Rothwell couple who had IVF twins set for first Father's Day

For one Rothwell couple, Christmas Day will never feel the same again.
Father's Day: Rothwell: First fathers day with IVF twins Amie and Evie, born on Christmas Day 3 months premature. Dad Marc Owen, 38, with twins Amie and Evie, and mum Cheryl Hutchins, 33. 

Tuesday June 14, 2016 NNL-160614-195050009Father's Day: Rothwell: First fathers day with IVF twins Amie and Evie, born on Christmas Day 3 months premature. Dad Marc Owen, 38, with twins Amie and Evie, and mum Cheryl Hutchins, 33. 

Tuesday June 14, 2016 NNL-160614-195050009
Father's Day: Rothwell: First fathers day with IVF twins Amie and Evie, born on Christmas Day 3 months premature. Dad Marc Owen, 38, with twins Amie and Evie, and mum Cheryl Hutchins, 33. Tuesday June 14, 2016 NNL-160614-195050009

Imagine the scene. Marc Owen and Cheryl Hutchins, who is six months’ pregnant, settle down on Christmas Eve to watch a film.

The presents are wrapped, the turkey is defrosting, the table is set, and then bang – they’ve suddenly got twins to cope with.

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That’s a story in itself. But the couple, who are engaged, were only able to conceive after two rounds of IVF treatment.

Father's Day: Rothwell: First fathers day with IVF twins Amie and Evie, born on Christmas Day 3 months premature. Dad Marc Owen, 38, with twins  Evie and Amie, and mum Cheryl Hutchins, 33. 

Tuesday June 14, 2016 NNL-160614-194946009Father's Day: Rothwell: First fathers day with IVF twins Amie and Evie, born on Christmas Day 3 months premature. Dad Marc Owen, 38, with twins  Evie and Amie, and mum Cheryl Hutchins, 33. 

Tuesday June 14, 2016 NNL-160614-194946009
Father's Day: Rothwell: First fathers day with IVF twins Amie and Evie, born on Christmas Day 3 months premature. Dad Marc Owen, 38, with twins Evie and Amie, and mum Cheryl Hutchins, 33. Tuesday June 14, 2016 NNL-160614-194946009

With daughters Evie and Amie almost six months old, dad Marc, 38, is set to experience Father’s Day for the first time this Sunday (June 19) – and he cannot wait. He said: “I’m so excited by it, it’s quite emotional.

“You keep on thinking that it might never happen. My brother’s got kids and it’s always at the back of your mind.

“We decided to watch a movie at about midnight and Cheryl turned to me and said “I’m soaking!” and that she had some pains.

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“Next thing you know we’re in hospital and she’s having an emergency C-section.

Father's Day: Rothwell: First fathers day with IVF twins Amie and Evie, born on Christmas Day 3 months premature. Dad Marc Owen, 38, with twins  Evie and Amie, and mum Cheryl Hutchins, 33. 

Tuesday June 14, 2016 NNL-160614-194946009Father's Day: Rothwell: First fathers day with IVF twins Amie and Evie, born on Christmas Day 3 months premature. Dad Marc Owen, 38, with twins  Evie and Amie, and mum Cheryl Hutchins, 33. 

Tuesday June 14, 2016 NNL-160614-194946009
Father's Day: Rothwell: First fathers day with IVF twins Amie and Evie, born on Christmas Day 3 months premature. Dad Marc Owen, 38, with twins Evie and Amie, and mum Cheryl Hutchins, 33. Tuesday June 14, 2016 NNL-160614-194946009

“I was so excited I even got told off in the operating theatre.”

The couple had already been through one failed round of IVF treatment on the NHS before deciding to go private with Care Fertility’s branch in Northampton.

The treatment cost them about £7,000, but Marc says it was worth every penny.

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He added: “Because of the science behind the IVF it was too much for us to understand. As you go through every stage of the process the chances [of conceiving] drop so we put two embryos back as we’d already had a couple of scares.

“It just so happened that they both worked!

“They [Care Fertility] been absolutely brilliant.

“Without them none of this would have happened.”

Evie was born first at 3.01am weighing 2lb 14oz, with Amie born a minute later weighing 2lb 11oz.

The twins were in hospital until February, but are now home and healthy.

Mum Cheryl, 33, said: “We went for one round of IVF but that failed so we decided to go for it again as soon as we were able to.

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“The failure was hard to take as we put so much effort and emotion into it but we stayed positive.

“We wanted it so much and paid extra for things that would increase our chances. It cost us about £7,000 all in.

“Marc is so excited about his first Father’s Day.

“Our lives have changed forever and we love it.”

According to the NHS website, 32.2 per cent of IVF treatments for women under 35 resulted in a live birth.

Care Fertility Northampton’s clinic director Judith Byrne said: “We were really pleased to hear that following treatment with us at Care Northampton, Cheryl and Marc had a positive pregnancy test.

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“It was fantastic news when their twins Evie and Amie arrived safely.

“It’s a pleasure to have been able to help them achieve their family and allow Marc to celebrate Father’s Day for the very first time.

“We wish them lots of happiness together and are sure Marc will have the best Father’s Day ever.”

The first IVF baby in the world was Louise Brown, who was born in Oldham in July 1978.

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