Double Happiness

How IVF has given a Thomson family two bundles of joy

- Jeffrey Kong

Sometimes nature needs a helping hand. So said Mdm Serene Seah, who conceived twice with a little help from Thomson Fertility Centre.

Looking absolutely radiant with hubby Dr Harold Ma and their little ones – 2-year-old A and 6-month-old J – Serene was a picture of bliss as she sat for this interview with Celebrating Life. For the couple, having children is a dream come true – a small miracle achieved with a combination of luck, medical expertise and sheer determination.

The couple got married at the age of 38. After trying for a child for a few months, they decided to get themselves tested and seek professional help. That was when they found out that they had a higher-than-normal chance of having a baby with a hereditary blood disorder.

“Harold was already known to be a thalassaemia minor – a carrier of this condition – but I was surprised to find out that I am a carrier as well,” said Serene. This meant their offspring had a 25 percent chance of developing thalassaemia major, a severe form of anaemia.