the NHS funds just one IVF cycle and we'd already started the process when doctors said we couldn't proceed due to my weight.

"They gave me a three-month deadline to lower my BMI to below 30. To be honest it was the most stressful part of the process."

Ms Cheetham had help losing weight from the Derby City Council-run Livewell healthy lifestyle service which advised her on exercise routines and diet.

She said: "When I went back to the clinic in July, I'd achieved my goal - my BMI was 29 and the IVF cycle was approved to continue."

Ms Cheetham said the three-minute wait for the pregnancy test result was the longest of her life.

She said: "I was so shocked at the positive line that I bought more.

"I don't think we actually believed it was real until we saw the scan at seven weeks.

"When I had the push back of not going further with our fertility treatment, it felt a huge hill to climb.

"If there's one message I want to pass on, it's if you have a bad day, keep going - don't give it up."

Livewell adviser Casey Baxter said: "I know how hard Marie has worked to lower her BMI, particularly when it was only a small reduction she needed, which can make it so much harder.

"I was so pleased when Marie told me she was approved for the IVF treatment and absolutely thrilled when she discovered she was pregnant."