After 20 Miscarriages, Chicago Couple Celebrates Son's First Birthday
A Chicago woman who suffered around 20 miscarriages over the years is now approaching her son's first birthday with her husband. The couple hopes their story will encourage others facing infertility.
Ranima and Fuad Haddad, a couple who have lived in Chicago for a decade, spent years trying to become parents, facing a path far more difficult than they had imagined. Shortly after marrying in 2014, Ranima became pregnant, but the pregnancy ended in miscarriage. Over the following years, she experienced roughly 20 pregnancy losses in total and buried two of her babies.
Years Without Answers
Ranima says the hardest part was not knowing why the pregnancies kept failing. Doctors were unable to identify a clear cause, which left the couple in prolonged uncertainty. Despite this, they refused to give up as long as there was still a chance.
In 2018, doctors recommended trying in vitro fertilization (IVF). The procedure produced about eight genetically healthy embryos. Still, setbacks continued: the first embryo transfer ended in a loss at nine weeks of pregnancy, and the second attempt also failed.
A Long-Awaited Arrival
Despite repeated disappointments, the couple kept hoping. In October 2025, following a pregnancy closely monitored by medical staff at every stage, their son Emanuel was born.
Now, as Emanuel approaches his first birthday, Ranima hopes to share her story to encourage other families dealing with infertility or pregnancy loss, emphasizing how meaningful it is when a long-awaited child finally arrives.
