Having a Baby After Injury

I received some of the best news of my life. My wife just told me she is pregnant.

I remember shortly after my injury in 2010, one of the biggest questions and concerns I had was whether I was still able to have kids. I was only 15 years old then, so I was nowhere near ready to have kids, but I knew I wanted them in the future. This is a common question that doctors are asked by patients who have recently sustained a spinal cord injury. Unfortunately, it's one they can't answer with certainty.

Each injury is unique, and everybody responds differently. However, in most cases, it is still possible to conceive after a spinal cord injury. My doctor told me that this was something I wouldn’t know if I could do or not until I tried, so I put it in the back of my head and focused on my recovery. As time passed and I started dating, the thought returned to my head. I knew I wanted to have a kid by age 30. I met my wife on an online dating app in 2022. We got married last year and recently celebrated our first anniversary.

We began trying in early 2024. After trying for months and not having success, we started looking into IUI and IVF. Thankfully, in today’s world, there are many alternative options out there to help with pregnancy. I know that for some couples, it happens quickly, and for others, it takes years. After not having any success, I started to feel hopeless and stressed. In my head, I had a timeline of when I wanted to have a kid, and it was getting close. I just turned 30, and my wife wasn’t even pregnant yet. It always makes me laugh when I stress out about something because it’s not happening in my timing, then all of a sudden, it happens, and I realize all the stress and anxiety was for nothing.

My wife and I started looking into IUI as our first option. The week we were both going to our appointments to take tests and get information on the next steps. My wife found out she was pregnant. We couldn’t believe it. My wife and I are so excited. I can’t wait to be a dad and add to our family. We just told our families over Thanksgiving. It was the perfect time to share the news; everyone was shocked and happy. My wife just finished her first trimester and is expected to have the baby in June 2025. We went in for the first ultrasound to see the baby and hear the heartbeat.

This is the best news I could have asked for, especially around the holidays. For anyone reading this who hopes to be in this position one day, don’t give up hope. It can happen, and it is possible to have children post-injury. I have accomplished so many things I didn’t think were possible after my injury, this being at the top of the list.