In 2019, at 36, a long relationship came to an end, and I found myself single, facing a question I'd never really thought about. A friend suggested I freeze my eggs. I agreed, without knowing much. Like so many women, I believed that if I had a period, I could have a baby. I wish I'd known then what I know now.
At my first appointment I learned I had diminished ovarian reserve, meaning my AMH levels were low. My doctor explained that at my age, creating embryos would give me a better chance than freezing eggs. But I was single, and coming from a Lebanese, Middle Eastern background, one thought kept going round my head: how can I have a child without a husband?
I found the courage to do it anyway. I chose a donor from a European sperm bank and started IVF.
What followed was ten rounds of IVF and six miscarriages. Some cycles gave me a genetically normal embryo, and still I lost them. Each time I was told how sorry they were, and that it must just be bad luck. Until one day I asked myself: how much bad luck can one person have?
So I took matters into my own hands. I've always believed that where there's a will, there's a way. I read everything I could find and researched specialists in London, New York and beyond. Then I came across Is Your Body Baby-Friendly? by Dr Alan Beer, whose daughter had also suffered repeated miscarriages. Reading it, I recognised myself. I went to see a reproductive immunology specialist in London, and finally I had an answer: my immune system was overactive. With treatment under my specialist's care, I became pregnant, and this time I didn't lose my baby.
“Where there's a will, there's a way.”
Today I'm a mum to my son, and becoming a solo mum is the most beautiful thing I've ever done. It also comes with its own challenges, and nobody should face them unprepared.
That's why I started Fertility with Yara. Whether you're going through IVF, grieving a loss, or choosing to become a parent on your own, I'm here to walk beside you, with emotional support, honest conversations and healthy recipes I teach you to cook, to help you look after yourself through every stage. Because no one should feel as alone as I did.
You are not alone.
This is my personal experience, not medical advice. Tests and treatments that helped me may not be right for you, and some, including reproductive immunology, are debated among specialists. Please speak to your own clinic or doctor about your care.
What I am and am not
I'm a coach and a cook with lived experience. I'm not a doctor, dietitian, nutritionist or counsellor, and I don't give medical or clinical advice. I'll always encourage you to talk to your clinic, and I can point you to BICA-accredited fertility counsellors.
✏️ YARA TO EDIT: List any training you complete (for example a coaching certificate, BNF or AfN nutrition course, Level 2 Food Hygiene) and your insurance.
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