Where did it begin?

Picture New Zealand in the eighties. Fertility problems were referred to as “infertility”. Women without children were described as “barren”. And, just to add further injury, this was seen to be their fault, commonly thought to be caused by women being too anxious, working too hard, or wanting a baby too much. Men, it seemed, had little to do with it.

In those pre-IVF days, knowledge about the causes of fertility problems and the limited treatment options available, such as ovulation induction, tubal reanastomosis (reconnection), or sperm donation to assist men with azoospermia (where the semen contains no sperm), was scarce. Even less was known about the emotional impact and distress on people and their whānau relationships.

People bravely sought help at National Women’s Hospital, where I was a social worker assigned to a team of doctors who had begun focusing on fertility as a subspecialty of gynaecology.

Self-help, by means of gathering in facilitated groups, had become a useful counselling tool. Dr Freddie Graham, senior lecturer in obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Auckland, was in charge of what was then called “The Infertility Clinic”. He and I discussed the idea of having such a group for the people attending the clinic. We invited couples (in those days, only couples had access to treatment – imagine that) to a meeting with a view to setting up what was to be called the Auckland Infertility Society (AIS). We held it in a large boardroom at National Women’s Hospital, where there was a table in the shape of a uterus (imagine that, too). A friendly lawyer drew up a constitution, and fifteen people signed up as founding members.

Freddie and I, along with a committee formed from those founding members, planned a public awareness seminar. It was held on 1 May 1982 at The Sorrento, an event centre in Cornwall Park, at a cost of $10. We were surprised when over a hundred brave people turned up. The late Father Felix Donnelly kindly acted as chairperson; the late Professor Bonham, head of the University of Auckland Medical School; the late Ron Jones, an obstetrician and gynaecologist; Freddie Graham; and I were speakers. The AIS was promoted at the seminar by the first President of the Society, Annette Ellis (a coincidence that we shared the same name).

Freddie and I still remember the hush in the room as people absorbed new and accurate information, and the tears that streamed down participants’ faces as their emotions were triggered. The seminar gained media attention. Thus began the difficult task of educating New Zealanders about fertility, providing safe forums for discussing the agonies of involuntary childlessness, and gaining understanding and support. Several attendees joined AIS so that we could hold facilitated support groups on a regular basis. When these became popular, some members volunteered to become group facilitators. Members contributed items for a newsletter, and the tradition of holding an annual information seminar began.

Lobbying became a frequent activity. In 1983, AIS sent its first of many submissions to the Auckland Hospital Health Board on the “Improvement of Infertility Services Through the Public Health System”.

A fertility clinic was operating in Dunedin, and soon there were others in Christchurch and Wellington. Patients at these clinics were organising similar self-help support networks.

In 1989, a Wellington Infertility Society member happened to be part of a police team that annually took part in a fundraising event called “Operation Wheelbarrow”. This involved a team of policemen and policewomen running from the tip of the North Island to the bottom of the South Island, pushing wheelbarrows for donations. AIS members joined in, running up Queen Street pushing empty baby strollers alongside the wheelbarrows. That year, the police team elected to give their collected donations to the Wellington Infertility Society, to benefit people throughout New Zealand.

A meeting of all the local infertility societies was held at Victoria University of Wellington, and it was agreed that they should amalgamate into a national society to receive the substantial donation from Operation Wheelbarrow—some $80,000, a huge amount at the time. A new name was required: the Fertility Society of New Zealand was launched. Now called Fertility New Zealand, it has grown from its infancy into a responsible, active adult voice. Sadly, it is still very much needed. I continue to meet with some of the founding members, and I understand that some of the earliest-established support groups still meet. Fertility issues give rise to lifelong impact.

I would like to honour the many members who bravely stood up to educate a sometimes hostile public; those who tirelessly lobbied government agencies when their messages fell on closed minds; those who told their personal stories to the press so others would know they were not alone; and the hard-working members who organised the annual information days. I would also like to recognise the contributions of many counsellors, nurses, embryologists, doctors, secretaries, and scientists who gave much of their personal time, expertise, and wisdom to grow the infant AIS into Fertility NZ.

—

Joi Ellis

Joi Ellis is a founding member of Fertility NZ and holds the distinction of being Aotearoa’s first fertility counsellor. Now retired, Joi brings decades of experience supporting individuals and couples through their fertility journeys. She played a pivotal role in shaping both the early foundations of Fertility NZ and the broader field of fertility support in New Zealand. Joi is also an honorary life member of the Fertility Society of Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ). Her deep understanding, unwavering commitment, and professional expertise, offer a unique lens through which to reflect on the organisation’s beginnings and evolution.