FOR nearly 12 years a Jamaican couple struggled to conceive, with every pregnancy test and doctor’s visit delivering negative results. But, in a final leap of faith, they started in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and the procedure saw them welcoming their “miracle baby”.

The couple shared that in the initial stages of their relationship they had no desire to have a child because they were young and still figuring life out. Three years later, just before they were to become husband and wife, they decided to start trying. However, they miscarried the week of their wedding, turning a joyous occasion into a bittersweet memory.

“It was very challenging for us because many people would ask us, ‘What is happening? When are you getting pregnant?’ And it was very difficult for us to have that conversation because we were trying, and every time we tried, I would lose the baby,” the wife, who requested anonymity, told the Jamaica Observer.

“In having the miscarriages, it was very emotional because my friends and my family members were also pregnant, and whenever I reached six weeks in the pregnancy, I would lose the baby. It was a situation where either the egg was not developed or the sac is there, but the baby is not there, and it was just nerve-racking,” she said, her voice cracking as she recounted their journey, disclosing that she had two miscarriages.

The woman said that during her fertility journey, she came to know that she had medical conditions that were affecting her ability to conceive. She shared that she had polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a condition that causes small sacs of fluids to develop on the ovaries and cysts, which contributed to her miscarriages. Throughout their fertility journey, she also had an ectopic pregnancy, in which a fertilised egg implanted itself in one of her fallopian tubes, resulting in her losing the tube.

“I started questioning God; I started questioning things, saying, ‘What have I done in the past? Who have I hurt?’ I felt as if my body had failed me because every time I went to the doctor and I did my tests, the result would come back with negative news,” she told the Sunday Observer.

The woman added that it was a difficult time for her and her husband, who was a few years older and always dreamt of having a child.

“I had never seen my husband cry before, and my husband would lock up in the room and cry. We spent so much money going to different doctors and doing several tests, and no one could help us,” she said, adding that their fertility challenges put a strain on their marriage.

After 11 years of miscarriages and failed fertility treatments, she said they made one final attempt to have a child, praying that they would finally have their miracle baby.

The couple shared that they went to the Caribbean Fertility Centre, where the option of IVF was introduced. IVF is the process of removing an egg from a woman and fertilising it in a lab with sperm. Once fertilised and developed into an embryo, it is implanted into the woman.

At first, they said that they were both sceptical, given their history, but were told that once they treated the PCOS and maintained a rigid diet, their chances of conceiving would be higher.

“When I felt as if I couldn’t do it, they would call me. They would say, ‘How is it going?’ They would guide me on how to do the injections daily and say, ‘You have to take pills daily.’ They would call me and check up on me. It felt as if they were family,” she said, adding that they received “first-class treatment” every step of the way.

About three months later they got pregnant, but held their breath every step of the way as they anticipated another miscarriage. However, with each doctor’s visit, their baby grew healthier and stronger and they were finally able to welcome their baby girl.

“When I got to see her and see her look into my eyes, it was like a melting pot. It’s like I was melting away. It was an incredible experience. It’s hard to really explain with words, but it was a life-changing moment. Even thinking about it still, it has the hair on my hand pulling up,” said the husband, who also requested anonymity.

He added that he was particularly grateful to be included every step of the way, conducting his research on infertility and attending doctor’s visits to support his wife.

“The experience really taught me that when you’re trying to do anything, all you have to do is pray and put your body in the position,” noting that with God and discipline, anything is possible.

While expressing joy that they were finally able to conceive, he was interrupted by a crying baby.

“Although she is crying, it’s a joy for me just to even hear her. She’s crying and she may need some attention, but it’s just a joy to even hear a cry or movement in the house. It is a joy to know that, okay, I need to get some diapers and it’s not adult diapers,” he said laughing, adding that it has been a whirlwind of an experience.

His wife chimed in, beaming with joy as she shared that for years she dreamt about going to the baby store and now that is her reality.

“It’s the holiday season now, and I’m in the stores looking for clothes for our baby. I stopped buying clothes for me and my husband,” she said, as the new parents both laughed.

To other couples struggling with fertility issues, they encouraged them to stay the course, pray, do their research, prepare their bodies, and never give up.

“You have to be there now as an emotionally inclined person. The process and what your wife will go through is something that you might never see in your relationship, and you have to be that one who is going to be that emotional backative. You are going to have to have her back and understand when she says, ‘This is how I feel,’ you have to be the word of encouragement,” the husband said in a message to other men.

“In your waiting season, I know it’s sometimes very hard when you are waiting on the thing that you prayed for, but trust me, when the right time comes, it will present itself. You have to keep praying. You have to have faith,” his wife added.

According to the Ministry of Health’s Population and Health Survey, Jamaica is below the replacement fertility rate of 2.1, with a rate of 1.9.