“I was about to turn 25, recently separated. I had only been dating this guy for a month, and had told him I couldn’t get pregnant. Now, here I was, in my aunt’s bathroom, staring at this stick like it had just back-handed my momma. I scheduled my first OB appointment since my regular gynecologist/surgeon is not an OB. ‘I don’t see a baby,’ she said as nonchalantly as humanly possible.”
‘We usually tell women at this stage to complete their families.’ I was only 17. That wasn’t an option. I had no idea how unlucky I’d be.’: Woman battles stage 4 endometriosis, 2 miscarriages, and hysterectomy
‘The lawyer called, she wanted him back and the papers were already signed. I knew we’d be saying goodbye.’: Couple credits birth mom for saving almost failed adoption, ‘The bond between us made this happen’
“It was impossible for me to keep it together. The constant back and forth between thinking we would get to take this baby home and then hearing from our lawyer that the outcome we had prayed for, was unlikely going to happen.”
‘Why don’t you lose weight?’ Me, unimpressed by an egotistical doctor: ‘Or you could just do your job.’: Woman with cervical cancer, PCOS beats infertility, ‘Always fight for yourself because you are worth it’
“I quickly became friends with Wanda, the lovely trans-vaginal ultrasound wand I had a hot date with every morning. ‘We found something on your cervix.’ My period stopped. I almost fainted on the subway on my way to work. I started gaining weight. I was told I likely would never naturally have children. Well, f**k.'”
‘All I could think was, ‘How can you miss a baby?’ Twins quickly turned to 3, then 4. I could not believe my eyes.’: Mom births miracle quadruplets after battling infertility, cancer
“My infertility journey began at 11. I’d just started my period and there I was, having life-saving surgery, my ovaries twisting in pain. ‘The growth on your bladder is cancerous and ready to spread.’ After years with my husband, it was time to call the IVF clinic. I did the usual bloodwork, only to be called soon after. ‘Can you come back in? It seems you’re already pregnant…’ Tears fell down my face. I could not believe my eyes.”
‘I’ve loved my ex for 5 years.’ I was in the toilet, vomiting. I watched the father of my 3 kids die right in front of me.’: 40-year-old woman finds happy ending after infidelity, ‘Love will find you in the hardest of times’
“My biological father was a serial philanderer. I used to tell my husband, ‘You ever cheat on me, it will be the last time.’ Little did I know, 18 years later, I’d be left with 3 kids while he was out joyriding in my car with the another woman. ‘Well, don’t you think it’s too soon?’ In the chaos of my marriage ending, I never thought I’d fall in love with my best friend’s brother. When I give my heart to someone, I give it.”
‘Unexplained infertility was our ‘diagnosis.’ Weeks later, we received a phone call from an expectant mom. ‘I’d like you to adopt my daughter.’: Couple battling infertility ‘shocked’ by pregnancy during adoption process
“I began to feel nauseous and fatigued beyond belief. ‘Wait, am I pregnant?!’ I decided to take a test, probably the 100th one I’d taken at that point. I laid it to the side and left the room, knowing I’d see the same negative I’d seen for 5 years. Except I didn’t. It was positive. All FIVE of them. My husband and I were shocked. After years of trying, a dozen failed fertility interventions, and an ongoing adoption process, I was pregnant completely by surprise!”
‘What’s wrong with me?’ I burst into tears. My ovaries were that of a 40-year-old. I longed so desperately to make my sweet girl a big sister.’: Mom births baby with epilepsy, autism, then miracle baby after battling endometriosis
“Our thoughts of having a second child were buried under years of trauma. Until one day. ‘Kylee, I want a baby.’ That sparked something inside me I never thought would happen again. 4 days after my transfer, I took a pregnancy test expecting nothing. There was a very faint second line. ‘This has to be a fluke.’ My heart began racing. A different kind of panic ensued.”
‘I’m 30 years old, I’ve never had a child, and the first thing they say is, ‘We need to remove something from your body.’ It was completely crazy.’: Woman diagnosed with PCOS, endometriosis determined to conceive through IVF, ‘He gave us back the hope we had lost’
“We started noticing I was in a lot of pain during intercourse. One night, I was in so much pain I couldn’t bear it. I was taken to the ER. They told me I had an ovarian cyst rupture. I had no idea what that meant. They gave me some pain pills and told me to ‘rest.’ I went on like nothing was wrong. My periods were not coming on time. I’d miss an entire month or two. I was dealing with all these emotions while trying to maintain hope. Time was flying by, and I still didn’t have a baby.”
‘We can’t find a heartbeat for Baby B, C, or D.’ I was 19. I still remember my heart breaking. ‘I can’t lose my babies, I can’t.’: Teen mom births miracle micro-preemie after losing 3 of her quadruplets
“We had 3 babies in one sac, and 1 in another. I kept telling myself, ‘It’s going to be okay.’ It just wasn’t enough to sustain them all. My water broke. It was everywhere. I didn’t think it was ever going to stop, and I wasn’t even 24 weeks along yet. I kept crying out, ‘Please wait! It’s too early!’ I was petrified.”
‘They’re gone, we lost them.’ A substitute teacher touched my belly. There was no belly. I had to mutter these words.’: Couple struggling with Fragile X Syndrome, infertility, finally pregnant with rainbow baby, ‘People tell me how strong I am. I wasn’t given another choice.’
“We were having identical twin girls. My husband and I were overjoyed. But our twins did not develop their brains. We lost both our little girls. Because I am a teacher, I had to write to all of my students’ parents about what happened, asking them to explain it to their 5-year-old children. There was no belly. I had to mutter the words, ‘They’re gone, we lost them.’ It leaves behind scars, fears, and triggers.”
