"You're too fat to have a child. Go away and sort it out."
Those words from a doctor could have ended HC Parker's dream of motherhood. Instead, they sparked an extraordinary journey that would test every limit of her strength and determination. Diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome at 20 and endometriosis at 30, HC was told children were unlikely. What followed was years of navigating a broken medical system, discovering hidden food intolerances that were sabotaging her fertility, and enduring the physical agony of a disease that left her bleeding through clothes at work and stranded on the couch in pain.
Then came IVF—not once, but twice. The hormone injections. The life-threatening ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome that landed her five minutes from ICU. The heartbreak of a failed first round. And just when a viable embryo finally made it to the freezer, her marriage fell apart. Facing the biggest decision of her life, HC chose to go it alone. She fought through legal battles, rebuilt her body from medical menopause, and gave that frozen embryo the chance it deserved. Against 50% odds of surviving to pregnancy and 40% odds of making it to birth, a miracle happened.
Today, HC is a proud solo mum and a fierce advocate for women navigating fertility struggles. Her story is raw, honest, and told with the kind of humour that only comes from someone who's been through hell and come out laughing.
Fighting for Motherhood - Because every woman deserves to know she's not alone in this fight.
Scotland's Women: Our Lives, Our Stories
Episode coming soon.
Follow HC: https://www.instagram.com/hcactivewomanfitness/
Contact HC: https://hc-active-woman-fitness
Purchase HC Parker Book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/IVF-My-Journey-Hc-Parker/dp/1068386002
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