Netflix Joy: Lucy Owen Shares her Personal IVF Success Story

Lucy Owen, a BBC presenter, shares her experience of conceiving her son Gabriel through IVF after the release of a new Netflix drama delving into the origins of IVF treatment. Lucy considers herself fortunate and slightly guilty that her IVF journey was relatively smooth compared to many others.

After finding out that IVF was their best hope for conceiving, Lucy and her husband Rhodri wasted no time in seeking treatment. Their urgency mirrored the desperation of many couples who reached out to pioneering scientists like Patrick Steptoe, Jean Purdy, and Robert Edwards for help starting a family.

The film “Joy” sheds light on the unsung role of Jean Purdy, who played a crucial part in the birth of the world’s first test tube baby, Louise Joy Brown. The movie portrays the perspective of Jean, emphasizing her integral contribution to the IVF process alongside Edwards and Steptoe.

IVF, short for in vitro fertilization, is a technique that helps people with fertility issues conceive a baby. An egg is fertilized with sperm in a lab and then implanted back into the woman’s womb to develop. Success rates of IVF treatments vary by age, with higher rates for younger women.

For Lucy, the IVF process involved daily injections, tests, and the emotional rollercoaster of hoping for success. With only two embryos viable for implantation, the journey was intense. However, after one round of IVF, Lucy and Rhodri received the life-changing news – they were pregnant.

Having gone through the journey of IVF to bring Gabriel into the world, Lucy and Rhodri are forever grateful for the joy he has brought to their lives. Sharing their story with Gabriel, who they lovingly call their IVF miracle, is a way to honor the journey they went through to have him. The hope is that Gabriel will one day read and understand what IVF meant to their family, and how much they wished for him before his arrival.