Arizona local Michell Elizaga made the life-changing decision to become a single mother in her 40s via in vitro fertilization (IVF). She spent $5,000 of her savings to undergo the procedure after acquiring a sperm donor.
But on the 12th week of her pregnancy, Elizaga's doctor informed her of her prenatal test results, which showed she has a high chance of giving birth to a baby with Down syndrome. Elizaga revealed that she "cried a ton" after that visit to the doctor, yet she was still determined to have a baby.
Elizaga didn't get the chance to meet the man of her dreams, and since she has been single for most of her adult life, the thought of getting married started to slip away when she got closer to turning 40 years old. She was also very aware that her time was nearly up for having a healthy pregnancy the conventional way, so she turned to IVF as a last resort.
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A Budget for One Vial
Elizaga then consulted with a fertility specialist who gave her a clearer picture of the IVF process. While he was more optimistic that she would conceive if she had multiple vials and IVF cycles, Eliza found out that her chances were at five percent as someone in her 40s. She could also afford just one vial for the sperm.
The search for the sperm donor itself was tricky because Elizaga wanted someone Filipino "to ensure my baby looked most like me," per Love That Matters. However, there were not a lot of options for her, so she chose someone whose characteristics had the most similarities to her.
After securing the vial and going through more tests, Elizaga had the insemination. She was pregnant within 24 hours of the procedure.
At ten weeks, she took another test to confirm the baby's gender and genetic conditions. The clinic didn't call her back for the results until about a week and a half later. Her heart sank when they asked her to come to the doctor's office. She feared she was going to lose the baby.
At the clinic, Elizaga learned that her baby had a 9 in 10 chance of having Down syndrome. While this sent her crying, the expectant mom never thought of abortion. She also realized that her son, whom she had chosen to name Matthew, was a fighter. Many babies with chromosomal variations don't even make it past 12 weeks of pregnancy.
By her 39th week, Elizaga was ready for a natural birth, but she had an unscheduled C-section as there were complications with her son. The doctors had to take him out as soon as possible. After the baby's birth in June 2019, Matthew stayed more than two months at the neonatal intensive care unit.
Wouldn't Change Anything
Today, Matthew is a healthy and happy baby. Elizaga said that her choice to have a baby by herself and raise a son with Down syndrome had been an empowering experience. Despite the challenges, the single mom said she would not change anything if given a chance for a do-over.
She's also grateful for being Matthew's mom, whom she described as an energetic baby. The happy mom said that her son had been the greatest gift she received in her entire life.
