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In the UK, 1 in 5 pregnancies end in miscarriage. While most miscarriages occur within the first 12 weeks, some couples experience this tragic loss later on in their pregnancy journey. Although nearly 250,000 couples in the UK have grappled with miscarriage, most expectant parents go on to have a happy, healthy pregnancy in the future.
Whether you’ve experienced this heartbreak or know someone who has, the story of Sophia and Brian will bring you a newfound sense of hope and positivity as you navigate the complex and emotional world of miscarriage and conception.
About Sophia & Brian
Sophia and Brian met in college where their romance blossomed rather quickly. “She was one of those girls you couldn’t help but notice,” Brian beamed. “It took me a few months to get the courage to ask her out, but I’m so glad I did.” Sophia admitted to not noticing Brian at first. “I was honestly so focused on my studies,” she explained, “But he seemed like a nice guy, so when he finally asked me out I thought, why not?”
The couple went on to date and marry three years later. In 2020, at the ages of 25 (Sophia) and 27 (Brian), they decided it was time to grow their family.
“I always wanted kids,” Brian said. “And I knew she would make a great mom.”
From Joy to Sorrow
It didn’t take long for Sophia to get pregnant. Shortly after going off her birth control pill, Sophia found herself buying a pregnancy test. “I was surprised when it came out positive,” she explained. “I took 3 more tests before calling Brian at work and sharing the news.” The couple was elated and soon told their closest family and friends.
According to Sophia, she felt great during the early stages of her first trimester. “I was a little tired but overall, I felt good. I didn’t have any morning sickness or strange cravings. I continued to work and exercise.” But, around week 8, Sophia noticed something wasn’t quite right. “I had a lot of cramping,” Sophia explained. “Then, I noticed I was spotting quite a bit and called the doctor right away.” Sadly, the couple lost the baby just a few days later.
“I was devastated,” Sophia said. “We both were.” Sophia admitted to going into a bit of a depression following this first loss. “The minute you find out you’re pregnant, you start mentally planning for all the fun things. We started choosing colors for the nursery and everything. I had already started purchasing things so when we lost the pregnancy, looking at these items in our home was a hard reminder of what had happened.”
But instead of giving up, the couple decided to come together, remain strong and try again.
Staying Positive
Sophia and Brian knew they weren’t alone. “My cousin’s wife had a miscarriage the year before and Sophia’s college roommate did too,” Brian explained. “We knew it wasn’t uncommon, but it didn’t make it any less painful.” Before trying again, Sophia and Brian decided to visit a local fertility clinic for some answers.
In some situations, a qualified fertility doctor can perform routine tests that offer insight into the potential cause of a recent miscarriage. While this isn’t always the case, it was for Sophia and Brian. Some of the most common tests include hormonal, genetic, and immunological. If a couple is facing recurrent miscarriages, other tests and evaluations may be needed.
Sophia and Brian underwent both hormonal and genetic testing following their loss. “We had a few genetic screenings to check for chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo,” Sophia explained. “They also ran a few blood tests to check my progesterone levels and thyroid.” It was then that the young couple learned they only had a 5% chance of conceiving. “Our world came crashing down,” Sophia said.
After processing the news, the couple was encouraged to try IVF. “I really had to mentally prepare myself for it,” Sophia said. “It just wasn’t the path I thought we’d be on.” But once the couple accepted their new reality, they became excited about the idea of conceiving again.
Starting the IVF Process
In October of 2021, Sophia had her first egg retrieval done, where the doctors removed 8 viable eggs. Although they were hopeful, the first transfer failed, bringing more devastation to the young couple. “We were crushed,” Brian stated. But the doctors seemed hopeful and encouraged the pair to keep trying. Together, they adopted a healthy lifestyle that included walking, yoga, pilates, and drinking detox juices. In some cases, lifestyle changes like these can increase fertility.
In January, 2022 the couple tried again and experienced their second failed IVF attempt. Sophia was starting to lose hope. “I couldn’t help but wonder, what are we doing wrong?” The first two failed attempts involved transferring a single embryo, so the doctor suggested transferring 2 the next time. Unfortunately, in April of 2022 they endured their third failed IVF attempt.
“I was broken all over again,” Sophia said, “And we just needed a break.” So, the couple took a mini holiday and tried not to think about pregnancy for a few months. “It was emotionally exhausting,” Brian admitted.
At this point, the doctors ordered additional blood tests to check for any additional abnormalities. Surprisingly, Sophia was relieved to find that she had elevated natural killer cells. “I was just happy to have some sort of answer or explanation as to why we kept having miscarriages and implementation failure.” The next step was a round of steroids which Sophia described as “intense.” However, the daily monitoring also brought Sophia a sense of peace. “I liked knowing that someone was on top of things and telling me exactly what to do.” In June of 2022, the couple felt prepared to try again and successfully transferred 2 more viable eggs.
Blessed, Not Once, but Twice!
In less than a week, Sophia began experiencing period-like symptoms. “I was really nervous that I was going to get my period and I’m not sure why I decided to take a pregnancy test before visiting the doctor, but I did, and it came up positive right away!” Sophia said she ran directly into the bedroom to tell Brian. They went on to take several more tests, all of which were positive.
“It wasn’t until 20 weeks or so that we actually relaxed and believed that we’d be bringing a baby home with us in March,” Brian said. “We were a little hesitant to get our hopes up.” But, the couple did in fact bring home not one, but TWO healthy babies – Anna and Christian.
Sophia and Brian admit that their fertility journey was emotionally, mentally, and physically draining at times, but that they’re grateful they never gave up. “We knew we were destined to be parents,” Sophia said. “It was just a matter of finding the right clinic, undergoing the right tests, and staying patient and positive.”
Click here for help finding an IVF clinic near you.
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