A New Beginning at 37: The Unexpected Miracle of Pregnancy After IVF

Life has a way of surprising us when we least expect it. For me, that surprise came in January 2025 when, at 37 years old, I found out I was expecting naturally—after years of medical consultations, treatments, and navigating life with type 1 diabetes. This news didn’t just surprise me—it completely reshaped how I view my body and my health.

My journey to motherhood wasn’t a straightforward one. I had two children through IVF after being told by endocrinologists and specialists that pregnancy would be nearly impossible for me. But what I didn’t know at the time was that there was more to the story, a condition that had been quietly affecting my reproductive health all along: adenomyosis.

The Struggles: IVF and the Repeated "Impossible" Diagnosis

For years, I had been told that it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to conceive naturally. My doctors explained that due to my diabetes and hormonal imbalances, pregnancy would require medical intervention, so my husband and I opted for IVF to start our family. Despite the odds and challenges, IVF gave us our two beautiful children, and for a while, I believed that our family was complete.

In fact, we were not planning on having more babies at all. In fact, it was quite the opposite. After our second child, we felt done. Our family felt complete, and we had no intentions of adding more to our household. The idea of expanding our family was a distant thought—so distant, it seemed almost impossible. Yet, as life would have it, there was still a twist in our journey that we never saw coming.

The Discovery of Adenomyosis

Last summer, after dealing with some health symptoms that I couldn’t explain—painful periods, heavy bleeding, and general discomfort—I sought out answers. It was during this time that I was diagnosed with a condition called adenomyosis.

Adenomyosis occurs when the tissue that lines the uterus grows into the uterine wall, causing pain, heavy menstrual cycles, and sometimes infertility. What I didn’t know was how much this condition could affect my fertility and how it had likely been influencing my reproductive health for years.

This diagnosis was a revelation. It made sense of many symptoms I had experienced but never fully understood. It also helped explain why I struggled with infertility in the first place and why IVF was our only option. Still, I thought that this condition would further limit my chances of a natural pregnancy—after all, I had been told for years that I couldn’t conceive naturally.

The Unexpected News: A Positive Pregnancy Test in January

Then, in January 2025, just months after learning about my adenomyosis, I experienced an unexpected and surreal moment: I took a pregnancy test, and it came back positive. After all the years of medical appointments, diagnoses, and treatments, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I was pregnant. Naturally. After everything, I had conceived on my own, despite being told it was virtually impossible.

What was even more mind-boggling was that this wasn’t a part of our plans. We were not trying for a baby. In fact, we were actively not planning for one. It was such a weird feeling to discover that I was expecting, especially after we had come to terms with our family being complete. The joy, confusion, and disbelief all hit at once, making it hard to process at first.

In that moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of disbelief and gratitude. My body had surprised me in the best way possible. The shock didn’t wear off immediately, and I found myself wondering how this could have happened—especially given the struggles we’d faced to have our first two children. But as the days passed, the joy began to take root. This was happening.

The Power of Resilience and Medical Understanding

What this experience has taught me is that there’s more to our health and our bodies than what doctors tell us. I had been told for years that I couldn’t conceive naturally, that my body was too complicated for that kind of miracle. But this experience has shown me that sometimes our bodies are capable of more than we realize.

The discovery of my adenomyosis was key to understanding the hurdles I faced. But what really stood out to me was that it wasn’t the end of the road—it was just another part of my story. In fact, it gave me a new lens through which to view my health, my body’s resilience, and my possibilities.

This journey also reminds me of the importance of trusting your body, even when medical professionals tell you something different. If anything, it has encouraged me to advocate more for my health, dig deeper into the reasons behind what’s happening in my body, and seek solutions that truly work for me.

A Journey of Rediscovery

For any woman who feels like the odds are stacked against her, or for anyone who’s been told that pregnancy is impossible—whether due to age, medical conditions, or fertility struggles—I want to share my story. Life doesn’t always go as planned, and sometimes the answers we need are waiting for us when we least expect them.

This journey to motherhood is not only about bringing new life into the world, but also about rediscovering what is possible for ourselves. My experience has shown me that miracles do happen—even when we feel the most uncertain, and even when we’ve already decided that our family is complete.

As I prepare for the arrival of this little one, I am filled with gratitude, awe, and hope. The road ahead will no doubt have its challenges, but the journey to this point has been one of strength, resilience, and the reminder that nothing is impossible.

The Road Ahead

As I continue on this unexpected journey of pregnancy, I’ll be closely managing my diabetes and seeking the best care to ensure a healthy pregnancy. I’m also taking time to reflect on how far I’ve come and how much I’ve learned about my body along the way.

This experience has deepened my belief that miracles, however improbable, are always possible. So, if you’re facing challenges in your own life—whether it’s fertility struggles, health conditions, or something else—I encourage you to hold onto hope. Trust your body, trust the process, and never give up on the possibility that something beautiful might be waiting for you just around the corner.