IVF delivers 'miracle' babies for Derry couple (2023)

Jacob and Layla Mullan, who were conceived via IVF, were born on Monday night.

Their delighted parents, Karen and Declan, said it was "fitting" for their children to be born the same week they turned 40 after IVF.

“For us, this marks two important milestones: the IVF journey and our intertwined journey. We are overwhelmed with love and happiness and are delighted that our twins are sharing such a special birthday week,” Karen told the Journal.

The first baby born through IVF treatment, Louise Brown, celebrated her 40th birthday on July 25.

In the last 40 years, 300,000 babies have been born through IVF treatment in the UK.

Success rates for innovative treatments have improved over the past 40 years, but remain low at around 29%.

From the moment Karen and Declan got married in 2015, they had a family on their minds.

Both already in their thirties, the couple believed that time was of the essence.

"I always wanted children and there was no question about that. I took care of as many children as I could when I was younger and it was always my obsession. Starting a family has always been at stake for us as a couple," said Karen.

However, after a year of trying to conceive, the couple became concerned.

“Declan developed epilepsy as a result of brain surgery he had when he was 19 or 20 years old. He was taking quite a high dose of medication and began to wonder if that was the cause.

It was confirmed that the drugs would not prevent pregnancy, and the couple began testing.

“They couldn't find anything wrong, but I was pretty sure I had endometriosis and was never diagnosed. I was referred to a consultant and a laparoscopy showed she had endometriosis but was told it had nothing to do with why she couldn't conceive.

Karen had more tests, and more than a year later, doctors couldn't find the reason for her fertility problems.

The couple was referred to the Regional Fertility Centre, located at the Royal Victoria Hospital, for IVF treatment.

Patients are currently offered one NHS-funded free IVF cycle, compared to three full cycles in other parts of the UK.

Funding covers one episode of ovarian stimulation and one fresh and frozen embryo transfer.

Karen and Declan underwent an initial evaluation to determine if they were suitable for IVF.

“After that, we were put on a waiting list and it took about ten months to start treatment.

“The waiting is the worst part, it's deadly and very, very frustrating. It is not knowing and feeling that you are in limbo. The whole time we were still trying to have a baby and secretly hoping."

Karen began taking a combination of pills, gels, and injections to suppress her menstrual cycle and increase her fertility hormones.

“The treatment itself is very time consuming because you have to be very careful and make sure you take the right thing at the right time on the right day.

"Everything you do, everything you say and think revolves around IVF."

As Karen was going through her IVF journey, she discovered that everyone around her was getting pregnant.

“It didn't really hit me at first because I'm so excited about the babies anyway, but eventually it started to get a little annoying. You still want to be happy for everyone who gets pregnant because you don't want to see anyone else go through that journey."

Karen responded well to IVF medication, but admits it was difficult.

"It drives you crazy and you start pushing people away. People try to help and say things without thinking. All you want to tell them is don't say anything, just hug me and go.

The next step in the process for Karen and Declan was to collect the eggs.

“They told us that the egg collection was very successful, that it would work, and that we were the best candidates.”

After collecting and fertilizing the eggs, the couple had to wait a few days before they were transferred back to Karen.

Then disaster struck the couple.

“I started to feel very sick and my stomach was swollen, making me look like I was pregnant. I felt like I had a very bad kidney infection and was out of the office.

“They really didn't know what was going on because IVF is a very specialized treatment. I felt like I was overstimulated, but I was determined to move.

“We got a call from the center saying it was time to transfer the eggs and we were so excited. We think we will be pregnant by him. But as soon as I entered the room, the doctor noticed that he was in pain and examined my ovaries.

Karen was overstimulated from too much hormone medication, which caused her ovaries to swell and hurt.

It was decided that it was not safe to proceed and the embryos were frozen.

"We were devastated. It was horrible and I felt like a loss. I remember walking out of the room and trying to control myself, but I was in pieces.

The six fertilized embryos were frozen and Karen and Declan had to wait several months before they could start the process again.

Karen had to go back on all her hormonal medications before the embryo transfer.

During this time, she was able to invite friends and other women she met through the Fairness (IN) fertility group.

“During the IVF trip, if you don't know what questions to ask or don't ask them, they won't tell you. It is very impressive. I managed to call a friend who was in treatment and she kept me on the right track.

“Talking to people I met through Fairness (IN) Fertility also helped. There was a girl who was going through something similar to me and we texted every day."

After the embryo was finally transferred to Karen, the couple waited two weeks to find out if she was pregnant. Unfortunately, the process failed.

“We were so sure it would work that they told us it would work. It took us a year to get over it."

The couple knew they still had the option of going back for NHS treatment, but the wait was "killing" Karen.

"It was the most stressful part of the whole process. I could handle the drugs and mentally prepare myself for everything else. It was the waiting that I struggled with the most."

A friend suggested that the couple go to a private fertility clinic, but going to a private clinic costs thousands of pounds.

“The day we received confirmation that the treatment had failed, a friend of mine called to say he was registered with GCRM ​​in Belfast. He told me that everything was arranged and paid for. I could not believe it.

Within weeks, Karen and Declan set up a meeting and felt like they were finally in control of the process.

“The whole process was completely different and we felt like we had a say in how things were done. I asked to take Clexane, a blood thinner that is apparently linked to IVF success. It is not used regularly here because it is not tested. This is something they often consider in IVF multiple failure cases. I was wondering if there was anything I could help as it is not offered to everyone. Why not give everyone the best chance possible?

"I had to feel like I was doing something different to increase my chances of success."

Karen said she felt she had no control over the process in the NHS.

“I'm very grateful to have had the chance to do it on the NHS, but it would have been great if they'd given us three tries. I was a prime candidate for IVF, we were all told it would work, but it still didn't work. People definitely need more than once."

The couple had to transfer their embryos from the Regional Fertility Center to GCRM ​​and drove them around Belfast alone.

"It was so surreal and funny that we joked about taking the stroller out for a walk."

Karen requested that two embryos be transferred to double her chances of success.

The couple then waited two weeks to find out if she was pregnant.

“This time I didn't want to get carried away and I was convinced that it wouldn't work because I'm used to things not going as planned.

"My friend who paid for the treatment came from Dubai and I decided to get tested myself before the two weeks were up because I had to go back there. I wanted to know before I went back if it worked or not.

Karen said she was in "total shock" when she saw the thin line on her pregnancy test that showed she was positive.

It took two more tests before she was sure the result was correct.

"I couldn't believe it, it was the best news ever and my friend could go back to Dubai knowing that she had done this miracle for us."

Karen said that she felt like shouting the news to the rooftops because she had waited so long. However, she said that she is aware that others are still going through the IVF journey and her feelings.

Early in her pregnancy, Karen had a scare and was referred to the fetal evaluation department.

"I was preparing myself for the worst. I had to wait four days for a consultation and four days of waiting and crying, convinced there was no baby."

Feelings of devastation turned to ecstasy when the video confirmed that Karen was pregnant with not just one, but two.

"From the moment you woke up, even in your dreams, all we thought about was having a child. Expecting two was a dream come true.

"I really don't think we would have had any more luck and if I had gotten pregnant without that trip, I don't think I would have enjoyed it half as much."

During the first 16 weeks of her pregnancy, Karen suffered from severe morning sickness, but said it didn't bother her as long as her babies were healthy.

Declan scheduled a gender scan for Karen as a Mother's Day present and they received the amazing news that they were expecting a boy and a girl.

"It was great, we were in the clouds."

Jacob and Layla were born earlier this week, just before IVF's 40th anniversary. each weighs over a healthy 5 pounds.

As for the future, Karen and Declan still have frozen embryos and one remaining opportunity for an egg transfer on the NHS. The frozen embryos last ten years and will be stored in a private infertility clinic.

Karen said: “If I had a child, I would definitely do IVF again to try and have a sibling. I don't want to think about it yet, let's see how I do with these two first!"