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failed, though in the couple's hopes for a child, they still believed in the magic of science and would not be swayed into thinking anything other than that it would work.

On the second attempt, the result was the same, and the wife had a nervous breakdown, because in her heart of hearts she believed that it was meant to be and that science had failed her. This is just one story, and no amount of words can describe that moment when a woman knows she has no hope of having a baby. There are of course options of adoption, though her husband wanted his own child and was unable to accept the suitability of anyone else's child. In vitro fertilization had given him that possibility twice, and the failure had taken it away cruelly demonstrating that instead of thinking that 37 per cent succeed, he would have been better educated in his guesses and less disappointed if the doctors had talked about 63 per cent failure. They don't. I know. I had the same figures quoted.

The cost to couples that are disappointed, i.e. More than half of those that try is devastating, and cannot be measured in monetary value. To that couple and many like them the psychological cost outweighs the benefits though that 37 per cent will keep on believing, because one life produced for one couple makes so much difference to their lives and people still hope, without measuring the cost of failure.

Learn more about this author, Rachelle de Bretagne.
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