KEY TOPICS: 4 pregnancies, miscarriage, hyperemesis gravidarum, genetic testing, IVF, secondary infertility, caesarean, female sterilisation
To complete Season 5, I’m thrilled to welcome back our first ever returning guest! Former nurse Tara Montegriffo recorded her daughter's birth story in November 2024 as part of Season 1. At that stage, she and her husband faced secondary infertility and a very uncertain future, as they tried to grow their family.
After the couple welcomed their daughter in 2021, they suffered two devastating losses – one in the second trimester, due to a genetic condition. As time passed without conceiving, they embarked on IVF treatment at a fertility clinic in Spain... and in this episode, Tara walks us through what happened next.
She describes the medical stages and genetic testing process, plus lifestyle approaches. Despite successfully becoming pregnant, Tara was unable to get excited due to first-hand experience of miscarriage... and the return of an old ‘friend’ – hyperemesis gravidarum. Her description of debilitating sickness and nausea is powerful – rendering her bed-bound and vomiting up to 30 times a day. She felt deep guilt at being unable to care for her daughter, and researched strong medications in a bid to manage the condition.
We discuss the huge contrast between an emergency and a planned caesarean, before the safe arrival of the couple’s second daughter in December 2025. Tara allowed herself a slower, more peaceful recovery too. We have an honest chat about introducing an older child to a new baby, and family planning decisions too.
Despite significant physical, emotional and financial challenges, it's encouraging to hear how Tara navigated secondary infertility and completed her family… as we complete season 5 of the podcast. I’m so grateful to Tara for returning to share the second chapter of her Gibraltar Birth Stories! (Recorded June 2026).
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