IVF baby Scottish mum 'won' in contest is born

Family: Ryan, Della and baby Callum

A couple who won a round of IVF in a competition have taken delivery of their prize nine months later.

After a failed attempt, Della McGill and her partner Ryan Cunningham won a competition for a free round of IVF.

The couple struck lucky and Della found out she was pregnant last October.

Della, 36, from Broxburn in West Lothian and Ryan, 39, from Belfast welcomed healthy baby Callum on 11 July and say the difficult journey to parenthood had all been worth it.

The couple had been trying for a baby for several years.

Della became pregnant in 2016, but suffered an ectopic pregnancy resulting in surgery to remove one of her fallopian tubes.

Another pregnancy in 2017 sadly resulted in a second ectopic pregnancy.

The couple then made the decision to try IVF but their one NHS cycle ended in disappointment.

Della and Ryan were excited about their imminent arrival

About to pay for private treatment, Della entered a competition run by an online fertility magazine to mark 40 years of IVF.

The prize was one round of IVF at one of 15 clinics across the world.

The couple won and the treatment at the GCRM clinic in Glasgow resulted in a healthy pregnancy.

'We can't believe he is ours'

Nine months later Callum entered the world at a healthy 7lb 12oz, with a head of thick dark hair. He is now settling into his new home with his mum and dad.

Della thanked the people who ran the competition: "We owe the world to them. They have given us perfection.

"We can't believe Callum is ours, that we don't have to give him back to anyone. I'm so used to holding someone else's baby, handing them back, so their mum can wind them or whatever is needed. Now it's me who is being given Callum to take care of, as I know him best.

"We're looking forward to visiting my family in Scotland, to introduce them to Callum in person."

New mother Della McGill said the people who ran the competition had "given them perfection"

IVF Babble co-founder Tracey Bambrough said: "We are absolutely delighted to hear the news of baby Callum's safe arrival. To know that we have helped a couple experience the one thing they wanted more than anything is just incredible and I know how much it means to them. 

"Infertility is such an emotive topic. If you are struggling to conceive it completely consumes you and can leave people feeling totally bereft. To be just a small support to people in those dark times with the website has been so fulfilling but to now actually be involved in helping couples become parents is truly amazing."