When Tonagh and Paul’s NHS IVF cycle in Northern Ireland went “horribly wrong,” Tonagh thought “never again.” The experience had been a shambles from start to finish, leaving them traumatized and wondering if they would ever become parents. Years passed as they tried to heal from the disappointment and figure out their next step.
Then came an unexpected opportunity: they were selected for treatment at Pelargos IVF Clinic in Greece as part of the Fertility Journeys Project. “We thought we would go abroad, but we had no idea where to start,” Tonagh recalled. Greece wasn’t even on their radar—it felt too far, especially for someone who hates flying.
But three years later, on January 5th, 2026, at 10:16pm in Belfast, little Anthony Sean Baker was born weighing 7lb 4oz (3,3 kg). After a failed transfer, a devastating miscarriage, hyperemesis gravidarum, and crippling anxiety throughout pregnancy, Tonagh and Paul finally held their miracle baby in their arms.
“We are just in love with him. He is just more than we ever dreamed of,” says Tonagh.
A traumatic first IVF experience
Tonagh and Paul, who had been together for over ten years after meeting on a night out, had been trying for a baby for some time when they decided to undergo IVF in Northern Ireland. Tonagh, from Belfast, and Paul, from Cork, were given one free NHS IVF cycle.
“It went horribly wrong and unfortunately did not work out,” Tonagh said. “It was a shambles from start to finish and initially I thought ‘never again’.”
The experience left them both traumatized. Years passed as they tried to process what had happened and consider whether they were ready to try again. The couple had talked about going abroad for IVF but couldn’t decide when the time was right or where to begin looking.
Then, in late 2022, they discovered they had been selected for treatment at Pelargos IVF Clinic in Greece as part of the Fertility Journeys Project. “We are both still in shock that we have won this and really do feel so lucky to have this chance,” they said.
The challenges of getting pregnant again
After their traumatic NHS experience, the thought of undergoing IVF again was daunting. Tonagh carried not just the weight of their failed cycle but also deep feelings of shame and embarrassment about their fertility struggles.
“I carried a lot of shame, a lot of embarrassment. The thought of somebody coming across my name online at the time felt horrendous,” Tonagh explained.
The couple faced the difficult decision of whether to try again privately in Northern Ireland—which would be expensive—or get IVF abroad in an unfamiliar country for treatment. Greece felt particularly far away for Tonagh, who hates flying. “Greece would have been right down at the bottom of my list, probably because I hate flying as well. That, to me, was just a wee bit too, too far,” she admitted.
But Paul and Tonagh’s mother encouraged her to take the opportunity. “They were like, Tonagh, you have to take this, this could be our chance.”
A world away from their previous experience
In early 2023, Tonagh and Paul traveled some 2,000-plus miles to Pelargos IVF Clinic in Athens, Greece, for their first appointment. The difference from their NHS experience was immediately apparent.
“It has been a really positive experience from the very first appointment. All our questions were answered,” Tonagh said. “If we messaged the nurse or doctor himself they got back straight away, so we were never left alone on the journey at all. The facility itself was absolutely out of this world as well.”
The couple were particularly impressed by Dr. Harry Karpouzis and his team. “Dr Karpouzis has literally been a dream and it’s an absolute pleasure and honour to have him as our doctor,” Tonagh shared.
Looking back, she reflected: “When I tell people how it started with Fertility Road magazine, they look at me like I have two heads sometimes, like ‘you went to a country for IVF that you won in a magazine, are you mad?’ I did my research and started reading about this doctor, Dr Harry Karpouzis, and thought it was all too good to be true, but we’ve been blown away by it all. We just couldn’t believe how lucky we got.”
ICSI and frozen embryo transfer
Tonagh and Paul’s egg retrieval in early 2023 was successful, resulting in 19 eggs. Fourteen were fertilized using ICSI, and eight made it to the blastocyst stage—five of these at the top grade.
However, Dr. Karpouzis advised postponing the embryo transfer. “The day or two before egg collection the doctor advised that he thinks we’d be better off with a frozen transfer as I was a bit at risk of overstimulation. This will give my body time to calm down so we can try and do this on a more natural cycle,” Tonagh explained.
The frozen embryo transfer was rescheduled for May or June 2023, giving Tonagh’s body time to recover properly.
Clinic’s support through anxiety and fear
As the transfer date approached, Tonagh’s anxiety intensified. “I’m excited and looking forward to going back to Athens, but now I’m getting anxious because I can’t help but think negatively—like this shouldn’t be me, why would it be me?” she said in April 2023.
“But a couple of months ago, I didn’t even think I could get this far. I’m trying to stay positive but realistic, and trying to stay off Google!”
The support from Pelargos IVF Clinic made an enormous difference. Unlike their NHS experience, where they had felt abandoned, Dr. Karpouzis and his team were always available. “If we messaged the nurse or doctor himself they got back straight away, so we were never left alone on the journey at all.”
The first IVF transfer: hope and heartbreak
In July 2023, at the height of a heatwave where temperatures topped 45°C, Tonagh and Paul returned to Greece for their embryo transfer. Two embryos that had survived the thaw well were selected.
“Dr Karpouzis got straight to the transfer and showed me the two embryos on the screen, which were already beginning to hatch. The transfer was pretty quick, not painful but just uncomfortable. In his words, the transfer went perfectly,” Tonagh said.
The couple faced a nerve-wracking 12-day wait. “I am surprisingly calmer than I thought I’d be. But I suppose there’s anxiousness, a bit of fear, excitement and just a complete mixture of everything,” Tonagh shared.
But Tonagh had a feeling something wasn’t right. “The day after the transfer I did have cramps. I just knew after a couple of days. You just know your own body.”
The blood test confirmed her instinct—the transfer had failed. “When I got the negative my head went into overdrive about what had gone wrong.”
Despite the devastating blow, Tonagh and Paul remained hopeful. “I think you have to remain optimistic—it is IVF after all,” said Tonagh. “All we can do is hope.”
Another loss, another IVF attempt
In the summer of 2024, Tonagh and Paul suffered a miscarriage—another heartbreaking setback after their failed transfer the previous year. Tonagh gave her body plenty of time to recover before planning their next attempt.
On April 30th, 2025, they returned to Pelargos IVF Clinic for a double frozen embryo transfer. This time, Tonagh underwent three intralipid infusions and was given blood thinners to help support the transfer.
The couple stayed in Greece for the entire two-week wait. When the results came back, soaring HCG levels confirmed what they had been hoping for: Tonagh was pregnant.
A difficult pregnancy filled with fear
The first trimester was brutal. Tonagh experienced hyperemesis gravidarum—an extreme and persistent form of pregnancy sickness that left her completely debilitated.
“When I hit the 13-week mark, it started to lay off. But it was hard going,” Tonagh said when she was 30 weeks pregnant.
Yet in a strange way, the sickness provided comfort. “My doctor offered to give me anti-sickness medicine, but I couldn’t take it. Last year, when I had no symptoms, I knew all along there was something wrong. So I thought I would rather be sick for another few weeks and know that everything’s okay. It kept me sane.”
Once the sickness subsided, Tonagh struggled with severe anxiety. “It has been a rollercoaster to get here and my anxiety and my nerves haven’t been the best. I was away in the head—I couldn’t function and I was just in constant fear, like I was going to lose it again. Every scan was really scary and nerve-wracking.”
As the weeks progressed and scans continued to show a healthy baby, the reassurance helped. “I’ve just had to keep pinching myself as time went on—this is actually happening,” Tonagh said.
Despite the mental challenges, the pregnancy itself was textbook. “I’ve been very lucky, it’s actually been a pretty textbook pregnancy and I’m so thankful for that, because the mental impact of IVF isn’t easy. But the pregnancy itself has been grand.”
Anthony’s arrival: an emergency C-section
Tonagh was induced on the morning of January 4th, 2026, but by the following evening, labor had not progressed. Anthony was delivered via emergency C-section at 10:16pm on January 5th.
Unfortunately, the epidural didn’t work, so Tonagh had to be put to sleep for the delivery. This meant Paul couldn’t be present for his son’s birth.
“This was really hard to deal with, but we are coming to terms with it,” Tonagh said. “But the main thing is our boy is here and he is just amazing.”
Little Anthony Sean Baker weighed a healthy 7lb 4oz (3.3kg). After three years of hope, disappointment, loss, fear, and persistence, Tonagh and Paul’s dream had finally come true.
“We are just in love with him. He is just more than we ever dreamed of.”
Shedding the shame and finding her voice
Looking back on her journey, Tonagh reflects on how much she has changed. The woman who initially wanted to hide behind her middle name to avoid being identified online now openly shares her first name and her story.
“I carried a lot of shame, a lot of embarrassment. The thought of somebody coming across my name online at the time felt horrendous,” she explained. “But now that I’m older and wiser, there are so many people that my story could actually help. I wish I’d had a ‘me’ to talk to, somebody to turn to.”
Her experience with Pelargos IVF Clinic was transformative—not just medically, but emotionally.
“We’ve been blown away by it all. We just couldn’t believe how lucky we got.”
A message of hope and resilience
Tonagh’s fertility journey offers powerful encouragement to anyone who has experienced a traumatic IVF cycle or is afraid to try again after failure or loss.
Her willingness to give IVF another chance—despite her initial “never again” reaction—demonstrates that healing is possible and that not all IVF experiences are the same. Finding the right clinic, with the right support, can completely transform the journey.
Her honesty about the mental health challenges during pregnancy—the crippling anxiety, the fear of loss, the inability to function—reminds others that these struggles are real and valid, even when the pregnancy itself is progressing normally.
And her decision to shed the shame and speak openly about her fertility journey offers hope to others who feel isolated: you are not alone, your story matters, and sharing it might help someone else find the courage to keep trying.
Three years after beginning their journey with Pelargos IVF Clinic in Greece, Tonagh and Paul are finally living the dream they fought so hard for—with baby Anthony in their arms, more than they ever dreamed of.
