Influencer Chessie King Reflects on Grueling IVF Journey, Reframing Narrative

Influencer Chessie King is expecting her second child but describes the path to motherhood as a challenging 446-day IVF process involving 86 injections and a miscarriage. King, 33, spoke about her journey as she prepares to welcome her second child with husband Mathew, following the birth of their first daughter, Auraelia, five, during lockdown. She has chosen to reframe the often negative public narrative surrounding fertility struggles.

King stated that the IVF process was taxing both physically and mentally, but it also brought her and her husband closer. "It was the closest Matt and I have ever been in our relationship in 10 years, and it just kind of felt like we were both doing it together," she said. Her husband, who has diabetes, assisted with injections in the early days of the treatment.

To combat the prevalent negativity she encountered online regarding IVF, King aimed to present a more hopeful perspective. "I always just share things online hoping that it gives that solace and that comfort, some optimism and hope," she explained. "Because for me when I was looking at IVF on Instagram, I only saw IVF failures. I didn't really see IVF success, and that is the reality of IVF and fertility."

King also discussed the financial burden of fertility treatments, noting that the cost of medication and procedures has been "absurd." She praised the fertility clinic she used, Avenues, for providing significant support and answers, but acknowledged that the overall expense is substantial. In the UK, a single IVF cycle can range from £3,000 to over £7,000, with additional costs potentially pushing the total over £10,000.

She emphasized her proactive approach to her health during this period, using Proceive supplements to support both her and her husband's well-being. "So this time round, as soon as we started trying to conceive, I was like, right, I know exactly what to take, and Proceive for both of us was our like number one choice," she said. They began taking supplements a year and a half before conception, and King continued with pregnancy supplements throughout her third trimester.

King also shared her experiences with online trolls, noting that while she receives criticism, she remains largely unaffected. "I'm so aware that I'm always going to get voices, and I appreciate that everyone has their own opinions. And and I'm not really affected by that," she stated.

King is also pregnant concurrently with her sister, Bronte, which she finds to be a significant source of support. She is planning a home birth for her second child, a contrast to the C-section she had with Auraelia.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a medical procedure used to treat infertility, involving the fertilization of an egg outside the body before implantation in the uterus. Guidelines from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) suggest that IVF should be offered on the NHS to women under 43 who have been trying to conceive for two years. Success rates vary, generally decreasing with age, with NHS success rates for women under 35 around 29 percent per cycle. Since the first IVF baby was born in 1978, approximately eight million babies worldwide are thought to have been born through the procedure.