Couple who turned to IVF after eight years of trying for a baby conceive NATURALLY during first cycle, give birth to triplets

A couple who beat the odds by conceiving naturally during their first round of IVF have given birth to healthy triplets.

Marie Mellor, 29, and Marc Hutchinson, 30, had been trying for a baby for eight years but started IVF at the beginning of 2013 in a final attempt to start a family.

Doctor's implanted only one fertilised embryo into Marie and the pair were thrilled when she fell pregnant - but shocked to discover they’d conceived three babies.

As well as conceiving one baby from the embryo, the couple also conceived two babies naturally at the start of her IVF cycle.

“They are my miracle babies. This time last year, I daren't even dream of having one baby, and now I have got three,” said Marie, from Barnsley, Yorkshire.

"I was utterly speechless when they told us we were having triplets - Marc just burst out laughing and said: 'we're going to need a bigger car'."

But after the initial excitement, the penny dropped for Marie who realised she must have conceived naturally too.

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"I remember thinking, 'How can I be having three babies when they only implanted one embryo,' over and over and I knew it was just impossible,” said Marie.

Doctors initially thought the fertilized embryo had split but when they realized the babies were different sexes, doctors realised she had conceived naturally with three different embryos.

Marie had been due to give birth on Christmas Day - but after arriving eight weeks early, the babies were transferred from Jessop Hospital, Sheffield to a specialist unit where Olly Jack, Freya Carole and Ava Noelle and all doing well.

Olly Jack, the biggest baby at 3lbs 13 ozs, is already out of his incubator, while the other two (weighing 3lbs 6ozs and 3lbs) are still in their incubators and being looked after in the neonatal intensive care unit.

Marie and Marc were supposed to get married last month - but Marie put on so much weight during the pregnancy that they’ve postponed the wedding until next year.

"It is miracle that after all those years of trying I have actually had three children, two of who were not created by IVF. We are going to have our hands full, but we couldn't be happier," added Marie.

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