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Keys to the door for Test Tube twins!
ONE of South Yorkshire's first set of test tube twins have celebrated their 21st birthdays.
Annelise and Thomas Eccles, of South Avenue in Swinton, were born following IVF treatment in 1989 and fulfilled their parents long-held dream of becoming a mum and dad.
Their mum Anne Eccles lost twins in 1978 after suffering an ectopic pregnancy and doctors told her she would never be able to have children.
But Anne, and her husband Brian, heard about a 'test tube' baby being born in Manchester so they wrote to the city's St Mary's Hospital asking if they could be considered for IVF treatment.
They were put on the waiting list and in 1986 were accepted for treatment. After a second implant in January 1989, Anne became pregnant.
Annelise and Thomas were born two months prematurely at Nottingham City Hospital's Special Care Baby Unit, on August 15, 1989.
Thomas arrived first weighing in at 3lbs 14oz and Annelise followed eight minutes later, weighing 3lbs 11oz.
Step forward two decades and the twins celebrated turning 21 with a family meal at Taybarns in Barnsley.
Anne said: "It was really rare at the time and I think there had only been about 100 test tube babies born, and doctors said we were one of the first to have them in this area.
"After my ectopic pregnancy I was absolutely gutted when they said we couldn't have kids.
"I felt like my world had fallen apart because after getting married the next thing you want is kids.
"But we read about a test tube baby been born and it was like a ray of hope. We managed to get the treatment, and I was so happy when I became pregnant.
"I'm really proud of Thomas and Annelise, they are both really polite nice young people."
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Friday 10 February 2012
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