Emotional battle to become a mum

Single woman Elizabeth may need an egg donor to become a mum. Photo / Janna Dixon

Elizabeth dreams of being called "mum" and is pinning her hopes on Cabinet approval for the procedure.

The 39-year-old marketing manager knows five other women in the same position through her role as a committee member of Fertility New Zealand's Auckland branch.

Her journey started more than two years ago when a five-year relationship ended and she went to check her ovarian reserves at a clinic.

The prognosis was "not good" and she was told to "act now" if she wanted to try to get pregnant through IVF.

She was shocked because her mother and sister had children relatively late. "I assumed I would be fine."

Elizabeth, who doesn't want her second name printed, tried multiple IVF treatments, costing about $50,000, which failed.

She has put buying a house on hold to follow her dream of having a child. "It was an emotional rollercoaster," she said of the tests, checks and procedures involved.

An acquaintance has offered to be the sperm donor and play an uncle-type role in the future child's life.

Elizabeth said it had taken time but she had accepted she would not have a genetically-related child. Her chosen sperm donor is "happy" about her using a donor egg.

"He can see I will put in 110 per cent," she said.

* Elizabeth wants to hear from anyone else who believes they would benefit from the procedure at nzdonor@gmail.com.