The woman received a uterus from a deceased donor and after a grueling round of IVF, she was pregnant!
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on July 2, 2021. It has since been updated.
Amanda Gruendell found out she would never be able to carry a child of her own when she was 16, and it's safe to say she was dejected. Her "biggest dream was to be a mom," states a GoFundMe page. Gruendell, from Utah, was born without a uterus—but she does have her ovaries—which prevented her from conceiving.
"It’s a bit of a process being diagnosed with such a rare birth anomaly," she shared in her blog. Sure, she could still become a mother if she chooses to adopt a baby or even have one via surrogacy, but back then, she was sure she wouldn't be able to experience pregnancy herself, according to Inside Edition.
"I moved to Arizona and got married," she shared, adding that she had begun to think of expanding her family around that time. "I went through an adoption that didn’t work out, then started a surrogacy journey that also didn't get very far." Soon, she started to have issues with her marriage, and it soon ended in a divorce. She relied on her friends to help her out of the dump she was in, and at that time, she was "nowhere near ready to pursue motherhood again."
Well, that was until one of her friends suggested something absolutely groundbreaking to her; "an opportunity that would be life-changing."
With each new day, there are some groundbreaking discoveries that are being made in the field of science, and one such innovation was a uterine transplant. The friend guided Gruendell in the direction of the Cleveland Clinic, where experts were conducting a groundbreaking trial program for the transplantation.
Soon enough, she was accepted into the trial, but "on Memorial Day just under two years ago, I got a phone call that would stop me in my tracks. My mom had been life-flighted to Salt Lake and was about to fight the battle of her life." Her mom, Janet, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Like Gruendell, Janet also doesn't give up that easily. "At the end of the day, I thank all of the lucky stars that my mom is doing wonderful and gets to be a part of my journey still."
Amanda was told she'd never experience pregnancy.
— Cleveland Clinic (@ClevelandClinic) August 2, 2021
A uterus transplant helped her become a mom shortly after losing her own mother to cancer.
Read her story: https://t.co/MyyiVyy9fY pic.twitter.com/QIqxVamhCo
In July 2020, the fertility coach and her best-friend-turned-husband John Gruendell announced, "It's also official that the next time we are back in Cleveland, it will be for the biggest surgery of my life. Much bigger than any procedure or small surgery I've ever had." Fast-forward several months and a grueling round of IVF, Gruendell was finally pregnant! She received a uterus from a deceased donor.
Amid the pandemic, in March 2021, Gruendell gave birth to a healthy baby girl. The little one weighed 6 lbs., 11 oz., and has been named Grace. Sadly, Janet died a short while before her daughter gave birth to Grace, but the name holds a special meaning as it's what her mom dreamt of. “I met your daughter. Her name is Grace, and she looks just like you,” Janet told her.
Now, the Utah woman feels her life has some meaning, even though she never thought this was possible. "I've waited my whole life to meet Grace," the mother said. John, his two teenage sons, Gruendell, and Grace, are all doing well, as they embark on a new journey together.
References:
https://gruendell.wixsite.com/mysite-1/post/wait-what-is-your-real-story
https://www.gofundme.com/f/miraclesforgruendell
https://www.instagram.com/p/CDDGz6CF_q9/
Representational Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Fly View Productions
