Veronica has always wanted to be a mother, either single or with a partner. She was sure during past relationships, and certain when she met Ana, her wife and mother of her son Marc, a gorgeous 3-year-old boy who radiates happiness and love in every little gesture he makes to his mother.
“Ana, I’m in the process of becoming a mother and, with or without you, I want to be one.” This is what Veronica told Ana shortly after they began their relationship. A goal that began individually became, within a year, the raison d’être that led them to formalise their relationship through marriage, so they could later register their baby at the Civil Registry Office with two mothers.
Law 13/2005, which approved same-sex marriage, forgot to establish the legal framework for parentage, limiting it to the option of adoption. In 2006, the Assisted Reproduction Law added, in Article 7, the establishment of parenthood for two mothers, but they had to be married, a provision that seemingly discriminates against lesbian couples as this is not required for heterosexual couples.
After their marriage, Ana and Veronica went to Dr Pau’s office on the recommendation of some friends who were among the first Spanish couples to undergo the ROPA method (reception of the partner’s eggs). These friends told them about this option and Dr Pau. “Common sense led us to choose the ROPA method. I wanted to experience pregnancy and I was already 39. Ana’s younger than me. So, it made sense to use her younger eggs in my body. She’s got time on her side if she wants to experience pregnancy,” Veronica explains. She has extremely fond memories of her pregnancy.
Dr Pau started the treatment strategy with Artificial Insemination, but after two inseminations, an In Vitro Fertilisation was performed. The beta was positive in the first attempt and Marc arrived.
In March, Ana and Veronica began their quest for a sibling for Marc. After an extremely painful miscarriage in the 18th week due to heart disease and without finishing the attempts that the National Health Service had offered them, they once again visited Dr. Pau and Pilar Ortiz, her practice nurse. “The first time we visited Elena was based on the recommendation of some friends and our experience was so good that we didn’t think twice this time. We followed Elena to the Equipo Juana Crespo clinic because she is concise and professional. She explains things clearly and doesn’t mince her words. She manages the treatment extremely well and knows exactly what she’s doing at all times.”
Ana and Veronica have 14 vitrified blastocyst stage embryos resulting from the treatment that Ana has undergone. The transfer of what we’re sure will soon be the new member of the family will take place soon.
Veronica adds that, “with this treatment, we have enough for a football team. I’m not going to give up. My wife is 33 and maybe in 6 or 7 years, she’ll tell me that she wants to get pregnant again and then we’ll see…”. This family clearly has a great network of family and friends, where life is lived spontaneously, with lots of love. Whatever will be, will be, and any new future members of the family will be extremely lucky to be born to parents like Ana and Veronica.
We want to thank Veronica and her family for the time spent recounting their experience. But, above all, we want to thank Marc who, after all day at nursery and wanting to see his mums, had to delay his visit to the park so Veronica could talk to us.
