Couple chose love over having children after three failed IVF cycles
After three failed IVF cycles left Susanne traumatised, she and Mike decided to stop trying and build a future together.
Susanne and Mike Armour met at acupuncture school in New Zealand in 2005 and married. When they began trying for a baby in 2009, Susanne had painful periods and scar tissue with no clear diagnosis.
Three IVF cycles followed, with the second and third discontinued when she did not respond to the drugs. The process left Susanne overwhelmed with grief and anxiety, feeling like a number in the system with no continuity of care or emotional support.
Mike found no one was supporting him either. When the nurse said there was nothing more to do, Susanne was done.
They had put their lives on hold and felt isolated. Together, they decided to stop trying and embrace their future as two.
- Acupuncture school in New Zealand
- Where they met
- 2005
- Year they met
- 2009
- Year they started trying
- Sydney
- Current location
Why it mattersTheir story highlights how little emotional support exists in the fertility system and shows that a couple's future can still be fulfilling when shared love becomes the focus.
AustraliaInfertility affects many Australians, and their experience points to gaps in IVF support services that doctors and mental health providers could address.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 5 d ago
