I'm not sure if I believe in miracles, but every now and again a story comes around that makes me start to think they just might exist.
For new parents Allyson and Tony Ponto, having children has literally been a dream come true. Over the past 10 years, the couple faced incredible challenges, including infertility and four heartbreaking miscarriages. But their desire to have a family and their love for one another gave them the strength to keep trying. Finally, after an IVF procedure, the Pontos got the biggest surprise of their lives: They learned they were going to have quadruplets.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
"I was totally prepared for a letdown, or for something to be wrong," Ponto told Us Weekly of her first ultrasound. "When I saw those four heartbeats, I just started crying. All I ever wanted was the chance to be a parent."
Ponto got her wish on the Fourth of July when she and her husband welcomed four girls — Olivia Susan, Anna Louise, Morgan Price, and Carolyn Grace — into the world. PopSugar reports that all of the babies were delivered by C-section in just four minutes, which might just make the Minnesota mom the luckiest woman on Earth.
The couple have been documenting their experiences in parenthood on their Facebook Page, 4 Peas in a Ponto (we know, adorable), and they could not seem any happier.
To help cover expenses, the Ponto family has set up a donation page through YouCaring.
Ponto told Us Weekly that she had to undergo five rounds of intrauterine insemination (IUI) – a method in which sperm is carefully placed into a uterus by a medical professional – before she conceived. Like many couples who've struggled to overcome infertility issues, Ponto said it affected her relationship with her husband.
"We would start the month with high hopes and then my monthly friend would come. It took a huge toll on our marriage," she told Us Weekly. "I ugly cried before every single baby shower I went to. I wondered 'why not us? Are we not worthy of children?'"
Ponto wasn't alone in those thoughts. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that 10% of women in the US have difficulty becoming or staying pregnant. The experiences, though varied, can be devastating, sometimes leaving women feeling that they were somehow at fault.
If you or a loved one is struggling with infertility, know you're not alone and that there is are many support networks, such as RESOLVE, available.