Helen – A Nigerian couple, Mr and Mrs Ogeah have welcomed a set of triplets after eleven years of marriage. Helen and Emmanuel Ogeah married on April 5, 2010, at the All Saints Anglican Church, Kebu, Asaba, Delta State. She was already pregnant and had expected that in a few months time from then, she would carry their child or children. But things didn’t turn out as planned because she ʟᴏsᴛ the pregnancy at four months.
She said, “I got married on April 5, 2010 at the All Saints Anglican Church, Kebu, Asaba, Delta State. We were joined by Reverend Canon Chukwudi Ekpemuka and Reverend Umeh. I was expecting to have a baby after nine months. But I ʟᴏsᴛ the baby at four months.’’ After ʟᴏsɪɴɢ the pregnancy, she said it became difficult to get pregnant again. She kept trying for a while with no positive result. But after a few months, her ᴘʀᴀʏᴇʀs were answered. But the joy was also short-lived. She told Sunday PUNCH that she ʟᴏsᴛ the pregnancy again and the ᴍɪsᴄᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇ battle continued for 11 years alongside other complications.
She stated, “After I ʟᴏsᴛ the first pregnancy, I didn’t get pregnant immediately but after a few months, I got pregnant again but my joy was short-lived when I ʟᴏsᴛ the pregnancy too. The Mɪsᴄᴀʀʀɪᴀɢᴇs continued and the ᴡᴏʀsᴛ was when I ʟᴏsᴛ one at six months. The embryos were either ᴇᴠᴀᴄᴜᴀᴛᴇᴅ or was ʀᴇᴍᴏᴠᴇᴅ through the normal ᴅᴇʟɪᴠᴇʀʏ process. “It was a difficult time for me, physically, emotionally and mentally. The ᴛʀᴀᴜᴍᴀ of ʟᴏsɪɴɢ pregnancies, going into the labour room to give birth to a ᴅᴇᴀᴅ child and the ᴏʀᴅᴇᴀʟ of people asking me what happened after the protruded belly went down were really ᴘᴀɪɴFᴜʟ. In fact, the doctor told me that I could never carry a child again and that it was better for me to adopt a child. I got home feeling dejected and broke the news to my husband. I thank my husband for his encouragement. He always told me not to worry that Gᴏᴅ’s report was different from that of man.’’She stated
Helen said she tried not to see the issue as a sᴘɪʀɪᴛᴜᴀʟ battle as her husband repeatedly assured her that with technology, they could have their own children. According to her, her sadness ended when Gᴏᴅ led her to an Abuja-based doctor who Gᴏᴅ used to end their years of childlessness. Helen added, “After a friend recommended a hospital in Abuja to me, I went there with her after discussing it with my husband. The doctor in charge told me that I had no problem and all I needed to do was to undergo sᴜʀɢᴇʀʏ. I ᴜɴᴅᴇʀᴡᴇɴᴛ sᴜʀɢᴇʀʏ in March 2020 and returned home two days before the COVID-19 ʟᴏᴄᴋᴅᴏᴡɴ.
“After the sᴜʀɢᴇʀʏ, he told me to rest for some weeks. Thankfully, I ᴍɪssᴇᴅ my period in August. Two weeks after confirmation that I was pregnant, I started ʙʟᴇᴇᴅɪɴɢ again. I thought I would ʟᴏsᴇ the pregnancy. I then went for an ᴜʟᴛʀᴀsᴏᴜɴᴅ scan. The scan showed three sᴀᴄs ɪɴᴅɪᴄᴀᴛɪɴɢ three babies. I was sᴀᴅᴅᴇɴᴇᴅ by the development. I asked the doctor that I had been unable to carry a baby to term, how would I carry three?
“He assured me that I would succeed. I was ᴀᴅᴍɪᴛᴛᴇᴅ at the hospital from the first month till I was delivered of the three babies through ᴄᴀᴇsᴀʀᴇᴀɴ sᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ in March 2021.” The woman noted that her in-laws stood by her during the tribulations. A family member, Evelyn Odume, who couldn’t contain her joy as she shared the good news on her Facebook.