With half a uterus, doctors said I'd never be a mum. They were wrong

EXCLUSIVE: Zaria had one pregnancy, with two babies. One conceived naturally, the other via IVF. And yet, they're twins.

After tying the knot with her husband in 2011, there was nothing Zaria wanted more than to be a mum.

What the Sydney woman didn’t know was that getting there would demand a level of sacrifice and resilience she’d never imagined.

The story behind her beloved twins is nothing short of extraordinary. 

One pregnancy. Two babies. One conceived naturally. The other through IVF at another time. And yet, they're twins.

Want to join the family? Sign up to our Kidspot newsletter for more stories like this. 

RELATED: For nine months I 'forgot' I was pregnant

Zaria had half a uterus, but never half the hope

You can only imagine what her Google search history looked like.

After facing multiple negative pregnancy tests, Zaria knew something wasn’t right. Doctors ran tests and uncovered a truth she was completely unprepared for.

“I found out that I've got a unicornuate uterus. I was born with half a uterus, so only one side works,” she revealed to Kidspot. 

A unicornuate uterus is a rare congenital condition where a woman has just one functioning fallopian tube and a uterus that’s smaller and irregular in shape. It can cause pain and significantly impact pregnancy success.

But, by her third round of IVF, Zaria finally saw the glimmer of hope she’d been waiting for.

“I got 21 eggs. After fertalisation, I ended up with 17,” she said. 

One of the twins had been conceived via IVF and the other naturally. Image: Supplied

The embryo transfer was scheduled and after it, the pregnancy she’d long dreamed of began. But during her seven-week scan, Zaria learned just how unpredictable miracles can be.

“I went for an ultrasound with my husband. The lady was like ‘do you hear that heartbeat?’ I was just so worried. This was my first time,” she explained.

Then the technician moved the doppler and another heartbeat thundered through the room.

Two heartbeats. Two babies.

“My husband almost fell off the chair,” Zaria laughed. 

Little Ibby and Dina defied all odds after an IVF transfer took an unexpected turn. Image: Supplied

RELATED: 'What am I waiting for?' Aussie mum shares why she had kids as a single woman

The pregnancy risk list read like a medical soap opera

The couple had conceived one baby through IVF and the other naturally - at slightly different times.

The embryo hadn’t split, and the presence of a boy and a girl confirmed what doctors had suspected: this was a rare mixed-twin pregnancy.

Normally, sexual intercourse after IVF transfer is discouraged, particularly in high-risk cases. But due to Zaria’s medical history and belief that natural conception was unlikely, they hadn’t been concerned.

“I didn't even think I could conceive naturally,” she said. 

The pregnancy was far from smooth. It was filled with complications and medical interventions. From 14 weeks, she was placed on bedrest. By 28 weeks, she was admitted to hospital until delivery.

Zaria faced it all — angina (reduced blood flow to the heart), a short cervix, liver issues from cholestasis, and the looming risk of preeclampsia.

The hospital rules were strict. She could only shower every few days. She had to lie with a pillow beneath her pelvis. And she was confined to whatever Netflix was promoting at the time. But the sacrifices were worth it.

“I had been trying for seven years and the last thing I wanted was to lose them." 

Ibby and Dina are lively 7-year-olds now. Image: Supplied

Zaria's body wasn't done surprising her 

In the ultimate twist of fate, Zaria gave birth via C-section on 8 March 2018 — International Women’s Day. Ibby and Dina were born at 30 weeks and spent 55 days in the NICU before finally going home.

Now seven years old, they’re happy, healthy and thriving.

“They do have a close bond. I love that,” Zaria says. That bond extends to their little sister, too. That's right - almost five years later, Zaria fell pregnant naturally.

She welcomed her youngest daughter, little Mimi, who is now almost two.

“They absolutely love her. She's so sweet. She's a cheeky little thing,” Zaria said. 

Despite doctors advising against further pregnancies, Zaria never imagined she’d even have one child. And even then, once she knew she could and began trying for a third child, she experienced four miscarriages before welcoming her youngest.

“People had told me I couldn't fall pregnant. People had told me I would not even have one child,” she said. 

While her journey has taken her through heartache, fear and physical challenges, she says she’d do it all again in a heartbeat.

“Once you get to hold your babies,  that love is so different to the love between you and your mum or you and your husband. You can't explain that. That's what keeps me going." 

Originally published as With half a uterus, doctors said I'd never be a mum. They were wrong