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Emma PowerBritish woman who gave birth to twins after oral contraceptives and a contraceptive implant failed
Country:
 Great Britain |
Content:
- Contraceptives Fail to Prevent Multiple Pregnancies
- Frustrated by Failed Contraception
- Twin 'Super-Fertility'
- "I'm Unbelievably Fertile"
- Initial Pregnancy and Oral Contraceptives
- Stunned by an Ultrasound
- Implant Implantation and Subsequent Pregnancy
- Double Shock During Ultrasound
- Permanent Procedures
- Grateful for Twins
An Unexpected Surprise: British Mother Gives Birth to Two Sets of Twins Despite Contraception
Contraceptives Fail to Prevent Multiple Pregnancies
Despite using oral contraceptives and a highly effective contraceptive implant, Emma Power became a mother to two sets of twins. The 30-year-old from York, England, first fell pregnant with twins a decade ago, despite not planning to become a mother.
Frustrated by Failed Contraception
Determined to avoid a repeat pregnancy, Power switched to an implant, a long-acting form of contraception considered more reliable. However, defying the odds of one in three billion, she found herself pregnant again. Representatives from the Multiple Births Foundation expressed astonishment, stating they had never encountered such a case.
Twin 'Super-Fertility'
Doctors attributed the "back-to-back pregnancies" to the "super fertility" of Emma and her husband, John. After being warned that no contraceptive method could guarantee future pregnancies, the couple opted for sterilization and vasectomy procedures.
"I'm Unbelievably Fertile"
"The doctors said I must be unbelievably fertile and that if we trusted contraception again, there was a good chance I would get pregnant with twins again," said Power. "But we couldn't risk it; we couldn't afford to have any more twins!"
Initial Pregnancy and Oral Contraceptives
Emma met her future husband in college. At 19, she discovered she was pregnant despite taking oral contraceptives. "It was a complete shock when I found out," recalled Power. "I had been taking the contraceptive for a while and thought I would be protected. I'm sure I was taking them every day and wasn't sick."
Stunned by an Ultrasound
"When I went for a scan... the sonographer found two little heartbeats. I couldn't believe it when she said she heard another heartbeat." The first set of twins, Conor and Kyle, are now 10 years old.
Implant Implantation and Subsequent Pregnancy
After their birth, Emma received an implant, a small rod that releases hormones to prevent pregnancy. "I'd got pregnant while on the contraceptive pill, so couldn't risk that happening again," she said.
However, five years later, feeling unwell, she took a pregnancy test, which came back positive despite the implant's 99% effectiveness.
Double Shock During Ultrasound
Emma experienced another double shock at her ultrasound scan. "I had been having a little bit of bleeding," she recalled. "So I wasn't sure if the scan would even pick up a heartbeat."
"When she said it was twins again, it was both a relief and just a massive shock. John didn't believe me until I showed him the scan with two heartbeats."
Permanent Procedures
Emma underwent sterilization after the birth of Jessica and Ruby, who are now four years old. However, doctors cautioned that, due to her high fertility, there was a small chance her body could reverse the procedure, prompting them to recommend a vasectomy for John.
"The doctors explained that I probably ovulate from two eggs each cycle," said Power. "That meant there was still a risk of further pregnancies of multiples."
"I was told that after my fallopian tubes were clipped and tied, there was a tiny risk they could grow back together," she added. "As a further precaution, John was advised to have a vasectomy."
Grateful for Twins
"I do feel very lucky to have two sets of twins... even if they were unexpected," concluded Emma.
