It’s a rollercoaster ride for Sonia Fowler (Natalie Cassidy) in EastEnders as herhopes of having a baby by IVF are threatened.
At first everything looks rosy – the hospital tells Sonia that everything is going to plan with her IVF so far, and to prepare for the next stage.
It’s been quite a journey for Sonia and Reiss Colwell (Jonny Freeman) so far,who’d already faced many ups and downs before deciding to try for a baby via IVF back in the summer.
The couple had hit the rocks after Reiss found a pregnancy test in Sonia’s bag – and he eventually confessed that he was infertile.
With the good news that the IVF is going to plan, Sonia and Reiss plan a romantic night together – and all is well until Reiss receives an unexpected phone call.
Reiss’s wife Debbie – who needs full-time care after a severe stroke – has developed a bad infection.
He rushes to her bedside, but back at home, Sonia is distressed and fearful.
Although Sonia was devastated earlier in the year to discover Reiss had a secret wife, she made her peace with it as best she could and even went with Reiss to help care for Debbie.
She finally agreed to go ahead with IVF despite worrying about the cost – unware that Reiss is secretly using Debbie’s money to pay for it.
He told Sonia that he he had an account full of money that he’d forgotten about – enough to pay for three or four rounds of treatment.
Sonia was worried about being unable to get free IVF on the NHS as she already has a daughter, Bex Fowler (Jasmine Armfield) – so paying for it seemed a good option.
But with Reiss’s latest dash to the hospital, Sonia fears that the emergency could scupper this round of their expensive IVF.
Soon Kathy Beale (Gillian Taylforth) arrives, and Sonia admits that she’s ashamed to feel so secretly haunted by Debbie.
She confesses her fears that this IVF treatment will fail, as Kathy comforts her.
Next morning, Reiss returns home after a distressing night, and Sonia finds the strength to support him – but is this a major setback for their hopes of having a baby?
