Anton Du Beke opens up about IVF journey: 'It's really difficult'

Virgin Radio

2 Nov 2022, 14:39

Anton Du Beke has opened up about his IVF journey with wife Hannah, who he has described as the “most incredible mum”.

The dancer, who is now a judge on Strictly Come Dancing, became a dad for the first time in March 2017 when he welcomed twins, George and Henriette, with his wife Hannah after a long struggle with endometriosis.

Du Beke joined the Parenting Hell podcast to talk about the experience of trying to conceive and then having children.

Speaking about Hannah, he explained: “She’s everything I thought she would be. I thought she’d be an excellent mum; I always knew she’d be a great mum, but she couldn’t have children.

“I thought, isn’t it funny how nature works in mysterious ways? The person I thought would be an incredible mum couldn’t have children- that’s the sad irony of it all. But as we had IVF we were able to have them in the end and I’m thrilled for me- because I’d have 100 [kids] by the way because I love them- but I’m thrilled for Hannah because she is amazing at it.”

IVF (In-vitro fertilisation) is a medical procedure many people go through to try and conceive, and is the method in which an already-fertilised egg is inserted directly into the womb.

It can be quite a lengthy and difficult process, and Anton opened up about he found the experience.

He continued: “We were enormously fortunate as we had one go but it was sort of boot camp, we were hardcore at it so it was really hard on Hannah - blood tests, injections very day -

it's really difficult.”

The dancer added: “It's wonderful that it happened.

“Hannah had endometriosis and it's something not spoken about much and I think she should talk about it - sharing is caring.”

Endometriosis is a painful but sadly very common condition that is believed to affect 10 percent of people with wombs and occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in other places in the body- causing pain and/or infertility.

Despite the difficult journey, Anton couldn’t be happier and shared how life has changed now he has two children.

He joked about how the house is often filled with toys and said: “Hannah and the children went away for a week. I was working so stayed here. I got a skip in the drive because the children’s room- I couldn’t see the floor.”