Tonje & Lars-Vegard.

We met in 2014, 29 and 31 years old. Both had a history of infertility; both wanted children. We thought it would be difficult to achieve without help. The surprise was, therefore, great as it only took a few months before Tonje became pregnant. Eight weeks pregnant, Tonje got severe stomach pain. A colleague sensed the seriousness when Tonje called and said she did not come to work and drove Tonje to the GP.

The GP suspected ectopic pregnancy, and when Tonje arrived at the hospital, her left fallopian tube had ruptured. There was an emergency operation with the removal of the fallopian tube and scraping. In the time that followed, there were several laparoscopies to investigate. The message eventually came that IVF was probably the only option because the other fallopian tube was also damaged.

We spent some time reading up on what kind of clinics might be relevant. Klinikk Hausken was one of the relevant ones, but we were reluctant to choose this clinic because it would be a long way for us to travel to Bergen, Haugesund or Stavanger. One day we saw an advertisement on Facebook that Klinikk Hausken was to start a department in Lysaker, only 40 minutes from where we live. We decided to get in touch as soon as the clinic opened.

In April 2017, we went to the first consultation at the clinic. We were very well received and a little "starstruck" that it was Jon Hausken himself who met us for the consultation. An examination revealed a polyp on the uterus, which was removed in May at the clinic. The person who assisted Jon Hausken during the removal of the polyp was the nurse Christine. Christine also became our contact during the upcoming attempts. It was safe and predictable to have such a lovely and professionally skilled person as Christine to relate to.

We signed a contract for three attempts, and Tonje started almost immediately with hormones. Six eggs were taken out on the first retrieval, only one could be used. It was inserted two days later. After fourteen days, Tonje started to bleed, so the pregnancy test was dropped. The summer passed; it was August and Tonje began to feel bad. To rule out pregnancy, the test kit that had been cleared away earlier the summer found its way back, it was positive. A pregnancy check-up was agreed at Klinikk Hausken. Tonje felt something was wrong, and we were mentally preparing for the negative message. The gut feeling was right; again pregnancy outside the uterus was diagnosed. This time in the right fallopian tube. There was surgery the same day. The fallopian tube was removed. It was heavy, and everything felt hopeless. Two days later, blood tests show that HCG is still rising. There will be a new operation the next day. It turned out that the egg had not attached to the fallopian tube that was removed two days earlier, but in the scar after the first fallopian tube that was removed in 2014.

It was a very tiring period, but we decided, in consultation with the hospital and Klinikk Hausken, to continue as soon as Tonje felt ready for another round of hormones. In October of the same year, we started a new trial, this time with a higher dose of hormones. In November 2017, we had a new retrieval, also this time six eggs will be taken out. It is decided that the eggs will be fertilized using ICSI to better results than the previous round. The day of insertion comes, and we are told that only one egg looks good. In addition, there is one egg that is not optimal and too bad to be frozen. It is being discussed whether one or two eggs should be inserted. The probability that both will stick together is not great. Lars-Vegard is at work, and is a little surprised when Tonje calls on the way home from the clinic and says that she is incubating two eggs. "Then there will probably be twins then," he says, laughing.

Nine days go by, suddenly, the coffee tastes strange, and Tonje takes a test. It is positive. It's difficult to savour the moment. The previous pregnancies outside the womb are well remembered. Tonje sends a picture of the test to nurse Christine at Hausken. Christine cheers and says that this time it will go well. In December we meet up at Hausken for ultrasound. The doctor asks if Tonje sees the same thing as him. There are two hearts flashing. We start staring, and we continue with that for the rest of the day. We do not quite know what to say and feel. We get a picture of the little miracles and stop by Christine's office on the way out to show the result. It was an intense moment.

In June 2018, Herman and Mikkel was born. A little too early, but they are healthy and beautiful. It was then only been a little over a year since we first contacted Klinikk Hausken until they were born. It was a year of ups and downs, where we were well taken care of all the way, both in the ups and downs.

We have always been open about the process around it with IVF, and that we needed help to have children. The feedback to us directly from those around us has been positive, and it has helped us to have a cheerleader. It can be terribly tough to stand in this as a couple and/or alone. If we can make it easier for others in the same situation as we were, it's just a joy to share. It is a pity that infertility can still be perceived as taboo.

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- Tonje og Lars-Vegard