Anambra Couple Welcomes Baby After 16-Year Wait, Shares Story of Pressure, Betrayal and a Near-Loss Pregnancy

Anambra-born Lagos couple Ifeyinwa and Chinedu Ogbunyiba have welcomed a baby after 16 years of infertility marked by failed treatments, marital turbulence and a near-loss pregnancy that doctors once dismissed as nonviable. Their story, shared with SK Blog, offers an unfiltered look into the hidden pressures many couples face.

The pair met as students at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, later marrying in 2009 with hopes of building a family soon after. But those hopes were quickly tested. “Every month, I waited with expectation, and every month, disappointment returned,” Mrs. Ogbunyiba said. Although several doctors told her nothing was wrong, she continued to struggle. In 2013, she underwent a myomectomy in Enugu to remove fibroids, but conception still did not happen.

As the years passed, the emotional strain widened into social pressure. Friends and acquaintances weighed in uninvited. “People asked questions that pierced the heart,” she recalled. “Some advised me to leave my husband.” The marriage was further shaken when her husband became involved with another woman and left home for nearly two years. Even then, she said she held onto her commitment. “I never thought of leaving. I focused on the future I believed in.”

Mr. Ogbunyiba admitted the waiting period tested him deeply. “Seeing younger couples having children while we waited was painful,” he said. “But I refused to let frustration control my choices.” Despite living apart, he said he continued supporting his wife financially. The outside relationship eventually ended and the couple reconciled.

After years of medical consultations, they turned to IVF last year. The embryo transfer took place on February 15, and two weeks later, the result was positive. Relief, however, was short-lived. At seven weeks, Mrs. Ogbunyiba began bleeding heavily. A doctor scanned her womb and declared there was no heartbeat, recommending an evacuation. “It felt like everything had ended,” she said. Her husband urged her to stay calm. “He kept saying I should focus on the baby I wanted to hold,” she recounted.

The couple sought a second opinion. That Monday, at the IVF clinic, the doctor paused mid-scan and called her husband over. “He said, ‘This is a clear heartbeat. Everything looks fine.’ With all the bleeding, even he said what he saw defied explanation.” The pregnancy stabilised, and last month, she delivered their daughter. “Hearing her cry was the most beautiful moment of my life,” she said. “Sixteen years of pain disappeared in an instant.”

The experience also transformed her husband’s understanding of pregnancy. “Following every antenatal visit made me see how delicate and miraculous life is,” he said. He urged men facing similar delays to stay responsible and rely on science rather than unverified remedies. “Get the right tests, protect your spouse and combine medical action with faith,” he added. “Persistence is everything.”

Now settling into life as new parents, the couple say the long wait taught them endurance, clarity and compassion. Mrs. Ogbunyiba hopes their story encourages others not to lose heart. “Stay focused, seek the right care and trust that your time will come,” she said. “I am finally a mother, and the joy is indescribable.”