A woman, who thought she’d miscarried her quadruplets, has shared how she found out she’d been pregnant again with twins from her late grandfather.
After suffering from 16 miscarriages in the past 20 years, Emma White (38), finally gave birth to Mollie Rose. She decided to never try again to prevent further heartbreak.
In 2020 she discovered she was pregnant, but at the scan she found out she had been diagnosed with a fatal condition. Six weeks of miscarriage
One month later, doctors told her that far from miscarrying the babies, she had actually naturally conceived quads.
Emma started to bleed heavily at nine weeks and felt she was about to lose her baby.
However she had a poignant dream in which her late grandfather, David, appeared to her and told her the babies were still there.
She rushed to the hospital, and she was told her quads – two sets of identical twins – had suffered a condition called vanishing twin syndrome and that she was still expecting twin girls.
Describing the remainder of her pregnancy as ‘amazing’, she was induced at 37 weeks and delivered two healthy girls – 5lb 2oz Aurora Azalea and 5lb 11oz Ophelia Lili on 2 October 2021 at Liverpool Women’s Hospital.
Emma White, 38 from Liverpool believed that she had miscarried her quadruplets. However, she shared how she found out she was still infertile with twins when her late grandfather “visited” her in dream.
After giving birth to her child in 2010, she resolved to never try again. To avoid more heartbreak, she married Joe White in 2019.
“I only had one child,” she said. My only child is me. That was what I thought after Mollie Rose. I found contentment after all the anxiety and pain.
“I met Joe, and he immediately told me he wants children. He said no.
“But then, about two weeks after that, I felt so happy. I was in love with my husband and was comfortable enough to think I would give them babies!
After fearing she had miscarried her daughters, Emma was induced at 37 weeks and delivered two healthy girls – 5lb 2oz Aurora Azalea and 5lb 11oz Ophelia Lili on 2 October 2021 at Liverpool Women’s Hospital (pictured with her partner Joe)
Emma was then pregnant again twice, and had two miscarriages.
After trying one more time, the couple fell pregnant once again in late 2020.
An early scan revealed they had twins. Unfortunately, their second pregnancies ended in miscarriage at six months. Emma found out about it when she turned 60.
Emma discovered she was again pregnant a month later after she failed to use protection because her babies had been lost so she did not know.
Fearful of the unknown, she spent the first days of her pregnancy in fear. She said that she used to check the bathroom every single time and would be afraid of catching a cough.
She began to shake and start bleeding at six weeks.
She was taken to Liverpool Women’s Hospital for a blood test. Then, she was told that she would return within two days to have a scan.
She stated that she was able to get in, lie down and then the sonographer wouldn’t flip the screen. It had been so many times that I was in there before, and it always meant worse news.
Emma was ready to undergo emergency surgery when Emma picked up the phone from the sonographer.
One person tried to put socks on my feet, while another read warnings about surgical procedures off of a piece o paper.
“Finally someone said it was a confirmed Ectopic Pregnancy – an unviable fertilised embryo implants itself outside the womb. It usually happens through one of the fallopian tube.
“I was told that I would need to have one my fallopian tubes taken out.”
Emma had been sedated within six minutes after the sonographer made the emergency call.
As she woke she thought she’d lost all hope of ever having another baby. However, she saw the doctor speaking to her colleague in the night, and she mentioned that she was actually pregnant.
One of her fallopian tubes had become blocked during her surgery. Her pregnancy continued as normal.
And at a scan a few days later, revealed not the one baby she longed for – but four.
Emma told me that she was stunned. As I went to the specialist for multiple pregnancies, I couldn’t believe my eyes.
‘She came in, and she said that there were four of them. I was shown another scan and they were four small blobs.
Joe and Emma enjoyed the surprise news that they had four naturally-conceived children. Emma also received a private scan which confirmed that all their babies were healthy a week later.
Emma began bleeding profusely at nine weeks. Emma was then taken to an ambulance and told that her babies were fine.
After Emma fell in love with four of her babies, Aurora Azalea was given birth to Ophelia Lili.
She stood up again two days later and felt something fall from her.
As she looked down, she saw the ‘clearly small babies’.
Because she was bleeding still, the hospital staff couldn’t perform an intracranial scan. But, an external scan confirmed that there weren’t any signs of pregnancy.
Emma stated that it appeared like Emma had passed her pregnancy.
“I was certain they were correct, because I had seen them with my own eyes.” They’d left, and I knew it.
Emma, realizing that this was her last chance to go through it again, shared the news on social media.
“I posted it on Facebook, and someone offered to become my surrogate,” she said. The rest of the group was ready and waiting to be arranged.
Emma was told by her grandfather that she miscarried her quadruplets. A dream later, Emma was informed she was going to have twins.
Emma later explained that she had a dream in which she was pregnant. She said: ‘I woke awake with a start. I had dreams like these when my grandfather died at four.
“I took the doppler that I kept on top of my cupboard and held it up to my stomach while listening. Sure enough – there was a whooshing sound.’
Joe seemed confused, and Emma insistently went to the hospital.
She stated, “They must think I am mad.”
The baby was not mine. I’m still pregnant’.’
She was shocked by the news, and she had already been 12 weeks pregnant.
However, Emma’s scan revealed that she was pregnant again with 2 babies.
Vanishing Twin Syndrome happens when one of a set of twins dies in the uterus and the embryos are normally then reabsorbed into the body.
In Emma’s case, she had lost one from each set of identical twins – leaving her with two non-identical twins – and had passed the embryos.
She was stunned by the news.
Emma stated, ‘I love being twin mom. While it isn’t for everyone, it’s something I love and cherish each day.
Joe (41), is seen leaving Liverpool Women’s Hospital to take the twins home after an emotional pregnancy with Emma
It still feels like miracle, even when the girls have been three months.
Emma, who has a following of 35,000 on Facebook due to her work, said she could not have got through he ordeal without her social media friends – especially the stranger who offered to be her surrogate.
She explained that it was during the pandemic so she couldn’t hug her family members and friends as much as she wanted.
“All of the encouragement and support from my followers helped me get through.
Elle added, “I want all women to understand that there is no shame in this.”
Emma admitted that she “loves being twin mother” and said while it isn’t for everyone, she cherishes the experience every day.
“There are so many of you suffering. We think we’re all made. Every time we have a baby, we feel terrified. I believe my story will give you some hope.
Luciano Nardo is the founder and CEO at NOW-fertility. He explained to us what the vanishing twin syndrome means.
“Vanishing twin Syndrome” is an early-pregnancy condition where one twin dies due to being reabsorbed in the uterine cavity.
“The result is that a multi-pregnancy pregnancy has been spontaneously reduced to one, as shown by an ultrasound scan.
The condition may manifest itself as the loss of an embryo in an early gestational period, or as a sac with a foetus that is alive and active.
It can occur as light or heavy vaginal bleeding, and spotting, during the first trimester.