Congrats are in order for a Real Housewives Of Potomac alumna. Nneka Ihim and her husband, Dr. Ikenna Ihim, are pregnant with their first child!
Source: Clifton Prescod / Bravo
The couple shared the news with PEOPLE, noting that their child will be born in May.
“It’s so exciting,” said Nneka. “I’ve always wanted to be a mom and for so long, it felt like the vision of having the family I desired wasn’t possible. But now my dreams of building a family are coming true, and it just feels so special.”
“I sometimes still have to pinch myself, it’s so surreal and shocking,” she added. “Even now I’m trying to plan my baby shower and I’m just like, ‘Wow, this is really happening for me.’ “
Nneka and Dr. Ikenna posed for maternity photos for PEOPLE, featuring Nneka glowing in a SKIMS bodysuit while holding her ultrasound.
Nneka Ihim Sadly Lost One Of Her Twins During This Pregnancy
The former Real Housewife of Potomac has been open about her fertility struggles and was seen on #RHOP going through intrauterine insemination (IUI), a.k.a. artificial insemination, which involves placing sperm directly into the uterus to increase the chances of pregnancy.
Source: Clifton Prescod / Bravo
She told PEOPLE that after two failed tries, she moved to in vitro fertilization and even looked into surrogacy.
After the third round of IVF, however, she learned she was expecting twins after implanting two embryos, a boy and a girl, but at her regular prenatal check-up for the eight-week mark, doctors told her she had lost one of them.
“We showed up for an appointment and one of the twins no longer had a heartbeat,” Nneka emotionally told PEOPLE. “So that was really, really hard. I mean, the second I walked out of my doctor’s office, I burst into tears.”
She added,
“We felt so super blessed when we learned it was twins. Here it was, after all that, and I had m heart’s desire: a boy and a girl. I said, ‘My God, you really came through for me!’ My first ultrasound, we saw the two gestational sacs with the two embryos there. The following week, we saw both their heartbeats. And then unfortunately, for reasons we still don’t even know, it was just one.”
Despite the tremendous loss, Nneka and Dr. Ikenna are excited about expanding their family, and they’re already planning for another baby.
“I know this isn’t the end for me,” said Nneka. “I’m already thinking about my next pregnancy, because I want to have a complete family that we desire and now I know that it’s possible. It may take a little longer than I anticipated, but at least our child will know that he or she is very much loved. Because we put up one heck of a fight to have to welcome them into this world.”
Congrats, Nneka!!!
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