Stacy Thomson, from St Albans, Herts, observed the emergence of the second pink line on her pregnancy test, a cherished moment for every parent. However, instead of sharing the news with her baby’s father, Stacy confided in her mother

Unconventionally, Stacy is not separated from the father or a widow; she simply doesn’t know his name. She is part of a growing trend of women choosing to become single parents by choice.

In the UK, the number of single mothers conceiving through IVF increased to 1,290 in 2017 from 351 a decade earlier.

Despite initial perceptions, Stacy, 44, argues that this choice is not as radical as it may seem. Living in St Albans, Herts, with her two-year-old son Milo, she challenges the misconception that solo parenting is rare.

“The minute I realised I was going to do this alone was when I realised just how many others had done the same before me.

“The sheer volume of Facebook groups alone just proves how many women are considering this as an option.

“It’s not just people my age either – some women are in their 30s who aren’t prepared to wait.”

Eligibility for NHS-funded IVF in the UK typically does not favour single women, requiring them to self-fund between six and 12 rounds of intrauterine insemination (IUI) before NHS treatment. Stacy, ineligible due to age even with a partner, had to self-fund her treatment, leading her to choose an overseas clinic in Greece for both cost-effectiveness and a less clinical approach.

Her first round of IVF resulted in pregnancy, and Stacy welcomed Milo in August 2021. While her mother was present at the birth, the experience was different from having a partner. Stacy experienced the full impact of becoming a single parent, including a certain grieving process during the initial IVF cycle.