Baby shock for woman diagnosed with the menopause

Jan 28 2008 Western Mail

A WOMAN who feared she had symptoms of cancer but was diagnosed as beginning the menopause, spoke yesterday of her shock at giving birth just seven hours later.

Amanda Morgan had no idea she was pregnant when she doubled up with a crippling pain in the bathroom of her home in Neath.

Just moments later, she delivered 5lbs 6oz baby Caitlin without medical assistance to her astonishment and that of her partner, Chris, who was downstairs making some food at the time.

Fortunately a passing ambulance crew were at hand to tend to the new-born baby and cut the cord.

Little Caitlin was born three months premature and was put in a ventilator, but she was given a clean bill of health five weeks later.

Now 11 months old, the baby weighs 12lb 5oz.

The 42-year-old said, “It was such a shock – I’d had no morning sickness or tiredness and had absolutely no bump at all.

“And at 40 I thought my baby-making days were long gone. I thought I was no longer fertile. Looking back, it was obviously a big mistake.

“I’d put on about a pound in weight but just thought I’d been snacking too much.

“I had even had my usual monthly periods.”

The legal secretary said it was because of her heavy periods during her unknown pregnancy that she consulted her doctor.

“My mum died from cancer so I worried there was something seriously wrong,” she said.

“But I was very reassured when my doctor said I was experiencing the classic signs of the menopause. She then booked blood tests at hospital to check my hormone levels.”

The mother-of-three added, “Caitlin is Chris’s first baby, so he’s particularly thrilled.

“We had discussed having a baby, but because of my age, had decided against it.

“I’d chucked out all my old baby gear years ago, so we had a lot of shopping to do.

“Even now I look back on photos just a few weeks before I had her and cannot believe I was pregnant.”