How to talk to friends and family about infertility

According to the NHS, external, around one in seven couples have difficulty conceiving. In the UK, in 2023, more than 50,000 patients had IVF cycles, external – where eggs are fertilised in a lab and the embryo is then placed in the woman’s uterus.

But people who’ve experienced infertility say it can be a difficult subject to discuss with friends, family and colleagues.

“I think it’s quite a taboo subject,” says Chloe Cavanagh, 26, from Glasgow, who is on the NHS waiting list for IVF.

Initially Chloe was hesitant to tell friends and family that she was being affected by infertility.

“There’s a sense of embarrassment,” she says, “because that is what your body’s meant to do so you feel like you’re failing yourself.”