Teacher fulfils her dream of motherhood

Ten years ago, when high school teacher, Bridget Thompson-Dunkley, was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), she thought her dream of having children had been shattered.

However, after undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF), she is now the doting mother of six-year-old triplets, two girls and a boy. PCOS is a hormonal complication which affects the female reproductive system and fertility. Treating PCOS often requires women to change their entire lifestyle, including their diet, and take fertility medications such as clomiphene, in the case of those seeking to have children.

Thompson-Dunkley told JIS News that she was well aware of the uphill challenges she would encounter, after learning about her condition as a teenager, and subsequently getting married in her 2os. She said that as a newlywed who was desirous of having a family, she followed her doctor's orders and tried clomiphene.

"I did get pregnant. However, that ended in a miscarriage. It was devastating ... it was a huge loss for me," she recounted.

"He [her husband] had a child already, [but] this was my first. He was very supportive, and we got through that period and then we decided to move on to other treatments."

Thompson-Dunkley said she was referred to the Hugh Wynter Fertility Management Unit at The University of the West Indies (UHWI) to commence IVF treatment.

This procedure requires doctors to collect mature egg cells from the ovaries for sperm fertilisation in a lab. The embryos are then transferred to the uterus for conception.

Thompson-Dunkley's procedure involved frequent visits to the doctor's office for ultrasounds and regular injections of medication, to assist with conception.

"The treatment was really tough. It is really physically and emotionally taxing, because you keep wondering whether it will really work. It's not a sure thing, because it depends on how your body will respond," she said.

Thompson-Dunkley also hosted fundraising activities in order to finance the procedure, which started at approximately $450,000 per treatment.

After four failed attempts, she finally became pregnant with quadruplets during her fifth treatment.

After a special ultrasound to determine how her babies were developing, the fourth became discernible. But at month five, one died.

"The doctor did say that she was lagging behind in development; maybe it was for the best, and God knows why," she expresses.

After roughly 35 to 36 weeks, Thompson-Dunkley said she requested that the doctor induce her labour and she underwent a C-section procedure for the birth of the babies.

She said she never worried about how she would take care of her children financially because, "having waited so long, you're really just overjoyed".

"These children, they are good children, and I can't complain. I wanted them, I got them, they are here and I'm a mom [of six] going ... seven years," Thompson-Dunkley added.

She encouraged other women struggling with fertility issues, who are undergoing IVF or any other treatment to remain resilient.

"I didn't want to be older and at the end of life, regret that I didn't try. It takes perseverance. If [motherhood] is what you really want, never give up," she said.