Unique Circumstances in Taylor Greenhagen’s IVF Journey

Taylor Greenhagen, a dental hygienist from Kansas City, Missouri, has shared her unique fertility journey resulting in her son, Owen, and daughter, Dylan, being conceived simultaneously but born three years apart. She lives with her husband, Justin, a pharmacist, and their two children.

Greenhagen emphasizes the close bond between her children, noting that Owen, aged 3, has been a caring big brother since Dylan, now 7 months old, entered their lives. She believes the challenges she faced during her fertility treatment were worthwhile, given the relationship her children share.

“Owen has been the sweetest big brother from the very beginning,” Greenhagen told Newsweek. “Dylan absolutely adores him and lights up whenever she’s watching him. They’re still little, but I like to think they’re already best friends.”

Greenhagen’s journey involved turning to in vitro fertilization (IVF) due to her struggles with anovulatory polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). She is one of approximately 250,000 Americans annually seeking IVF to conceive. After several unsuccessful medicated cycles and intrauterine inseminations (IUIs), Greenhagen and her husband opted for IVF as their best chance to grow their family.

Although grateful for the support from her fertility clinic and husband, Greenhagen describes the IVF process as demanding in physical, emotional, and mental terms. The experience led her to achieve her dream of becoming a mother to two children, whom she refers to as “fraternal twins” for reasons linked to the IVF procedure.

Explaining how IVF works, Greenhagen said: “After an egg retrieval, the eggs are fertilized and monitored in the lab for about five to six days to see which ones develop into embryos. We were fortunate to have eight embryos, and they all grew side by side in the lab.”

Within the IVF community, children from the same embryo cohort are affectionately called ‘fraternal twins.’ Though not twins biologically, this term acknowledges their simultaneous conception and shared initial development before being transferred at different times.

Greenhagen believes this connection has fostered a special bond between Owen and Dylan, describing Owen’s connection with Dylan as profound. Their relationship’s growth reflects, according to her, an almost pre-existing bond.

“Ever since we brought Dylan home, Owen has had a connection with her that’s hard to put into words,” Greenhagen said. “It’s almost like they already knew each other before they ever met. Maybe that’s just a mom’s perspective, but there’s something really special about watching their relationship grow.”

Highlighting the uniqueness of each fertility journey, Greenhagen offers advice to others considering IVF. She recommends being kind to oneself, building a support system, and advocating for oneself throughout the process.

Greenhagen adds, “Choosing IVF is an act of hope. You’re doing something incredibly brave because of how deeply you love the family you’re trying to build. There will be hard days, but there can also be so much hope.”