Miracle baby is a triplet after embryo frozen for 10 years

Dec 27 2010 by Diane Parkes, Birmingham Mail

BABY Ryleigh may be only five weeks old – but she is actually a triplet to her two 11-year-old sisters – as she was a frozen embryo for more than ten years.

And the ice baby is also a record breaker as she is the longest frozen embryo to result in a child at the Midlands centre where her parents underwent in vitro fertilisation.

Lisa and Adrian Shepherd had their twins Megan and Bethan in August 1999 after a successful course of IVF. And they opted to keep 12 embryos frozen to allow for another possible pregnancy in the future.

Taken up with the bustle of bringing up two little girls, the couple literally kept their hopes for a third child on ice.

But earlier this year they decided to try for a baby again with the frozen embryo and on November 18 the couple, who live in Willenhall, became proud parents to 7lb 10oz Ryleigh.

Lisa, a 37-year-old hotel sales manager, says the twins are delighted with the new arrival.

“Both girls were all for us trying for another baby and they adore their little sister,” she says. “They are like two extra mums.”

Lisa and Adrian, a 45-year-old technical engineer with Network Rail, were married in 1994 and hoped for a baby straight away. But Lisa had suffered from both endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome since she was 20.

After two years of trying for a child the couple were offered funding for IVF by Walsall Primary Care Trust. After 18 months on the waiting list they were referred to Midland Fertility Services in Aldridge.

In September 1998 they underwent the IVF process with two fertilized embryos being implanted. A further 12 fertilized embryos were put into storage in liquid nitrogen at a temperature of minus 196 degrees centrigrade.

“We knew there was a good chance that it wouldn’t be successful and we tried to prepare for that,” recalls Lisa.

But in the event the couple were given the good news that Lisa was pregnant – and expecting twins.

Six weeks before her due date, Lisa was rushed to Walsall Manor Hospital where she underwent an emergency Caesarean as both babies were breech. Born on August 19, Megan weighed 4lb 4oz and Bethany was 3lb 13oz.

But both made amazing progress and the family were back home in four days.

Swept up with the daily tasks of bringing up the girls, the couple had no time to consider trying for another baby.