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A Derry couple who welcomed her baby "miracles" the same week that IVF is 40 says she is delighted that her twins can share such a special birthday week
Jacob and Layla Mullan, who were conceived through in vitro fertilization They were born on Monday evening
. Their ecstatic parents, Karen and Declan, said their children were born the same week that IVF was 40 years old.
"For us, this marks two major milestones: the journey of IVF – our journey is intertwined – we are just overwhelmed by love and happiness and we are delighted that our twins can share such a special birthday week, "Karen tells the" Journal ".
The first IVF-born baby, Louise Brown, turns 40 on July 25th.
In the last 40 years, 300,000 babies were born from IVF treatment in the UK.
Jacob and Layla Mullan, born earlier this week
Revolutionary treatment success rates have improved over the last 40 years, but remain low around 29%.
From the moment Karen and Declan married in 2015, starting a family was at the forefront of their minds.
With the two over 30, the couple felt that time was essential.
"I've always wanted children and there was not really any question about it.I keep every child I could when I was younger and it had always been An obsession – leaving a family was something that was always on the cards for us as a couple, "Karen said.
However, after a year of trying to get pregnant, the couple became worried.
"Declan had developed epilepsy He had a fairly high dose of medication and began to wonder if it was a cause."
It was confirmed that the drug would not prevent them to get pregnant and the couple started
"They could not find anything wrong but I was sure that I had an endometriosis and that she had never been diagnosed. I was referred to a consultant and a laparoscopy showed that I had endometriosis, but it was said that it had nothing to do with the reasons why I could not fall
Karen had other tests and more than a year later due to fertility problems.
The couple was referred to the Regional Fertility Center, based at the University of Ottawa. Royal Victoria Hospital for IVF Treatment.
Currently, a complimentary NHS-funded IVF cycle is offered to patients, three complete cycles in other parts of the United Kingdom.
Funding covers an episode of ovarian stimulation and the transfer of a fresh embryo and a frozen embryo.
Karen and Declan underwent an initial assessment to determine if they were fit for IVF.
"After that, we were placed on the waiting list and it was about ten months before the start of treatment.
"Waiting is the worst part, it's a killer and so frustrating.It's not knowing and feeling like you're in limbo." this time, we were still trying to have a baby and hopefully secretly. "
Karen started taking a combination of tablets, gels and injections to suppress her menstrual cycle and boost fertility hormones
because you must be very careful and make sure that you are taking the right thing at the right time and the right day.
"Everything you do, everything you talk about and think about, revolves around IVF."
As Karen was traveling through IVF, she discovered that everyone around her was getting pregnant. I did not really get in touch with me because I'm so excited about babies, but eventually it started to make me laugh a bit. You still want to be happy for everyone who gets pregnant because you do not want to see anyone else doing this trip. "
Karen reacted well to IVF drugs, but admits it was difficult.
You are crazy and you start pushing people back. People are trying to help and say things without think all you want to say to them is to say nothing, just give me a hug and go away. "
The next step in the process for Karen and Declan was egg collection.
"We were told that the egg collection"
After the eggs were collected and fertilized, the couple had to wait several days before they could be reinstated in Karen.
C & # 39; while disaster struck the couple.
"I started feeling really bad and my stomach was swollen, giving me the impression of being heavily pregnant. Had the impression of having a very bad kidney infection and not having any more hours.
"They did not really know what was going on because IVF is a treatment so specialized I had the impression that I was over excited but that I was determined that the transfer would continue.
"We received the call from the center to tell us that it was time for the eggs to be transferred and we were so excited.We thought that's it, we will be pregnant But as soon as I entered the room, the doctor noticed that I was sore and that he had scanned my ovaries.
Karen had been over stimulated because of too much hormonal medication, causing swelling and pain in the ovaries.
It was decided that it was dangerous to go further at that time and that the embryos were frozen.
"We were devastated, it was horrible and felt like a loss.I remember going out of the room and trying to keep it together but I was in pieces." [19659004] Six of the fertilized embryos were frozen and Karen and Declan had to wait several months before they could begin the process.
Karen had to take back all the hormonal drugs before an embryo could be transferred.
She was able to appeal to friends and other women encountered by the Fairness Fertility Group (IN) for support during this time
"Throughout the IVF journey if you do not know the right questions to ask, or do not ask them, so we do not tell you. It's very overwhelming. I was able to call on a friend who had herself followed a treatment and she kept me on the straight and narrow line
"Talking to the people I met through the (IN) Fertility also helped.There was a girl who went through something similar and we sent each other messages everyday. "
Once the embryo finally transferred to Karen The couple waited two weeks to find out if they were pregnant. Unfortunately, the process has failed.
"We were so convinced that it was going to work that we were told it was going to work, it took us a year to get out."
The couple knew that they still had the opportunity to undergo treatment again on the NHS, but the expectation was to "kill" Karen
"It was the most stressful part of the whole process.I could handle the drugs and prepare myself mentally to everything else.It was the expectation with which I struggled the most. "
A friend had suggested that the couple go to a private fertility clinic, but go to the clinic. The hospital costed thousands of pounds
my friend phoned to tell me that I had booked the GCRM in Belfast and she said that everything was taken care of and paid for. could not believe it. "
In a few weeks, Karen and Declan had an appointment and they felt that they had finally some control over the process.
"The whole process was completely different and we had the impression that we had a say on how things were done." I asked to be put on Clexane, a blood thinner that is apparently linked to the success of IVF.It is not regularly used here because it is not proven.It is something that they generally consider in case of multiple failures of IVF.I just thought that there is something that could potentially help why is not it offered to everyone.Why not give everyone the best opportunity possible ? "
" I needed to feel that I was doing something different to increase my chances of succeeding. "
Karen said that she felt she was not doing anything about it. had no control over "
" I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to do so on the NHS, but this will be was great if we were given three shots. I was a prime candidate for IVF, everyone told us it was going to work and it still failed. People really need more than one shot. "
The couple had to move their embryos from the Regional Center of Fertility to the GCRM and drove them through Belfast by themselves
" It was so surreal and funny, we were joking "[19659004] Karen asked that two embryos be transferred to double their chances of success
The couple then had an anxious wait of two weeks to find out if they were pregnant
. I did not want to be excited this time and I was convinced it would not work because I was used to things that did not work out as planned.
"My friend who had paid for the treatment was here from Dubai and I decided to do a test myself before the end of the two weeks because she had to go back in. I wanted to know before to go back if it had worked or not. "
Karen said that when she saw the fake line on the pregnancy test indicating that she was positive, she was in a state of total shock.
"
" I could not believe it, it was the best news and my friend was able to return to Dubai knowing that she had caused us this miracle. 19659004] Karen said that she wanted to shout her news on the rooftops because she had been waiting so long. However, she said that she was aware of other people who were still going through the IVF journey and their feelings.
Early in her pregnancy, Karen was scared and referred to the Fetal Assessment Unit
. myself for the worse. I had to wait four days for the appointment and it was four days of waiting and crying, convinced that the baby was gone. "
The feelings of devastation turned into ecstasy when an analysis confirmed that Karen was carrying not only a baby, but two
" From the moment you woke up, even in your dreams, having a baby was everything we thought about Waiting for two was a dream come true.
"I really do not think we could have had more luck and if I had become pregnant without this trip, I do not think I would have enjoyed half that much."
During the first 16 weeks of her pregnancy, Karen suffered severe nausea but said she did not care as long as her babies were healthy.
Declan booked a sex revelation analysis for Karen as a Mother's Day gift and they had the wonderful news that they were expecting a boy and a girl.
"It was too much, we were on the moon."
Jacob and Layla were born earlier this week, just before the 40th anniversary of IVF. . each of them weighing more than 5 pounds
As for the future, Karen and Declan still have frozen embryos and a remaining chance for egg transfer on the NHS. Frozen embryos last ten years and will remain stored at the private fertility clinic.
Karen said, "If I had a baby, I would definitely do IVF to try to have a brother or sister. I do not want to think about it yet, let 's see how I get along with these two! "
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