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Fertility series on TG4 follows the sometimes complex journey to parenthood

Turas Clainne is a new four-part series that follows the journey to parenthood and explores the many issue’s parents encounter on this complex journey to parenthood and postpartum.

02.02.21

On TG4 from Thursday 18th February 8pm

We follow the story of expectant mothers and explore various issues that some parents encounter on this complex journey. Many parents experience emotions of delight, elation and celebrations but many others may encounter loneliness, distress and heartbreak. We feature families who share their intimate experiences with fertility struggle, surrogacy, miscarriage and post-natal depression.
 
Prisscilla De Búrca, is in her third trimester of pregnancy, however she is still harbouring feelings of worry and anxiety due to the difficult labour she experienced with her second child two years ago. Prisscilla seeks advice from a doula to help her prepare for a positive birthing experience this time around. Will all go to plan in the delivery suite?
 
More than one in five pregnancies ends in miscarriage, it is estimated that 14,000 women in Ireland each year miscarry. Each individual reacts differently to pregnancy loss and copes differently with grief. Tara Uí Adhmhaill, shares her personal grief and heartbreak after experiencing numerous miscarriages.
 
In March 2020 the coronavirus arrived and with-it further anxiety and worry for expectant couples. In Newry, Louise Smith finds herself in the middle of a global pandemic as she embarks on her third trimester and childbirth. With the world on the cusp of change, will Louise have to adapt her birth plan due to impending Covid -19 restrictions? What will life be like postpartum with a new-born in a pandemic?
 
Dubliner Marilyn McGivern and her husband Wayne experienced years of struggling to conceive. They embarked on a rollercoaster ride of emotions on this journey that included failed IVF and IUIs. In the hope of conceiving, both living from month to month yearning for a positive pregnancy test. Marilyn shares her emotional story of failed IVF and IUI’s and tells of the overwhelming range of emotions she experienced of being repeatedly unsuccessful, that is until a chance meeting changed their lives for good.
 
Many birth plans are created, outlining preferences for labour and delivery, but a birth plan is not set-in stone. One cannot predict what may occur on the day, as experienced by Sinéad Mhic Dhonnacha. Sinéad tells the story of the birth of her daughter, after a complicated birth resulting in baby Eve having to spend time in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Sinéad gives us an initiate glimpse into the first night at home with a new-born after an eventful few days.
 
Westmeath mother of four, Becky Loftus Dore tells the inspiring story of how she became a surrogate mother. Becky highlights her journey of surrogacy that enabled her lifelong friends to become parents. Becky recounts the journey from the moment of insemination to the moment the baby was born and how she was overcome feelings of emotion and love when she saw her friends holding their new-born baby.
 
Galway mum Nicola Fallon who suffered from severe post-natal depression shares her powerful story. Following the birth of her son Louis, Nicolas experience symptoms of post-natal depression, however the symptoms were not recognised, and her mental health deteriorated. This resulted in Nicola being hospitalised for six months in specialist psychiatric hospitals in Galway and Dublin. Nicola was unable to see her baby for three of the six months, having been considered a danger to herself and her baby. Nicola tells her story to help other new mums recognise the early onset symptoms of Post-natal depression. Post-natal depression can affect up to 18,000 mothers annually in Ireland.
 
Interviews with contributors are available on request. Preview copies available.
 
Produced by AniarTV. Producer: Sinéad Mhic Dhonncha. Director: Tomás Mac Donnacha. #TurasClainne @AniarTV