Woman Told 'Heart-Shaped' Womb Meant She Might Never Have Children Gives Birth to Triplets
Staring at her six-month-old triplets, Jemma Sheppard still pinches herself from time to time, basking in the delightful reality that the babies are her own.
She gave birth to healthy triplets, daughters Elevyn and Areya, and son Rome in December 2018, after being told there was only a 15 percent chance that any of the babies would survive.
Sheppard, 33, and her husband, Anton, struggled to have a baby for years, and eventually turned to intrauterine insemination for help.
Sheppard learned that she had polycystic ovaries and was not ovulating properly. On top of that, her uterus was heart-shaped, increasing her risk for miscarriage and premature birth.
“While I could take drugs to help me ovulate, my uterus shape was very pronounced and there was no treatment. It felt [like] devastating news,” Sheppard told the Daily Mail.
Mother with heart-shaped womb gives birth to TRIPLETS https://t.co/ZjZECJ306z
— Daily Mail U.K. (@DailyMailUK) June 16, 2019
After the IUI procedure, the couple soon learned they were expecting triplets.
“I could hardly believe it when the sonographer said there were two heads — and then Anton said that he could see three,” Sheppard recalled.
The couple proceeded with cautious optimism, knowing the odds of delivering even one healthy baby were not in their favor.
“We were told it would be quite likely one baby might not survive, and it is common for women with a heart shaped uterus to have a premature [birth], so Anton and I were prepared for the worst.”
Mum who was told she would struggle to have kids due to ‘heart-shaped womb’ has given birth to triplets https://t.co/xgKLk1SOoG
— The Sun (@TheSun) June 21, 2019
Incredibly, Sheppard carried her babies safely until 35 weeks, when she delivered them by cesarean section.
“Anton and I would have been thrilled with just one baby — but to have such a beautiful family in one go is just amazing,” Sheppard said.
Six months later, the couple is still in awe over their new family.
“The chances of me conceiving and carrying one child was so small. Every time I look at our babies I pinch myself. It’s just a dream come true,” Sheppard said.
Anton, a 32-year-old carpenter, said that the babies’ personalities are really beginning to shine through.
“They are adorable,” Anton said. “Elevyn loves having cuddles, Areya is really smiley and Rome is just a proper little character.”
As the babies grow, Sheppard can hardly wait to tell them of their unlikely, odds-defying birth story.
“We can’t wait to tell them about their amazing start in my heart-shaped womb,” Sheppard said. “They truly were born with love.”
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