A woman revealed that she was going through menopause and taking HRT when she decided to get pregnant again.
Lynn Beanland, 53, from Rhyl, Denbighshire, is now 23 weeks pregnant with her second child after years of heartache, determination and hope.
Lynn had eight miscarriages in 10 years with her factory worker husband, Martin, also 53, whom she met at 16 and married three years later in 1991.
But now her dream has finally come true after discovering a clinic in Cyprus called Miracle IVF, which offers IVF for women up to 53 years old.
She said: “I’m about to embark on a journey that most women my age wouldn’t dream of.”
“But this baby is the realization of a dream I’ve carried in my heart for years.”
A life in the military meant frequent moves and adventures, and the couple always assumed children would come “eventually.”
However, professional priorities, including setting up her business, Rebirth Garden, which specializes in skincare and floatation therapy, as well as other life turns, meant starting a family kept getting delayed.
Lynn Beanland, 53, from Rhyl, Denbighshire, revealed she was going through menopause and taking HRT when she decided to get pregnant again.
It wasn’t until 2001, when Lynn was 30, that she stopped taking birth control and hoped to conceive quickly.
When that didn’t happen, the couple sought medical attention. Even though there were no apparent problems, they struggled for years to conceive.
In 2011, at the age of 40, Lynn finally became pregnant naturally and her son Jaiden, now 12 years old, was born.
“Being a mother was everything I had dreamed of,” she remembers. But the desire to have a second child persisted.
Over the next decade, Lynn suffered eight miscarriages, each loss devastating but never enough to quash her desire to expand her family.
During that time, Lynn grew her business, teaching natural fertility techniques and providing menopause and infant loss support.
When she turned 52 in August 2023, many assumed she had moved on, especially since she was in the full swing of menopause and had started hormone replacement therapy (HRT). But Lynn wasn’t ready to give up.
After researching fertility options abroad, she discovered a clinic in Cyprus called Miracle IVF, which offers IVF for women up to 53 years old.
Lynn had eight miscarriages in 10 years with her factory worker husband, Martin, also 53, whom she met when she was 16 and married three years later in 1991.
Over the next decade, Lynn suffered eight miscarriages, each loss devastating but never enough to quash her desire to expand her family.
With just a few months left until her 52nd birthday, Lynn was barely within the clinic’s age range, so she needed to act quickly.
Since her eggs were no longer viable due to menopause, the couple opted for donor eggs combined with Martin’s sperm.
On July 19, 2024, they flew to Cyprus for the procedure. The treatment cost £11,000 and involved the ICSI procedure, where the sperm is injected directly into the center of the egg.
Once fertilized, the embryos are transferred to an incubator and, on the fifth day, the embryo implants into your uterus. Three embryos were transferred in total. The entire process lasted six days.
‘Fourteen days after I got home, on August 8, I took a pregnancy test. It was positive. “Martin and I were delighted,” Lynn remembers. ‘
“Then when I turned 53, I found out through an early scan that I was having twins. I couldn’t believe it. I can’t describe the happiness I felt: it was the best birthday gift I have ever had.
Tragically, she lost one of the babies at eight weeks, but the remaining baby continued to thrive.
Now halfway through her pregnancy, at 23 weeks, Lynn says she has never felt better. “I’m due on April 8 and it’s a boy,” she says with a smile. “It looks like an Easter miracle.”
In 2011, at the age of 40, Lynn finally became pregnant naturally and her son Jaiden, now 12, was born.
Not everyone has supported his decision. “Some people think I’m too old or that it’s selfish to have a baby at my age,” Lynn admits.
‘Others say they will confuse me with my son’s grandmother. I admit that every time I go out, I get a few stares.
People look at me and try to avoid eye contact. But I don’t care: it’s my baby and it’s my business. If people don’t like it, make it difficult!’
He refuses to let criticism dampen his joy. ‘This baby is wanted, loved and deeply appreciated. That’s all that matters.’
Lynn stays fit and healthy with diet and exercise and continues to work on her business when she can.
‘Interestingly, I now feel better with this pregnancy than with the first, when I was 40 years old. This time I have more energy and I am absolutely radiant.
‘I think it’s because being pregnant has given me back the hormones I lost during menopause and when I was in perimenopause when I was 40. “My hormones are racing and I feel 20 years younger.”
However, the pregnancy has not been without concerns. “I think about the future,” he admits.
After researching fertility options abroad, she discovered a clinic in Cyprus called Miracle IVF, which offers IVF for women up to 53 years old.
‘Will I be there to see him grow? Will I have the energy to keep up?’ But Lynn remains optimistic and draws strength from her son Jaiden, who is excited to meet his new brother.
For Lynn, this baby represents hope and perseverance. “Motherhood is not about age, but about love,” she says. “And I have a lot of love to give.”
As she prepares to welcome her second child, Lynn hopes her story inspires others to keep fighting for their dreams, no matter how impossible they seem.
‘This baby is my miracle and I wouldn’t trade this trip for anything. Anyway I still have more frozen embryos. You never know: you might even have another baby at 60. Never say never.’
By Sara Lain