Two Sets of Fraternal Twins in Three Years! When you have to pay for fertility treatment out of pocket, it’s natural to want to give yourself the best possible chances of success. Hear from one uninsured couple who ended up with two sets of fraternal twins as a result of some life-altering choices during IVF treatment.

In this article:

Editor’s Note: We are so grateful to Dionicio and Ruddy for being willing to share their story with us in honor of National Infertility Awareness Week. To learn what RESOLVE and other organizations are doing to protect access to fertility and family-building care across the United States, please visit their website.

Meet Dionicio & Ruddy

In 2013, Dionicio and Ruddy met online, and an immediate spark was lit. Both Ecuadorian, their shared cultural background and dreams for the future made them realize that they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together.

The couple married in 2014 and moved to the United States soon after. “We always wanted to be parents,” Dionicio says. They began trying to conceive, eager to expand their family. After having no luck on their own, they quickly realized that things might not be as simple as they’d planned.

Taking the First Step

A friend of the couple recommended Illume Fertility, and Dionicio and Ruddy decided to make an appointment with one of Illume’s reproductive endocrinologists.

“We still remember our first consultation with Dr. Williams,” Dionicio says. “He was always very positive with us, and we felt we had his support (as well as the support of the entire Illume team) on our arduous yet beautiful path to fertility.”

Starting IVF Treatment

After undergoing initial diagnostic testing to rule out certain issues that might be impeding their fertility, the couple discovered that they were going to have some big obstacles to overcome. In vitro fertilization (IVF) was their next step.

“Going into that first IVF cycle was very hard for us,” Dionicio remembers. “We started out with a lot of optimism, but also felt fearful that it wouldn’t work due to a complicated fertility issue my husband had.”

Dionicio and Ruddy underwent additional fertility testing and Dr. Williams and his team used the information gathered to create the perfect treatment plan.

Making a Controversial Decision

Due to the couple’s unfortunate lack of fertility coverage, they wanted to transfer two embryos at once instead of proceeding with the recommended single embryo transfer.

“Currently, most IVF cycles now involve the transfer of just a single embryo, and the risk of having fraternal twins is extremely low,” says Dr. Williams. “At Illume Fertility, a single embryo is transferred in over 90% of IVF cycles.”

Note: Elective single embryo transfer (eSET) offers a higher chance of a single, healthy baby and greatly reduces the risk of pregnancy complications, including preterm labor, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes.

Dr. Williams explained why Illume Fertility’s guidelines strongly advise against transferring multiple embryos at once, and urged the couple to reconsider their decision. He outlined the additional risks of a multiple pregnancy (twins, triplets, etc.) for both mother and babies.

Despite these conversations, Dionicio and Ruddy wanted to move forward with a double embryo transfer, hoping it would increase their odds of success with the limited amount of “tries” they had while paying for treatment out-of-pocket.

A Dream Come True

After their double embryo transfer, the couple were elated to find out that they were finally pregnant – not just with one baby, but two. Thankfully, Dionicio’s pregnancy progressed smoothly, and their fraternal twin girls Victoria and Valentina were born August 14, 2020.

In November 2022, after their daughters turned two years old, the couple returned to Illume Fertility, hoping to give Victoria and Valentina a sibling. This time, they transferred a single embryo and waited to hear what they hoped would be more happy news.

Sadly, that embryo transfer (which would have been a boy, says Dionicio) did not lead to a successful pregnancy. The couple were devastated, but determined to continue.

After the Storm Comes a Rainbow (or Two)

“After this very hard blow, the loss of our baby boy, we wanted to try again,” she says. “We were actually hoping for another set of twins.” They discussed their desire to transfer two embryos again with Dr. Williams, who strongly advised against it, knowing that the risk of complications would be high.

Dionicio and Ruddy considered his advice but ultimately decided to move forward with another double embryo transfer. Yet again, their transfer resulted in multiples – this time, fraternal twins (a boy and a girl). Two Sets of Fraternal Twins in Three Years!

While the couple were thrilled to be pregnant with a second set of twins, “this is not the ideal outcome [with IVF],” emphasizes Dr. Williams. “We never actually try to end up with twins.”

Dionicio was lucky enough to experience another smooth pregnancy, and against all odds, twins Nickolays and Esmeralda entered the world on February 21, 2023. “It was wonderful,” recalls Dionicio. “It was the happiest day of our lives.”

What the Experts Say

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “Obstetric risks to the mothers from a multiple-birth pregnancy include higher rates of caesarean delivery, maternal hemorrhage, pregnancy-related hypertension, and gestational diabetes. Risks to the infants include preterm birth, low birthweight, birth defects, developmental disability, and death.”

Some individuals and couples feel these risks are acceptable, while the majority of fertility patients follow the CDC’s guidelines and transfer one embryo at a time. While each case is unique, it is important to keep all of this information in mind as you proceed with IVF treatment.

Why They Share Their Journey

Like most couples, Dionicio and Ruddy never expected to need the help of an entire team to build their family, and have now learned a lot from their experience as fertility patients.

“We share our story so that other couples like us know that it is possible, and it’s worth trying,” says Dionicio. “Be encouraged that nothing is impossible with the help of God and a great team of family-building professionals.”

These days, the couple say their lives and hearts are full as they navigate parenting two sets of twins. “A beautiful, long adventure awaits us together, and we have so many dreams to fulfill,” Dionicio adds. Two Sets of Fraternal Twins in Three Years!