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He was an IVF ‘Miracle Baby’ Born Just Steps Away From His Future Wife
🕑 Added 2024-09-12 11:00:07 +0000 UTC
A miracle IVF baby has tied the knot with a woman who was born steps away from him in the same hospital on the same day.
Newborn Ross Watson made headlines when he was born on August 21, 1994—and the headlines are continuing 30 years later.
Last month he celebrated his 30th birthday alongside his new bride Annika and his family, which had previously believed the special occasion might not ever happen.
His mother Carol had been told she would never have children. But, thanks to the newest fertility treatment, Ross proved to be the lucky IVF embryo—after it was frozen for 14 months.
Carol and husband Alan spent almost $10,000 (£8,000) on IVF treatment and, forever afterward, Ross was considered a miracle baby.
It was the last chance for his parents to have a baby, and it culminated in Ross being born at Wordsley Hospital near Stourbridge, England—completely unaware his future wife was arriving into the world that same morning.
Years later Ross met Annika while studying at the same college—and they soon realized they had the same birthday.
They got another surprise when they discovered the incredible coincidence they had been born in exactly the same hospital, only two hours apart.
Ross and Annika became husband and wife in June on the Greek island of Skiathos and spent their 30th birthdays honeymooning together in Italy.
“My parents didn’t talk a lot about that time when I was growing up,” said Ross. “But I was fully aware of what they had gone through and I’ll always be thankful for what they had to go through.
“After going through IVF so many times, they both agreed it would be the last time as they couldn’t face the heartbreak of it not working again, so I was their last chance and a bit of a miracle.
“I’ll also always be thankful for the time, energy, and money that they went through to bring me into this world.
At college, Annika and Ross met through mutual friends, but it took seven years before they got together.
“We always knew we shared a birthday, but it was only after we got together that we were looking at our passports and saw we were both born in Wordsley.
“So we both stopped and said where we were born and we realized we were born at Wordsley Hospital.
“We’ve also spoken to our parents and they said that it’s entirely possible that they could have been in the same room at the same time, although they wouldn’t have known each other, but it’s quite nice to know that we’ve found our way together.”
Ross’ said that while he doesn’t believe in fate, he couldn’t deny there was something strange about the way things had come together.
“In terms of my relationship with Annika, it’s very unusual sometimes, and the wavelength we run on.
“We are extremely different as people, because Annika is really outgoing and I’m a bit more reserved—however, we often think in the same way and say things out of the blue at exactly the same time and it almost feels like telepathy.”
“I don’t tend to reflect on things too much (but) it’s something to sit back and reflect on that fact that the chances of being brought into this world the way I was were extremely unlikely—and the steps my parents went through is kind of a feat in itself.
“To be having this conversation is very nice as it’s let me look back and think about how lucky I was to be brought into the world, meet my soulmate, and live my life.”
Annika added: “Being an IVF baby, his parents were very excited and there’s loads of videos. We’ve watched them back to see if we can spot my parents but you can’t.
“He was a month premature, so I often say he stole my birthday.”
