A woman from Gqeberha, who initially expected to have to resort to expensive procedures for conception, is now expecting a baby girl in September after a natural pregnancy.
The Journey from Despair to Joy
Cari-Ann Bloom, 34, almost gave up because the R50,000 operation performed to remove endometriosis from her uterus did not result in a baby. When she and her husband JP accepted the idea that they would never have children and planned a year of concerts and a trip to Cape Town, they were surprised to discover she was pregnant.
Bloom is 33 weeks pregnant, and the couple plans to name the girl Lily. She had never seen a positive pregnancy test before January.
Diagnosis and Treatment
The couple started trying to conceive around 2021. After her husband was examined and found to be healthy, monthly cycles yielded the same result for four years. Bloom shares that every period overshadowed her day, causing a feeling of failure while watching pregnant women.
Attention turned to her, and an ultrasound of the uterus showed what her fertility doctor initially mistook for a cyst—it was endometriosis. This condition occurs when tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows outside of it, causing pelvic scarring and blockage of the fallopian tubes.
The World Health Organization estimates that this disease affects about one in ten women of reproductive age, and since diagnosis often requires laparoscopy, women often wait years to get confirmation.
Problems and Surgery
Pain has been a constant companion for Bloom since adolescence, and she was told she had to live with it. She recalls being told that painful periods were just part of womanhood, when in reality, it was a warning sign.
Last March, she underwent a laparoscopic surgery scheduled for an hour. However, the operation took almost two and a half hours. The surgeon discovered endometriosis in the abdominal fat tissue even before reaching the uterus and determined that one of her fallopian tubes was blocked.
After reviewing the video recording of the operation, which showed dark spots on her uterus, Bloom noted that these spots were 'burned out'. Medical insurance did not cover the bill. The couple paid about R20,000 before the operation, and then received an additional bill due to the length of the procedure, amounting to between R40,000 and R50,000.
Attempts and Retreat
Recovery required four or five incisions, hospital stays, and daily injections of anticoagulants into the abdomen near the wounds. Her husband, JP, could not help her get out of bed to use the toilet. She was told to expect pregnancy within six months, as the chances improved after removing deposits and opening both tubes.
However, nothing happened after six months. The next step was in vitro fertilization, and by then, years of attempts, cycle tracking, and monthly disappointment had strained the marriage. Bloom admitted that they were drifting apart because their intimacy was limited to trying to get pregnant.
Miracle in January
Around September, she told her husband she could no longer continue. In December, the couple had a good month without stress. In January, Bloom felt changes in her mood, and it was JP who asked her about her last period. She was two weeks late. Since the Clearblue tests ran out, she bought a store brand test, which showed a faint line. After visiting two stores, Clicks and Dis-Chem, she found a test that clearly displayed the word 'pregnant'. They looked at it, and she wondered if it was real.
Her advice to other women with endometriosis is to get tested and stop counting days. Fertility specialists warn that stress is not proven to be a cause of infertility, and relaxation is not a cure for this condition. She currently has no complications, and all tests have come back successfully. Birth is expected around mid-September. Bloom added that the sound of the baby's heartbeat will stay with her forever, and it will be a very special girl.
