Louise Thompson became visibly emotional during a heartfelt conversation with her fiancé, Ryan Libbey, as she detailed their decision to pursue IVF and surrogacy instead of adoption. The television personality and personal trainer, both aged 35, recently announced plans to expand their family after Louise nearly died while giving birth to their son Leo in 2021.
Health Struggles and Trauma
Following Leo's birth via emergency caesarean, Louise suffered from PTSD and post-natal anxiety due to her near-death experience. She has since been diagnosed with Lupus and Asherman's syndrome, endured a second haemorrhage, and had a stoma bag fitted. These significant health challenges have profoundly impacted their family planning decisions.
Choosing IVF and Surrogacy
The couple are now embarking on an IVF journey with plans to use a surrogate. In a new episode of their He Said, She Said podcast, Louise opened up about why they decided against adoption. "I think with every couple they are within their right to want to have a child using their own DNA," she explained. "It's not something I expect everyone to understand, but until you've had fertility issues of your own, I don't think people should be commenting on it."
Louise referenced individuals who have preserved their fertility before aggressive cancer treatments, stating she couldn't understand critics who suggest adoption as the only option. Ryan added his perspective, saying "If people have space in their hearts to open up to someone that's not necessarily biologically theirs, if they've got the capacity and skills to do that, that is nothing short of a miracle."
Emotional Reflections on Adoption
Becoming tearful, Louise expressed that "adoption is the most beautiful thing in the world" but acknowledged the couple's limitations. "It would take a lot to get to a place where I could do it," she admitted. "We've been through too much of our own trauma. So I don't think we are best placed to be those people, right now. Who knows where we will be in 5/10 years."
IVF Progress Update
Earlier this month, Louise shared an update on Instagram about their fertility journey, revealing they have one embryo "in the freezer" after undergoing IVF. She posted a picture of flowers from Ryan with the message "You did it. One in the freezer for safe keeps x."
In her caption, Louise described the emotional significance of this milestone. "Inside that sentence is a universe," she wrote. "Those words hold years of planning, weeks of needles, scans, waiting rooms, clenched jaws, forced optimism, and tears, lots of tears."
The IVF Process Detailed
Louise detailed their challenging IVF experience, noting they started with over 20 promising follicles but ended with just one embryo. "From our first cycle we went from seeing 20+ good looking follicles on the scan, to getting 8 eggs retrieved to holding onto hope that many of them would make it to day 5," she explained. "We ended up with just one. One embryo. One possibility."
Despite this being "not the perfect outcome," especially with her AMH levels averaging 25, Louise remains hopeful. "It makes me wonder if something else is wrong. Not enough to say 'we're done'. But a chapter where something worked. And that feels like an ok place to start," she shared.
The couple continues to process their journey while maintaining optimism about expanding their family through surrogacy using their preserved embryo.
