Sometimes things don't work that way.

Sometimes people need a little help.

It's been 30 years since the world's first test-tube baby was born to Manchester couple John and Lesley Brown in Oldham General Hospital – thanks to the pioneering in vitro fertilisation techniques developed by British fertility experts Robert Edwards and Patrick Steptoe.

That child, Louise Brown, now a mother herself, celebrates her 30th birthday on July 25.

She was the first of many success stories for the procedure, which has now become commonplace and is something which has brought joy to thousands of people.

A Falkirk couple, who wished to remain anonymous, have been trying to conceive for four years.

They are currently on the waiting list for IVF at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.

The would-be mum said: "Initially we thought our only problem would be deciding how many children we would have and what to call them. That didn't happen though and after months without success we eventually realised we had a problem.

"The really upsetting, and frustrating, thing is we have both had tests and the doctors say there is no reason for our infertility.

''We are officially classed as a couple with 'unexplained infertility'."

The couple's relationships with their family and friends has changed during the last four years and they put that down to their infertility problem and the stresses that come with it.

"The worst thing is when you hear someone is pregnant – you have to pretend to be happy for them, but inside you just feel so jealous and wonder why you can't have a baby. Then you feel guilt for thinking like that."

The couple, who gave up drinking and smoking in an effort to conceive, say they get particularly annoyed when they see pregnant women drinking or smoking.

"They take it for granted they can have a baby – don't they realise how lucky they are? Pregnancy is a gift and you should never deliberately put your baby at risk.

"People don't realise how devastating infertility can be – they think it's just an inconvenience. We have had to deal with unhelpful advice and comments like 'it's not the end of the world'.

"What they don't understand is that it feels like the end of the world to us."

Infertility Network (IN), a support organisation which has helped the Falkirk couple, will be marking national infertility day on July 19 with a special event in Covent Garden, London, featuring talks from Professor Robert Edwards and Professor Lord Robert Winston.

Sheena Young, head of business development for IN, said: "Infertility Network provides anything a couple will need in terms of support, advice and information.

"We can give people someone to talk to if they feel they can't talk to family and friends about it, or give advice to people who have difficulty funding their treatment or getting access to treatment."

As the world, and technology, moves on, a large number of people have stopped going to once-popular support groups.

"People prefer to use website forums," said Sheena. "The support groups still run, but more people are looking to the net to find what they need. In the resource section of our website there are over 40 different fact sheets on infertility issues that people can send off for free."

According to IN, one in seven people in the UK are now affected by infertility problems, although not all of them require IVF.

"It is quite a big problem," said Sheena. "The number of people affected has grown over the years, but I don't think infertility is on the increase. Maybe people are being more open about it these days.

"We try to make sure the general public are aware of all the issues surrounding infertility. It is now beginning to be seen as an illness rather than a lifestyle issue."

Sheena, who comes from Ayrshire, has personal experience of infertility. This led her to volunteer for the organisation Child in the late 1990s and then work for Infertility Network.

"It's like any other illness – no one is expecting to be hit by it. Infertility is devastating and effects every part of your life. People find it difficult to attend family birthdays, where there are a lot of young children running around.

"It can make or break a marriage. It made my marriage stronger, although we were never successful in our attempts to start a family and our life is still tinged with sadness."

It is important to remain positive, however, and there is still hope for the Falkirk couple and thousands of other couples in their situation.

Sheena said: "When Louise Brown was born not many people had heard of IVF. Now it is a widely available treatment.

"The developments which have taken place over the last five to 10 years have been immense. We are lucky here in Scotland because a lot of the developments have taken place here."

Visit www.infertilitynetworkuk.com for more information.