Couple with fertility issues surprised with twins

In March 2014, Robin Carrow and his wife Loreen Fernandez got the biggest surprise of their lives, a surprise they now jokingly call their "special two for one".
"The doctor confirmed Loreen was pregnant. We were elated, we felt truly blessed. Then he pointed to the ultrasound screen and said 'see that dark spot, that's a second baby'. We just could not believe it."
Carrow and Fernandez successfully became parents to two healthy babies on December 12, 2014 - baby Joshua weighing 2.86kg and one minute later, baby Sarah weighing 2.53kg.
But their story is a little different to most. After marrying Fernandez in 2013, Abu Dhabi-based Carrow, 51, who has three grown up children from his previous marriage - thought his offspring count would stay capped at three.
"Given my age and the fact I had a 25-year-old, 23-year-old and 19-year-old already, kids were not really on my radar," he told Khaleej Times. But it soon became apparent that 40-year-old Fernandez, who had no children of her own, craved to be a mother.
"Loreen is just fantastic with children, they love her. After about a year of marriage I knew she wanted to have children of her own, so we started talking about it."
The father of three had already undergone a vasectomy - a surgical procedure for male sterilisation and/or permanent contraception - and given Fernandez's age, the couple decided to seek some advice from a fertility clinic.
"They told me I could have a vasectomy reversal but it may take a year or so to get pregnant. We just felt we didn't have that time so we decided to go for In vitro fertilisation (IVF)." IVF is a process by which an egg is fertilised by sperm outside the body. Couples experiencing difficulties conceiving naturally are the usual candidate, but given Carrow's prior surgery and the pair's age, they say it was the only option for them.
"It was the quickest and easiest way for us. We didn't want to spend a year or two trying to conceive naturally and the whole environment at Bourn Hall Clinic in Dubai made us feel so comfortable."
Following a thorough consultation with their doctor, Carrow first underwent a same day sperm retrieval procedure. After the doctor successfully extracted some viable sperm from Carrow, Fernandez then underwent a series of fertility injections.
"Each week for about six weeks Loreen was injected with medications to develop multiple egg development. She hates the whole hospital thing so the fact that it was just a quick visit to the clinic every week was a big bonus for us."
Following the conclusion of the injections, Fernandez then underwent surgery to remove her eggs and with in about 10 days, they were successfully fertilised with the cultivated sperm.
After waiting for about a month, so came the big news. Fernandez was pregnant. "That in between waiting time was quite excruciating but we had discussed that if it didn't work we wouldn't try again. We went in with the mentality 'If it's meant to be then it will happen'."
And it did happen. Twice.
"That day when we got the news she was pregnant was so surreal. Then to get the news we were expecting twins, that was the biggest shock of all." But an amazing shock, he said.
"The news of the pregnancy was amazing. The news it was twins was even more amazing. But then to hear it was a boy and girl, that just topped it off."
Friends and family were just as shocked too, but so pleased.
"My friends did poke a bit of fun at me. Here was the 50-year-old guy about to have newborn twins. But I will tell you one thing, they have knocked 10 years off me. They are so much fun." And just recently the pair were christened in the very church their parents got married in Jebel Ali.
Jokingly dubbing the twins their "special two for one" offer, Carrow and Fernandez said if they could give one message to other hopeful parents out there, it would be this.
"Our babies have brought so much joy to our lives. For couples who really want children, I would honestly say don't be afraid. Go to a clinic and get advice. It was one of the best things we ever did."
kelly@khaleejtimes.com