This Surrogate Mother Thought She Was Having Twins, But What She Was Actually Carrying Surprised Everyone
Jessica Allen signed up to be a surrogate to help a couple who couldn't have children on their own. Her own body was fit and functional, and if she had the capacity to help out someone in need, that's exactly what she wanted to do. Allen was already a mother of two boys and she had already experienced the joys of motherhood. She wanted to help other women experience that joy too.
Jessica's surrogacy journey didn't all go as planned, though. She told People, "I'd never do it again. I'm not the only one with a nightmare story, but I am the only one with a story like this." Read on to see what made Jessica utter those words.
Jessica Allen Had Good Feelings About The Couple She Was Helping
Jessica Allen signed on to be the surrogate for a lovely Chinese couple. Surrogacy is illegal in China, so this couple traveled all the way to America so that they could have a biological child of their own.
Infertility is quite a common problem for couples all over the world. This couple must have gone through years of emotional and physical suffering before deciding to leave their country and pursue surrogacy. Jessica respected their determination.
She Was A Model Surrogate Mother
Being a surrogate is no easy task. Allen worked with San Diego-based Omega Family Global, who matched her with the Chinese couple. Jessica became pregnant via in-vitro fertilization in April 2016. A single male embryo was implanted in her uterus.
In-vitro fertilization requires surrogate mothers to take estrogen and progestogen for several weeks prior to implantation. Allen followed all the rules and took all of her hormone shots. Six weeks into the pregnancy, doctors noticed something weird.
The Doctors Were Astounded
Jessica went in for her six-week appointment at which time doctors told her that she was carrying two babies in her uterus. Since only one embryo had been implanted, doctors told Jessica that she was most likely carrying identical twins.
Allen was paid $30,000 plus expenses for her services as a surrogate, but when the couple realized that they were having two babies, Jessica was paid an extra $5,000 each month. The pregnancy continued as normal until the day that Jessica delivered.
Something Strange About The "Twins"
Jessica gave birth to two babies on December 12, 2016, after she had been pregnant for a total of 38 weeks. The babies were born via C-section. Jessica didn't even get to see the babies before the were whisked out of the operating room.
That night, the babies' mother sent Jessica a photo of her "twins." One of the babies was clearly Chinese, and one baby was clearly not. "One looked full Chinese, the other didn't look full Chinese. It was clear that they were not identical... but I didn't ask questions," Allen told People magazine.
More Questions Raised
Allen went home after spending a few days in the hospital and the "twins" mother took home her children. Allen was happy that she was able to help the couple. She and her husband were going to use the money they received from the program to buy a new house.
They were getting ready to make the big move when the mother Allen had been a surrogate for sent her a picture of the babies. She said that she didn't think both of the babies were hers. Allen told New York Post that the intended mother asked, "They are not the same, right?" and, "have you thought about why they are different?"
A Very Rare Case
The next week, the babies had their DNA tested. It turns out that one of the babies was actually the biological son of Allen and her husband. The babies were even different gestational ages.
The second child was the result of a rare medical phenomenon known as superfetation, in which a woman continues to ovulate during pregnancy. Allen became pregnant with her own child while she was already pregnant with somebody else's. She was completely shocked.
The Couple Thought Everything Was Fine
Jessica and her husband were shocked beyond belief. Allen knew that the IVF hormones made her extremely fertile, so she and her husband refrained from sexual activity until it was confirmed that she was pregnant with the couple's embryo.
"As per my contract, Wardell [Allen's husband] and I did not have intercourse until we were given permission by the IVF doctor, who recommended the use of condoms," Allen told New York Post. Apparently, the contraception that Jessica and her husband were using was faulty.
A Tough Predicament
"I was panicking. My husband and I were panicking. We had no idea how this came about and we had no idea how we were going to prepare for a child over night. We just moved into a new house, we didn't have any more money," Allen told People magazine.
They scrambled to figure out how they were going to welcome a third child into their home. This definitely wasn't a part of the plan.
A Financial Struggle
Of course, Jessica and her husband wanted to bring their son home, but pretty soon, things started to get messy.
After finding out one of the babies wasn't theirs, the Chinese couple allegedly wanted nothing to do with him. Allen was told someone from the surrogate agency was taking care of her son. The Chinese couple was also demanding up to $22,000 in compensation. They wanted to be reimbursed for all of the extra money they paid for a second child.
Crazy Demands From The Couple
Jessica told the New York Post, "We'd already spent most of the money we earned from the surrogacy contract, but now we were apparently on the hook for thousands of dollars." In addition to the money that the Chinese couple was asking for, the surrogacy agency was asking to be compensated for caring for Jessica's son.
Jessica was in no financial position to pay that kind of money, and the agency informed her that her son was going to be adopted by another couple.
The Search For Adoptive Parents Began
Allen tells New York Post, "To my disgust, a caseworker from the agency lined up parents to adopt him and 'absorb' the money we owed to the [couple]. Or, if that didn't work out, the [couple] were thinking of putting [my son] up for adoption, as they were still his legal parents."
Allen and her husband were truly in a messed up situation. It should have been as simple as handing her son over to her, but the agency and the couple apparently wouldn't let that happen without getting what they believed was owed to them.
They Wanted Jessica To Adopt Her Own Son
After hearing the news that the intended mom wanted to put the other baby up for adoption, Allen and her husband started to lose hope.
"I thought I wasn't going to get him back because they were pressuring me to pay this money back first. Then they were saying that the intending mom was thinking about giving him up for adoption... I thought I had a child out there that I was gonna be forced to let go of all because I couldn't buy him or because I couldn't adopt him," Allen told People magazine.
Things Got Ugly
It was then that the real battle began. Allen and her husband put themselves in debt trying to get their son back, but after hiring an attorney they were left to negotiate with the surrogate agency.
There was question over whether anyone was in the wrong in this situation. Some believe that Allen and her husband should have abstained completely, while others believe the IVF doctor is to blame for giving the go-ahead. Others believe the intended parents were in the wrong, but at the same time, they were forced to pay more on the notion that they were expecting twins.
The Agency Resorted To Manipulation Tactics
Allen and her husband hired an attorney to get their son back from the surrogacy agency. She doesn't blame the Chinese couple for the drama and believes that the agency was manipulating them.
Allen told People of the intended mother, "It's not her fault... The agency put it in her head that I was going to try to sue her. I never said those words. Since she was scared that I was going to sue her, she starts sending me all kinds of text messages."
Excuse After Excuse
After a lengthy legal battle with the Omega Family Global, Allen says they finally owed nothing. Still, physically gaining custody of her son was like a game of cat and mouse.
"We tried to get him on numerous occasions, but one excuse they gave us was the intended parents didn't want to sign over the power of attorney, so we didn't get him... We got another call and we were supposed to get him, then we didn't because they were thinking about giving him up for adoption," Allen told People magazine.
The Agency Kept Things Quiet
It's a wonder why Omega Family Global put Allen through a painstaking process to get her son back, when all parties knew that he was biologically hers. Not only did Omega Family Global refute some of the claims Allen made, they issued their own statement.
"By it's very nature surrogacy is a complicated journey which necessitates the support and care of agencies, parents, surrogates, psychologist, lawyers, and a host of other professionals. As with any pregnancy, issues do arise which require great care, attention to detail and respect for the process and the emotions of all involved," they told New York Post.
She Met Her Son Two Months Later
Allen delivered the babies on December 12, 2016, and after three failed attempts to get her son back, she finally held him in her arms for the first time almost two months later.
"And so, on [February] 5, I finally met a caseworker from Omega in a Starbucks parking lot in Menifee, [California], where she handed over our son, whom we've renamed Malachi. The moment was incredibly emotional, and I started hugging and kissing my boy," Allen told New York Post. For her part, Allen wants her story to be a cautionary tale.
A Learning Experience
Allen has expressed that she will never become a surrogate again after what has happened to her but doesn't regret this particular moment.
"[My husband and I] weren't planning to expand our family so soon, but we treasure Malachi with all our hearts. I don't regret becoming a surrogate mom because that would mean regretting my son. I just hope other women considering surrogacy can learn from my story. And that a greater good will come out of this nightmare," Allen told New York Post. Though they got their son back, Allen and her husband are still fighting.
The Financial Repercussions
Though the custody battle over their son is over, Allen and her husband are still engulfed in legal battles and are in enormous debt.
"It's very stressful financially, it's put us in debt. We're barely getting by right now and it stressed me out emotionally because this agency turned their backs on me... Knowing that for the first two months of [Malachi's] brand new life that he was in the arms of strangers, that breaks my heart. It's really heartbreaking," Allen said to People magazine.
Malachi Is Loving Life With His Family
On a more positive note, Allen and her family are just happy to have their baby with them. Allen's story came to light almost a year after the ordeal happened. By the time Allen was talking to media outlets, Malachi was thankfully well-adjusted into his rightful home.
"He's a little man. He's like 10 months going on 10. He's walking around already. He's trying to talk. He has an attitude and he's funny and his personality is just goofy and bossy all at once. He walks around like he runs the world," Allen told People.
A Surprise Changed Everything
After getting married, Kevin and Nicole Barattini had their sight set on starting a family. They dreamed of having children together and were excited at the idea of getting pregnant. But like many couples, it didn't happen right away. They kept trying and hoping to get good news, but it never came for them. Still, the Barattini’s didn’t want to give up their dream of having a family. When considering other options, a friend offered to do something amazing. Everything seemed like it was meant to be until things took a turn that no one expected.
Kevin and Nicole had been married for a few years, during which they had tried to get pregnant to start a family. They kept trying, but with no success. They never gave up and were willing to try anything. They couldn't have known how things would turn out, and the road to starting a family ended up being rougher than they could have ever imagined. Still, they knew in their hearts that this is what they wanted to do.
She Had Five Kids Of Her Own
The couple were friends with Lianna and Shaun, who lived in East Moriches, New York. Just as Kevin and Nicole were trying to get pregnant after their wedding day, Lianna and Shaun wanted to start their family right away. Together they have five children and love having a big family.
After five pregnancies, Lianna considered having more children with her husband. Little did she know that she would end up being pregnant sooner than originally planned. And this time the child wouldn't biologically be hers.
Helping Out A Friend In Need
Having no luck getting pregnant, Nicole and Kevin considered finding a surrogate to carry their child. Although they were unsure of what that relationship would be like, they knew that if they wanted to start a family, they would have to trust the woman to keep them in the loop.
Lianna shocked everyone when she announced that she would be willing to help the couple have a child by becoming their surrogate. For Nicole and Kevin, this was the best case scenario, since they were already close-knit friends with her.
Working Together To Create A Family
Surrogacy is a unique experience. Dr. Richard Klein was the obstetrician who planted the embryos in the procedure and said that it was "so much fun" having both couples appear at the doctor's appointments, contributing so much love in hoping for a baby.
It was July 2016 at this point, and the embryos had been planted. Both couples arrived at the doctor to hear whether the embryo had taken, and whether Lianna was pregnant with their child.
Finding Out The Good News
In the days leading up to the appointment, both couples were nervous, but especially Nicole and Kevin. They had prayed for a baby for so long, they wondered how much longer they could hold on to hope. Lianna had done everything correctly, going through the procedure of having the embryo planted. Now all they had to do was wait.
Finally, the big day arrived when they would find out, and everyone's emotions were running high.
Hoping For A Baby
The Barattini's were hoping for a baby ever since their wedding day in 2010. The happy couple looked forward to their future together, and wanted to raise their children in Smithton, New York, where they lived.
But time after time, Nicole still wasn’t pregnant. She went to the doctor’s to find some answers that would help her conceive. But the news that she received was not what she was hoping to hear. It seems that the Barattini’s plans were not going to happen.
Nicole's Chronic Health Issues
Back when she was 16-years-old, Nicole began noticing small bumps appearing on her skin. A few small bumps turned into bumps covering her entire body. When she went to the doctor, suffering from a fever and fatigue, they discovered that her eyes had also turned jaundice.
The doctor took blood samples and found that her level of platelets was dangerously low. While the average adult has between 140,000 and 150,000 platelets in their blood, Nicole only had 8,000.
Finally, A Diagnosis
After seeing the doctor, Nicole was diagnosed with an autoimmune disease called thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, or TTP. Still just a teenager, Nicole was shocked at the diagnosis, which could be fatal. TTP causes blood clots to form around the body and Nicole was in immediate danger.
After her diagnosis, she stayed in the hospital recovering. She was lucky to have made it tot he doctor in time to be treated, as things could have ended up being a lot worse.
TTP Is Super Rare
So just how much at risk was Nicole? Blood clots caused by TTP have a 95% mortality rate if they aren't treated immediately. The rare blood disorder increases blood glycoprotein in hemostasis, which causes different parts of the body to experience blood clots.
Nicole’s symptoms of fatigue, fever, and bruises all match up with TTP, which affects 1 out of every 100,000 people. Most of whom are adult women. Nicole was part of the 10% of this population whose case begins before adulthood.
A Side Effect Of Her Medication
Thankfully, the doctors were able to find suitable medication to manage Nicole's TTP. Because of it, she was able to live a normal life and not worry about waking up with a fatal blood clot. Because of this, her condition wasn’t on her mind often.
But when she went to the doctor to find out why she wasn’t getting pregnant, Nicole learned that if she were to get pregnant, her TTP medication would most likely harm the baby. Due to Nicole’s condition, it would be unsafe to go off the medication as well.
Sharing The Sad News
After learning that pregnancy would be too risky for her, Nicole went home, devastated by the news. A while later, her husband Kevin came home, and instantly knew something was off.
He recalls, "I got home from work and Nicole had that look on her face like something was wrong and I'm never going to forget it. I said, 'What’s wrong?’ and she said, ‘The doctor doesn’t think we can have children.’ And you know, nobody wants to hear that." She explained the risks and he knew it was true.
Pregnancy Would Put Nicole At Risk
The difficult part for Nicole was knowing that she could in fact conceive, but the pregnancy would be very high risk, both for her and the baby. She explained, "I was able to conceive, but I wouldn't be able to have a healthy pregnancy. And it would result in death of myself or the baby."
It was clear that it would be too dangerous for Nicole to fall pregnant, and she would need to find another way to achieve her dream of having a family with her husband.
She Considered Doing It Anyway
Nicole was absolutely heartbroken that she wouldn't be able to carry her own baby, and it took her a while for the news to sink in. She was incredibly frustrated that she was able to get pregnant, but that the doctors told her not to.
She even told Kevin that she was willing to risk everything, but he said no. Nicole was grieving a loss and the couple took time to cope with it all.
A Better Solution
Through it all, they were still trying, emotions running high. Eventually they decided to stop trying to conceive, and face the facts they were presented. They needed to calm their hearts and listen to their heads, because this was a very serious decision.
Then, Nicole decided to freeze her eggs and think about searching for a surrogate, since it would be a safe method of starting their family. They also considered adoption.
The Cost Of Adoption
One of the first options the couple was considering was adoption. For Nicole and Kevin, the most important thing to them was that they had a family, and whether or not the children were biologically theirs, wasn't the most important aspect.
They quickly found out that adoption is incredibly expensive, and that they didn’t have the funds to make adoption a viable option for them, especially since they would need to save money to raise the children, too.
What It Takes To Adopt
There's no question that there are lots of children out there who need a loving home. But the way the system works, makes adoption an extremely expensive option for couples. Part of what makes adoption so pricey is the legal fees involved, going through the process.
According to Adoptive Families, international adoptions finalized in 2015 and 2016 cost an average of $42,000. Domestic adoptions for newborns averages at $37,000. While their hearts said 'yes,’ the couple’s bank account wasn’t ready for this cost.
The Surrogacy Option
Adoption appeared to be too expensive for the couple, so they turned to their next option: surrogacy. They switched gears and started researching the process. Right away, they were devastated by the price tag – more than $75,000. As it turns out, surrogacy is even more expensive than adoption.
Still hoping to make it work, Nicole contemplated who would be willing to carry the couple's child for free. She said, "We had heard stories that sisters carried and mothers carried, but I don’t have a sister, and my mother is over the age."
The Cost Of Surrogacy In NYC
New York state's laws on surrogacy came as a surprise for Nicole and Kevin. They had no idea that it was illegal to pay someone to act as a surrogate in the state. To work around the law, they would need to pay someone who lived out of state to carry the baby.
But this was also a problematic option, as it would be expensive to travel to and from doctor’s appointments, and they really wanted a surrogate who they could be close with.
Nicole's Best Chance
Still, the couple decided that they wanted to go with a surrogate. The medical process includes creating an embryo by IVF, and implanting it into the surrogate. The embryo includes the mother's egg and the father’s sperm, so although another woman is carrying the child, biologically, it would be related to the couple.
Like many other couples, this is what Nicole and Kevin saw as their best option. They still needed to find a way to do it, however.
Good Friends Step Up
No longer a secret that it wasn't safe for Nicole to get pregnant, the couple shared their dream of finding a surrogate to carry their firstborn. They were amazed at the supportive response from their friends and family. Many of them even offered to become their surrogate!
It seemed that things were looking up for the couple, once they put it out in the universe that this was what they wanted. However, they were just as quickly disappointed when they found out through initial testing that the women who offered weren’t fit to carry.
Lianna Had Just Had A Child Of Her Own
Lianna was a friend of Nicole and Kevin's. She and her husband Shaun have five children together and the couples had known each other for 20 years. Lianna loved being a mother and couldn’t imagine life without her children.
When she heard of their situation, she was empathetic. She contemplated offering to carry their children, but she had just given birth, and wasn’t sure if her body was ready to carry another child yet.
All Those Medical Bills
In order to qualify to become a surrogate, a woman must be entirely healthy. Because the process is costly, and the chances of becoming pregnant decrease as women age, a lot of factors are considered before the procedure takes place. And as Nicole and Kevin found out, not all women are a good fit to become a surrogate.
Once the woman gets the green light to become a surrogate, however, there's a good chance within three tries of planting the embryo that they will fall pregnant.
Talking About The Plan
In December of 2015, the two couples met up for dinner one night. It was clear that Kevin and Nicole were going through a stressful time in their lives. Lianna and Shawn wanted to lift up their spirits, without prying too much into their situation.
Of course, the topic couldn't be avoided, and they soon started discussing having children. Nicole was visibly upset about not being able to have a child, and Lianna, a mother of five, wanted to help.
Five Kids Already
After listening to Nicole speak about their child bearing woes, Lianna said something completely unexpected. Kevin recalls what she said at the dinner table that night as, "Lianna goes, 'You know I have five children, Shawn and I want to have maybe one or two more.'"
“And [Nicole and I] looked at each other with a puzzled look, like, ‘You have five kids, why would you want any more?'” What she said next caused everyone to tear up.
The Best Offer She Could Make
It would almost seem like throwing it in her face that Lianna was talking about having a sixth child when Kevin and Nicole couldn't even have one. They didn’t know what to think. But Lianna kept talking. Kevin said, "And she goes, 'No, not for me, for you guys- I’d like to carry a child.'"
Nicole and Kevin were completely in shock. Kevin said, “The two of us, just forget about it. We just, we all started crying.” Finally, the couple felt that they had found the answer to their problems. This was meant to be.
Lianna Wanted To Share The Joy Of Motherhood
Lianna knew in her heart that it was the right thing to do. She said, "I was blessed to have five kids, and they are all amazing, and I couldn't picture my life without them. And to see this family so deserving, it broke my heart."
It was the joy that Lianna got from being a mother that led her to wanting to give that experience to someone else, who otherwise wouldn’t be able to have children.
A Huge Decision
After giving birth to her fifth child in 2015, Lianna and Shawn felt that their family was complete. Lianna's heart was so full with all the love she had for her children that she felt she had more to give. She was considering becoming a surrogate to help another couple have a family.
Lianna brought the idea up to her husband, Shawn. She let him know that if she chose this path, it would require extra help from him in taking care of their children. He agreed with her idea.
Ready For IVF
Through tears, Nicole and Kevin accepted Lianna's offer of carrying their child on the spot.They were over the moon about their friends’ selfless offer, which would help them get what they’ve always dreamed of.
Lianna passed the medical tests with flying colors, making it official. The timing was right and everyone was on board. Nicole and Kevin couldn’t have been happier with finding the perfect person to bring a baby into their lives.
The Waiting Game
After passing the medical exams, Lianna went to the doctor's to have the embryo planted. It would only take one week to find out if the embryo took, but it felt like an eternity for everyone involved. Although they felt like everything was falling into place, the couple had been disappointed before.
They knew that nothing was guaranteed, and all they could do is wait and pray. The two couples went back for the follow up appointment, only to learn that Lianna wasn’t pregnant.
Giving It Another Try
Although it didn't happen the first time, neither couple was ready to call it quits. The doctor was optimistic and told them that this time around they would plant more embryo, increasing their chances of Lianna getting pregnant.
They had to wait yet another week to find out if Lianna was pregnant with the second round of embryo. Again, everyone was on the edge of their chairs, praying and hoping that this round would take.
She Was Pregnant With Twins
Once again, both couples arrived at the doctor's office to find out if Lianna was pregnant with Kevin and Nicole’s child. This time, the doctor had good news to deliver. He told them that the embryo had taken, and that Lianna was pregnant!
He had even better news on top of that… they were pregnant with twins! Everyone was overjoyed and emotional as they heard the good news. Kevin and Nicole would be welcoming not one, but two babies into their family that year.
Sharing The Good News
Labor Day weekend rolled around and Kevin and Nicole thought it would be the perfect time to share the news. 60 of their closest friends and family were in attendance at a Labor Day celebration, and they were all about the hear the couple's big announcement.
They stood in front of everyone and asked the guests to be quiet for a moment, that they had something they wanted to share. No one could have expected to hear what they would say next!
A Boy And A Girl
On February 10, 2017 the twins arrived. Kevin and Nicole welcomed a boy and a girl. They named them Dominic and Luciana. Both babies were born healthy, and everything with Lianna's pregnancy went just fine.
The couple was overjoyed holding their newborns in their arms, and couldn’t be more thankful to Lianna. "It’s probably the most amazing thing," Kevin said, “because you think it’s the end of the road, now here we are with two beautiful children.”
A Family Affair
Of course, Lianna and Shawn became the twins' godparents. They had already been there through every step on their children’s lives, and they would always be connected.
Nicole said of Lianna, "I don’t have a sister, but I’d consider her like that. We don’t hold back, we are open, honest, and I am constantly turning to her for guidance. Everything worked out. Nicole was able to stay on her medication to manage her TTP, and they were still able to welcome two kids.
The Truth About Surrogacy
They didn't stop there. Now having successfully started their family, Nicole and Kevin wanted to share their experience with the world, and advocate for surrogacy to become legal in New York State and beyond.
The couple began working with New York legislators and reproductive specialists to change the laws. Kevin said, "We are happy that our story went public to help others in the time of need." It’s honorable how open the couple made their experience so transparent and honest, to show others that it’s possible.
Worth It In The End
Nicole and Kevin never take Lianna's kindness for granted. Without her, they couldn’t have made their happy family. Nicole wants other women in her position to know that they too, can find someone willing to take the journey of surrogacy. And it’s all worth it.
"There are people out there, like Lianna, that will do it out of kindness. It’s easier to find them than it seems. It’s never the end of the road." The couple continues to fight to legalize surrogacy.
