Shropshire girls join in fertility clinic's celebrations

Two miracle babies from Shropshire who were conceived against the odds are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the fertility clinic which helped their parents.

Sarah Gentle, 16, from Bayston Hill near Shrewsbury and Emily Perry, 10, from Ludlow are both considered 'milestone babies' in the history of Midland Fertility Services. The Aldridge-based clinic is celebrating its silver anniversary this year.

Emily became the UK's first 'frozen egg baby' when she was born in June 2002.

Her parents Helen, 46, and Lee Perry, 48, had been trying to conceive for around eight years.

They were told they would need fertility treatment to conceive because a burst appendix in infancy had damaged Helen's Fallopian tubes. However, they said their religious beliefs meant they were uneasy with the possibility of creating and storing embryos – some of which may never be allowed 'a full chance of life'.

In 2000, MFS received a licence to freeze and store eggs and when Helen over-responded to fertility drugs the couple opted to freeze these eggs.

Their intention was to thaw and fertilise just a few eggs during every attempt at conception in the future.

Emily was born two years later at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital.

Meanwhile, when Sarah was born in November 1995, she became the 500th baby to arrive through the clinic.

Sarah's parents, John and Janet Gentle, both 49, tried to conceive for four years before Janet was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome.

They had a single cycle of IVF treatment but the first embryo transfer was not successful. Following a frozen embryo transfer, Sarah was born in November 1995.

Dr Gillian Lockwood, medical director at MFS, said: "Worldwide, more than five million babies have been born after IVF and more than 5,000 are the result of treatment at MFS."

Visit www.midlandfertility.com