Liz Bancroft’s expedition to motherhood has been a story of strength and persistence through years of pain and sorrow. Twelve years into her infertility journey, she finally had a child to share the world with—her son, now two years old. Her journey was arduous and fraught with challenges. She endured physical trials and emotional turmoil, beginning an arduous six-year venture of in vitro fertilization (IVF).
Bancroft’s personal and informational story uncovers the intricate layers of fertility and reproduction treatment for neurodivergent people. As an autistic individual, she had additional challenges that added to the anxiety of her fertility process. Her experiences paint an alarming picture of the systemic barriers neurodivergent women face in reproductive health—ones that have harmed other neurodivergent women as well.
Early Struggles and Initial Treatments
Bancroft’s own journey started not long after her wedding day, having gone through a pregnancy with no complications only to miscarry. This tragic incident was just the beginning of a stormy course fraught with more losses. Over the course of the next few months, she conceived unassisted three more times in succession. Unfortunately, she had catastrophic miscarriages each time.
Following these struggles, after turning to medical assistance, Bancroft noted that her first attempts at IVF were hit with roadblocks. The first clinic she tried wouldn’t accept her as a patient because of her body mass index (BMI). This rejection was discouraging and left her having to look elsewhere.
“It annoyed me that I didn’t know sooner because I would have made some changes … [which might have had an impact on] my ability to cope, potentially the outcomes, or advocating for myself more than I already did.” – Liz Bancroft
After producing part of the documentary, Bancroft was able to locate a third clinic that offered a more progressive approach to treatment. This was a transformative experience that restored her faith in becoming a mother.
The IVF Journey
Bancroft’s journey through IVF took hard fought service over six years. During this time, Sheela received ovulation induction as her fertility treatment. Her IVF didn’t turn out well—the first round produced no viable embryos from the collection of 30 eggs.
After this disappointment, she refused to give up. She just got back into the ring and kept doing her treatments. In a subsequent cycle, two embryos were reimplanted. One successfully took, resulting in the birth of her son. The second embryo did not implant, highlighting just how unpredictable fertility treatments can be.
Her trip was made more difficult by the history of her health. We learned that Bancroft had previously had gastric lap-band surgery, which she later converted to a gastric sleeve. This operation caused her to drop an incredible 55 kilos. It dramatically improved her odds of getting pregnant.
Understanding Neurodivergence
It wasn’t until after the birth of her son that Bancroft received a diagnosis as an autistic person. It helped her feel a new sense of clarity about the discrimination she experienced while going through her fertility treatments. She discovered that her neurodivergence was a huge asset in shaping how she dealt with the administrative nightmare that is IVF.
“I didn’t realise that I was autistic until about 12 months post-childbirth when I realised my son was showing signs of autism,” – Liz Bancroft
This fresh perspective inspired her to reconsider the importance of customized methods to fertility treatments for neurodivergent ladies. We’re so excited that Bancroft has deeply understood the distinct challenges that neurodivergent women encounter. To address this, they created a program to better support these women as they underwent IVF.
As a clinical and counselling psychologist, she brings important perspective to both the emotional and psychological sides of receiving fertility treatment. Her experience is particularly helpful to those who, like her, have ever felt intimidated or ignored while navigating this complex process.
