Their proud dads were able to watch the moment their daughter’s were born and have shared the heart-warming photograph, as part of their rollercoaster surrogacy journey to become dads.
Multiples like to joke about how one is two or three minutes older. But in November 2021, identical twins Aria and Skylar, born to fathers Kyran Trodden and Ryan Morgan, entered the world simultaneously.
Trodden and Morgan are relishing every minute with their two babies, who were diagnosed with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) at 20 weeks gestation. TTTS happens when the blood flows unequally in the womb between twins who share a placenta, depriving one twin of blood. The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia estimates that it occurs in 10% to 15% of pregnancies with monochorionic-diamniotic twins.
The couple’s surrogate was rushed to hospital the same day, to have laser ablation surgery which was successful.
“It was terrifying. We were at risk of losing one or both,” Ryan said. “We’re just so grateful they’re both here.”
As the identical girls were delivered by their surrogate mother, they can be seen holding on to one another, positioned exactly as they were snuggled in the womb just seconds before.
Kyran and his fiancé Ryan said that it is a ‘dream come true’ and they are ‘truly blessed’.
Kyran said: “We were very anxious and scared but the hospital staff were absolutely amazing.
“Every week afterwards we had a scan to ensure they were doing ok.”
Their twin girls were born ten weeks early, arriving at 29 weeks on November 23, 2021 – long before their early February due date.
Skylar was born weighing just 2lbs 2oz with her sister Aria, weighing just 2lbs 4oz. Though the babies were born premature and spent several weeks in the newborn intensive care unit, or NICU, they are now home with their parents.
Kyran said: “The whole journey was amazing, we had our ups, downs, laughs and tears, and jam packed full of emotions. It really tested us, we felt every emotion.
“Obviously we went in to it thinking we were having one baby but at six weeks we found out it was actually twins which was an amazing shock.”
The couple who were due to marry September, 2020, but had to cancel due to lockdown, hope their story they will encourage more gay couples who want to become parents.
The couple added: “To our surrogate, we will be forever in debt to her and can’t thank her enough for the gift of two precious lives. We thank her so much, there are no words that can ever truly tell her how grateful we are.”
