Oksana and Vitaly met 17 years ago, dated for six years, and then got married, hastily planning the appearance of the baby in their family in the very near future. But in life everything turned out differently – loving spouses had to go through a very difficult path of 11 years.
Today they are so happy that, without hiding or being shy about the rather intimate details of their lives, with undisguised joy and willingness to inspire people with their story who also dream of children, sometimes losing faith in the happy ending of their story:
Oksana, how long have you been planning a pregnancy?
We met with Vitaly for quite a long time – for six years. Many of our friends, while we were dating, got married, had children. And at some point it turned out that Vitaly and I are the only ones who come to friendly parties, just walking just the two of us, without children. Therefore, we decided that our first child would appear very quickly, shortly after the wedding.
When did you realize that you have a problem and you need the help of doctors?
A year after the wedding, we realized that something was wrong with us and it was time for us to turn to professionals. We did IVF three times and three times nothing worked out. And then we came to the STB project “a year later” and got into the isida clinic.
Vitaly, were you ready to resort to the help of a donor? A very strong decision for a man…
I really wanted a child, and what are his genes – what’s the difference? The father is the one who nurses, who cares about the future of the child. And fertilization is not so important.
Oksana, how did you know that the pregnancy took place?
Despite the fact that we have not been able to get pregnant for 11 years, despite three unsuccessful IVF attempts, this time we were absolutely sure of success. Probably, the confidence of our doctor and the entire clinic in general was transferred to us – we felt here not like in a hospital, but like in a family where all relatives and everyone wholeheartedly strive to help.
We were warned that in the first two weeks after IVF, it is not necessary to do tests so that there is no false result. Therefore, we steadfastly withstood this deadline and went to donate blood for analysis. We donated blood at 8 a.m., and when we went to the doctor’s office and one doctor handed a leaflet with the results of the analysis to another, I saw that the HCG level was recorded there more than 300. I already knew what the level of this hormone is during pregnancy, and I no longer needed to say that the pregnancy took place. The joy was simply extraordinary!
Vitaly, what did you feel?
At that moment, it seemed to me that I could lift the entire ISIDA building in my arms with joy, and then put it back in place… We have been waiting for this for 11 years, we have bypassed so many doctors, even tried alternative medicine. And then – once! And we’re pregnant.
Oksana, how did your pregnancy go?
I didn’t have any specific signs of pregnancy, so in order to convince myself that I was pregnant, I did a test at home. I really wanted to see the cherished two stripes. After some time, we went to the first ultrasound, and saw on the monitor screen how our child’s heart was beating. Two weeks later we went again. And our baby’s heart was already on the floor of the screen, roughly speaking.
Vitaly, do you remember this moment?
Yes, I remember. But I remember much better the day when we found out that we were going to have a girl. We were going for an ultrasound and for some reason I was sure that they would tell us: “You will have a son.” And when they said it was going to be a girl, I couldn’t believe it and asked the doctor to look again. I really wanted a daughter. And I could not believe that all dreams come true at once: the pregnancy turned out, and the daughter will be. I could not believe such complete happiness…
How did you feel when the baby was placed on your chest?
The first thought was that I feel the same as when my girl was inside me. She also beats her knees, only it’s no longer inside, but outside. And her eyes were so big! I couldn’t believe that I finally, after so many years of waiting, became a mom. But it came to an understanding that there are already three of us…
Oksana, what do you think has become a guarantee of success in your case?
We have wanted a child for so long, we believed so much that we would succeed, that it probably could not have been otherwise. Everything worked out in the end: we found a clinic where they could help us. We found a doctor who convinced Vitaly to agree to the manipulation and so calmly and confidently sent us to get pregnant. Fate has given us wonderful obstetricians, a wonderful anesthesiologist. We came to ISIDA as a family. We were accepted, we were helped to solve our problem, and we left happy.
What advice can you give to those couples who, just like you, have been dreaming of children since their wedding day?
To believe that everything is possible. Do not despair, do not be afraid to take the first step – contact reproductologists, undergo a full examination, understand the cause and start working on its elimination. If it doesn’t work out the first time – well, then you need to do it again. You need to look for your clinic, your doctor. We found it. It means that others have this huge and happy chance.