There is nothing worse than being told you cannot do something without knowing the reason why.

Sarah Mills knows only too well how frustrating such a situation can be after trying for eight years to start a family.

Following the launch of The Birmingham Post's fertilityfunding campaign, the 36-year-old told how she had struggled with unexplained infertility.

She said most people took it for granted that they would be able to have children.

Mrs Mills, who married husband Paul in May 1992 and lives in Kingshurst, Birmingham, first sought help from her GP in 1995, who referred her to a hospital consultant.

"I remember coming out of there thinking if that was the best the NHS could do for me I would probably never have a child," she said.

"A laparoscopy failed to reveal anything, but their methods seemed so prehistoric that we vowed never to go back, so negative was the experience."

The couple opted to seek second opinions within the private-health sector, desperate to get a definitive answer, but they were not forthcoming.

After a consultation with a specialist at a private clinic, they were told Mrs Mills might have polycystic ovaries, which can affect female fertility.

However, after spending more than £2,000 on tests, doctors could find no physical reason why the couple had not conceived.

Mrs Mills said: "When the consultant told me he thought I had polycystic ovaries, I got it into my head that this could be treated and it would soon be our turn to have a baby.

"The problem with unexplained infertility is you can't think about anything else until that issue is dealt with, which is very frustrating.

"But after spending thousands of pounds on investigative tests there, we were still left in limbo as each revealed neither of us had any physical problems."

For three years the couple continued to save for further tests and any necessary treatments because they felt unable to move on.

But Mrs Mills began to feel the frustration and anxiety was getting too much.

"I began to feel like an outcast when people started to talk about their children or having babies, it was like I was excluded from this exclusive mothers' club," she said.

"When we heard stories from people who had been to the Midland Fertility Services clinic, we decided to investigate further," she added.

Following an open evening in February 1998, the couple opted for artificial insemination.

Their first try was abandoned after it missed Mrs Mills' most fertile time, and following another failed attempt in February 1999, the stress began to tell on the couple.

Mrs Mills explained: "I felt under enormous pressure and stress at this time, and a few weeks after that Paul and I had a blazing row. It was at that point that I said enough's enough, I couldn't take any more disappointment.

"So in May we went away for a few days to recharge our batteries and relax, to get over everything we ' d been through."

A few weeks after the trip, Mrs Mills got some very good news.

" I don't know how exactly it happened, but a month later I found out I was pregnant," she said. "I didn't believe it at first because I thought the kit might be faulty, so I made Paul go out and buy four more and I did each one."

Harry Mills was born at Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, weighing 6lb 14oz, on March 30, 2000. Nearly five years on, he is testament to their determination to succeed. "Never give up, just keep going and don't accept the first answer you here. Most importantly you should not quit," urged Mrs Mills.

"It may sound stupid but believe in miracles because they do happen."