This woman demonstrates that motherhood is strength. Without a partner or support, she made the decision to conceive with donor sperm. Although the baby was diagnosed with Down syndrome a few weeks later, she has no regrets. Her life is complete. Michele Elizaga made the decision to become a mother when she turned 40.
She didn’t have a long-lasting relationship with anyone, but she felt like she was missing out on something. And it wasn’t an association. Michele realized in that moment of her adult life that, above all, she wanted to be a mother.
“I was single for most of my adult life, and I never lost hope of getting married. But as I approached 40 and then turned 40, I questioned whether I would ever have children. I knew that my chances of becoming a mother decreased with age.”
Michele writes that it was another woman who opened this possibility for her.
During one of the meetings with a friend, Michele found out about it. And, as she recounts, these words revealed something so profound within her that tears were the only response. It was a friend who suggested the solution of becoming a mother without having to know a man.
The first step was to find a fertility clinic. The doctors gave her few chances and suggested preparing for many tests.
Michele writes about her strong belief in her potential for success and the instinct she followed.
She knew that her financial resources and the time for years of trial were not sufficient. As she writes, “with a vial of semen and all the initial lab tests looking good, I was going to undergo intrauterine insemination. It was a simple procedure, took less than ten minutes, and I was sent home with a date for the pregnancy test. I took the test one day before the suggested recommendations. Just seconds after conducting it, I saw two lines. I dropped to my knees in the bathroom and thanked God.”
After 12 weeks of pregnancy and genetic testing, Michele was diagnosed with Down syndrome. She cried for a long time but had no doubts that she would keep the baby.
“I dreamt of a natural birth. However, my delivery, due to risk and my age, was filled with ups and downs. My baby’s heartbeat remained stable, then decreased.
There was a vision of a natural birth on the horizon, but the decision was made to proceed with a Caesarean section. I distinctly remember going into the operating room, taking my friend’s hand, and asking her a question: Will I lose my child?”
She has not lost. Matthew was taken to the ICU, stayed in the hospital for seven long weeks, and underwent surgery. They survived it all, and Michele never left his side. “All this time I thought I chose Matthew, but knowing that he chose me was the greatest source of my strength.”
