Roughly one in five couples will face challenges with conception at some point in their lives.
For many, it’s a painful and stressful experience, but as others can attest, perseverance and faith can eventually bring hope.
Desiree and Ryan Fortin spent years waiting patiently before turning to in-vitro fertilization, praying that it would finally help them conceive. Not long after undergoing IVF, they received the news they had been longing for — Desiree was pregnant. But what was growing inside her belly was something they could never have anticipated.
Desiree and Ryan, who first met in college, married in 2009 and had built a happy life together. Yet one major dream seemed out of reach — after years of trying, they couldn’t get pregnant.
Doctors diagnosed Desiree with polycystic ovarian syndrome, hypothyroidism, and low progesterone levels. For three long and emotionally draining years, the couple endured disappointment after disappointment before finally deciding to try IVF.
But instead of the positive test results they were hoping for, Desiree faced repeated heartbreak. Month after month, her period arrived, crushing their hopes all over again.
“It wasn’t just that I couldn’t get pregnant,” she later wrote about that difficult time.
“Infertility brought me more tears than I ever thought I could shed. I would lie on my bathroom floor, completely empty, after seeing one negative pregnancy test after another. I had to go through shots, bruises, and endless medications — because when you’re infertile and turn to fertility treatments, that’s the reality. It’s expensive, exhausting, and takes a toll on you physically, emotionally, and mentally.”
So when the couple finally heard that their first round of IVF had worked, they were beyond ecstatic.
And when they went in for their ultrasound, they were in total disbelief — there wasn’t just one baby, but three. Desiree was carrying triplets.
However, the journey was still far from over.
Even though she was finally pregnant, doctors warned Desiree that her body might not be able to carry all three babies to term. “I was too thin, too short, and it was my first pregnancy,” she recalled being told. “But my hope and faith proved them wrong.”
In the summer of 2015, at 34 weeks and one day, Desiree delivered their triplets by C-section.
The Fortins welcomed Sawyer, Jack, and Charlize — each weighing over five pounds — into the world.
“I’ll never forget the day I gave birth,” Desiree told Today. “Like everything about parenthood, it came with unexpected turns. After the triplets were delivered, Ryan went with them to the NICU, and I was taken to recovery.”
Desiree faced complications and heavy bleeding that required emergency surgery, so she wasn’t able to hold her babies right away. But Ryan FaceTimed her so she could see their three little miracles. After two weeks in the neonatal intensive care unit, all three babies were healthy enough to come home.
Life with three newborns was a blessing — but also a challenge.
“We feel so blessed, but parenting is hard work. It’s a huge responsibility caring for three tiny humans,” Desiree said. “All of them had severe reflux and colic — times three. Getting into a rhythm was tough, and keeping our relationship strong amid sleepless nights and constant crying was even harder.”
Now, the triplets are seven years old, and the family is thriving.
Desiree continues to share their story and everyday adventures on her Instagram page, which has grown to over 150,000 followers.
“I never imagined God would use our story to reach so many people,” she shared. “It’s been an incredible experience.”
Recently, Desiree announced even more joyful news — she and Ryan are expecting another baby, soon to become a family of six.
Thank you, Desiree, for sharing your journey so openly. Your story brings hope to so many couples still struggling with infertility, reminding them that miracles can happen in the most unexpected ways.