Joanna Forrester, an offshore helicopter pilot, fulfilled her long-held dream of becoming a mother at age 44 after a complex fertility journey fraught with setbacks, separation, and pandemic obstacles. Having frozen her embryos in her thirties, Joanna credits the Bristol Centre for Reproductive Medicine (BCRM) for helping her preserve her fertility and take control of family planning.
The idea to preserve fertility was first suggested by Joanna’s mother years earlier, but it wasn’t until her late thirties—while living in the USA and attending flight school—that Joanna seriously considered the option. After qualifying and returning to the UK in 2019, she chose BCRM based on its reputation for success and personal recommendations.
Tests revealed Joanna’s egg reserve was below average for her age, leading her consultant to recommend embryo freezing rather than egg freezing. Joanna’s partner, Sindre, whom she met at flight school, supported her decision despite their recent moves—Joanna to the UK and Sindre to Norway—and agreed to donate sperm.
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The first attempt yielded no fertilized embryos. Then the COVID-19 pandemic struck. Joanna’s flying job was put on hold, and she took on work as an Amazon delivery driver while fertility treatments were paused due to restrictions.
When clinics reopened in mid-2020, Joanna underwent a second cycle, successfully freezing one embryo. A third cycle later that year produced six eggs and three additional frozen embryos. Throughout this period, Joanna maintained peak fitness, clocking about 30,000 steps daily as a delivery driver and walking her Labrador regularly.
Joanna accepted a new flying position in Aberdeen in 2021, but travel restrictions forced her and Sindre apart for 18 months. Despite the distance, their relationship endured until Sindre joined her in late 2022. They began trying to conceive naturally, but low ovarian reserve meant natural conception wasn’t successful, so Joanna returned to BCRM for IVF treatment.
The first embryo transfer failed to result in pregnancy, and the second ended in a heartbreaking miscarriage at 12 weeks. Undeterred, Joanna underwent a third transfer in May 2024, which was successful. She gave birth to a daughter, Alia, in February 2025.
As soon as travel was permitted, Joanna took Alia to meet grandparents on both sides, in Surrey and Stavanger, Norway. Describing Alia as a happy and calm baby, Joanna shared that the name was chosen for its simplicity and beauty while they lived in Hawaii. A funny hospital mix-up briefly saw Alia registered as “Alan,” a nickname that is now affectionately used.
“Becoming a mother at 44 is an exciting new chapter,” Joanna said. “We are over the moon with our beautiful daughter. I hope my story encourages other women considering fertility preservation. A heartfelt thanks to the wonderful team at BCRM who helped make my dream a reality.”
BCRM, the oldest fertility clinic in Bristol, offers both NHS and private fertility treatments throughout the South West and Wales.