Stephanie Latchum from Ferryhill (UK) always longed for a second child, but faced challenges conceiving naturally. After experiencing two miscarriages in a span of two years, Stephanie decided to explore IVF as an option. However, just before starting the IVF process, she received a surprising revelation – she was expecting not one, but three babies!
Even before their wedding, Stephanie and her husband Michael Gough had plans for several children, at least two. They soon welcomed their son, Zach, into the world. As he grew, the couple set their sights on having a daughter as their second child.
However, after two years of trying, they couldn't achieve the desired result. Stephanie experienced two pregnancies, but unfortunately, both ended in miscarriages. The disappointed couple sought medical advice, and Stephanie was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome.
"Upon hearing the doctors' diagnosis, I felt devastated and cried for days. I had hoped to give Michael a daughter and Zach a sister. It seemed like my dream was slipping away. But after calming down, I thought, why should I believe it's all over when there's still IVF," Stephanie recalls.
Determined to pursue IVF, Stephanie made an appointment at a fertility center. While waiting, she decided to take a vacation to Mallorca with her husband and son to clear her mind and stay positive. Upon returning, she went to the clinic for an ultrasound, and there awaited a truly remarkable surprise.
The person conducting the examination suddenly looked sternly at Stephanie and asked, "Why did you come to the center?" Stephanie mumbled, "I want to do IVF." To her astonishment, the reply was, "What IVF? You're already pregnant, and with triplets," Stephanie laughs.
It seemed the holiday in Mallorca had worked wonders, as Stephanie now carried three little miracles in her womb. Instead of the one daughter they had dreamed of, Stephanie and Michael would be blessed with three at once.
But the surprises didn't end there. It was later revealed that the fertilized egg had split twice, resulting in identical triplets – a rare occurrence that happens only once in 200 million births. On March 30, 2019, Stephanie Latchum safely gave birth to three daughters – Ollie-Anna, Isabella, and Brianna.
