Like many soon-to-be parents Emily Jordan and her husband Mike were excited, yet slightly worried about their pregnancy. The situation was a bit complicated and though there have been several cases like theirs it was still unique. Jordan’s mother was going to give birth to their child.
At a young age Jordan was diagnosed with cervical cancer and in 2010 she had radical hysterectomy surgery scheduled. She and her husband realized that since the life-saving surgery meant her cervix would be removed, she would be unable to carry a child. At the last moment right before the surgery, her doctor also discovered that she was pregnant.
The news was devastating to her and the family, but there was a silver lining. While she lost that pregnancy, Jordan was able to keep her ovaries which gave the couple the opportunity to have a child through in vitro fertilization. The next issue was to find a surrogate, but thankfully they didn’t have to look far.
Jordan’s mother, Cindy Reutzel, offered to carry the couple’s baby.
At first the couple was hesitant because of Reutzel’ age, but after many medical tests it was determined she was physically and mentally fit to carry her daughter’s baby.
Reutzel said she was happy to be a surrogate because she wanted to be able to give her daughter the same gift she received when she had Jordan many years prior, a special, motherly connection with another human being.
This is not the first time a mother gave birth to her daughter’s baby, and thanks to modern medicine and selfless women, this probably won’t be the last.
