Madeline Kaklikos: Mum with two uteruses conceived one twin through IVF and the other naturally
Madeline Kaklikos was shocked to be told she would probably never have children because of a rare condition that meant she had two wombs.
Months later, the 24-year-old was pregnant with twins, one conceived using IVF and the other conceived naturally.
The social worker explained that she was born with uterine didelphys – meaning she had two wombs and two cervixes.
“It felt like my heart was going to jump out of my chest,” the mom recalls.
Doctors have since told her that her pregnancy is a “one in 50 million” miracle.
She started trying for a baby with husband Jon, 27, in 2020, but the couple were stunned after a year with no progress.
They finally decided to see a doctor who diagnosed Madeline’s congenital condition and devastated the couple.
Madeline Kaklikos, 24, is a social worker who was always told giving birth would be next to impossible after being diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome and uterine didelphys – which meant she had two wombs and two cervixes
After the diagnosis, the couple tried to conceive through IVF and went through the process nine rounds in two years.
After the tenth round, Madeline was successfully able to conceive in one womb – and she “miraculously” conceived in her other womb as well.
The social worker gave birth to two boys named Nate and Cole nine months later in February 2023.
“When I first got pregnant with two babies, doctors told me it was a one in 50 million pregnancy because Nate was in one womb and Cole was in the other, and they were also different ways and different ways. generated times. the mother told Caters News.
The Melbourne mother recalled the family’s expectation to hear back from the hospital in June 2022.
But Madeline and Jon were “over the moon” with the great news and couldn’t believe their luck after years of trying.
“We started screaming and tears streamed down our cheeks as we hugged,” the mother said.
“We had our first early pregnancy scan shortly after and it was perfect. I lay on the bed, Jon held my hand, we heard our baby’s heartbeat for the first time and the doctor assured us that everything was fine.’
Madeline was successfully able to conceive in one womb after round 10 – and she ‘miraculously’ conceived in her other womb as well
But things changed when the couple went back for their 10-week scan.
“There were some disturbances while the sonographer scanned the first baby, and I immediately panicked and wondered if something was wrong.”
Jon was the first to notice something wrong and asked the medical professional if he heard a second heartbeat in his wife’s womb.
The sonographer soon revealed that there was another baby in Madeline’s other womb.
“My jaw dropped to the floor and the color drained from my husband’s face,” she said. “I thought she was joking with us.”
The second baby was smaller than the first and it was suspected that the couple spontaneously conceived another baby the week after their IVF.
Five doctors advised the couple to terminate one pregnancy for safety reasons
“We had been advised not to have sex during the transfer, but we had gone against the recommendations.”
“This was our tenth round of IVF and we’ve been trying for two years to have a baby without any success, so we never thought this one time would result in a spontaneous pregnancy.”
The couple were in ‘total shock’ after the news because a spontaneous pregnancy was just ‘off the radar’.
“We were warned that the pregnancy would be complicated enough with one baby, let alone two. We were even recommended by five doctors to reduce the pregnancy to one baby because of the risk of losing them both.’
But the couple couldn’t imagine letting go of their “miracles” and Madeline went through with the pregnancy.
‘My pregnancy went fairly smoothly and I was under constant supervision, so I felt very safe. After 34 weeks my waters broke and I started having contractions very quickly.’
‘Within half an hour I was four centimeters dilated and we went ahead with my planned cesarean section. I was panicked and terrified the whole time, but Jon was so calm and supportive.”
Madeline’s twins were born on February 20, 2023 and had to be hatched for the first few days of their lives
Madeline’s twins were born on February 20, 2023 and had to be incubated for the first few days of their lives.
“They’re both doing so well, and we love life as parents to our one in 50 million twins. I wish they knew how special they really are,” the mother said.
“This wasn’t just a nine-month pregnancy, these babies were years in the making, and I was starting to believe this was never going to happen to me.”
“When I first rocked my newborn twin boys, I had that feeling everyone talks about.”
“A feeling I never thought I’d experience after hellish rounds of IVF and trying for over two years to have a baby, but there I was, with not one but two babies.”