Many Kiwi couples hard

Marc Wright and Jenna Rasmussen produced twins after undergoing IVF treatment. It took four rounds of IVF, four years and $60,000 for a Wellington couple to conceive — then they found out they were having twins.

Jennah Rasmussen and Marc Wright thought they had heaps of time to have a baby when they met aged 28 and 38. Wright had already had five children and Rasmussen thought she’d start trying for a family in her 30s.

But it didn’t happen easily — a journey that has prompted Rasmussen, now aged 36, to share what she wished she had known for Fertility Week.

Four years after they met they had bought a house and got married. It was time to start trying. But after eight months nothing had happened.

Testing found Rasmussen had very low Anti-mullerian hormone levels, a test for remaining egg supply, and Wright had virtually no sperm.

He had had a vasectomy aged 28 and had it reversed 15 years later, but not enough sperm could get through. Chances of pregnancy are decreased as the time between getting a vasectomy and a reversal is increased.

Rasmussen discovered her mum had gone through early menopause which is genetic.

“If I knew what I do now in my 20s I would have done it differently and sooner.

“I wanted to get married first then have children. There was a natural progression in my head.

“But now, I would have sped up on the baby making and put the wedding on hold.”

The couple embarked on their first round of IVF in 2014. They privately funded it to avoid the long wait.

Rasmussen thought they’d breeze through and end up with a baby at the end of it. But they got only five eggs and just one embryo survived to five days. It did not take when it was implanted in Rasmussen.

“That whole cycle was heartbreaking. I thought I’d get 20 eggs, they’d all work and I’d have a back up family in a test tube.”

After two more failed rounds the doctor suggested donor eggs. Rasmussen’s sisters tested their AMH levels in case. One sister had poor levels like Rasmussen, but the other sister who is seven years older had better levels. It shows that you can never be sure, Rasmussen said.

They had already paid for another round of IVF so decided to try that before resorting to donor eggs. The two transplanted embryos were successful and they were pregnant with twins. Rasmussen is currently 21 weeks pregnant.

“After that massive long journey thinking it’s never going to happen and contemplating life without children, it’s a dream come true.

“We’re just very thankful for modern science. Lots of people tell you maybe it’s time for you to give up or look at other options. But you have to know when you’d be happy to stop because you’re the one who will have regrets if you do.”

Rasmussen advises to get your AMH and sperm count tested, even if you don’t think anything is wrong. Don’t leave it as late as she did and learn your family history.

HWatch the video at nzherald.co.nz