A 24-year-old who desperately wants children is crowdfunding for a third cycle of IVF, after doctors told her she is heading towards an early menopause.
Emma Kershaw, from Gold Coast, Queensland is hoping to raise $10,000 (approx £5,790) on GoFundMe.com so that she can have a child.
She has already had two cycles of IVF, amounting to $20,000AUD (roughly £11,500), which she paid for on credit cards.
Kershaw explained that she has a very low AMH (anti-mullerian hormone) level for a woman of her age, which means she will experience menopause in her thirties.
“This came as a massive shock as no one in my family has gone through menopause before the age of 50,” she said.
Because she is single, doctors said freezing her eggs would be her best option - but now she needs the help of the public to fund another round of expensive treatment.
According to Professor Geeta Nargund from Create Fertility, AMH is a hormone which is given off by developing follicles (egg sacs containing immature eggs).
The hormone level is an indicator of the state of ovarian reserve and how many eggs are left in the ovaries, which can help determine whether and how urgently treatment is needed, and also how a woman may respond to treatment.
AMH naturally decreases with age as the ovarian reserve is depleted. Women in their forties frequently have low AMH results.
Due to the fact she has low levels of the hormone at 24 years old, Kershaw underwent two cycles of IVF in 2015. During the first round, seven of her eggs were taken and frozen, but in the second round doctors were only able to take two.
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“In total, I now have nine mature eggs frozen however it’s recommended that you freeze 10 eggs for a chance of having one baby,” she explained on her GoFundMe page.
“I would really love the chance to have at least one baby therefore I have decided to do another cycle, in [the] hope that I can freeze a few more eggs.”
She said that because she paid for the first two cycles on credit cards, she is unable to borrow any more money. As such, she has issued a desperate plea to the public to help fund a third cycle.
“I know I’m asking for a lot but it’s my dream to have a family of my own,” she added.
So far she has raised $2,700 of her $10,000 goal.
“I am aware that there is no guarantee of this all working out but at least I know I tried my best to prepare for a family and that I gave myself a chance,” she concluded.
“Thank you so much for your generosity and support.”
Kelsea Little, spokesperson for GoFundMe.com, said: “We wish Emma all the best in her dream of growing her family.”
