'Menopausal' woman realises she's pregnant 24 hours before delivering healthy baby

Washington, July 27: That moment when you hear the good news of being pregnant is extremely precious and life-changing. However, a woman from the United States, also wanted to experience the journey. But after struggling to conceive for 16 years with her late husband before his death in 2016, Monica gave up her all hopes. She thought to herself that she can never have children.

But something strange happened that shocked her only to find out when her medical reports revealed that she was 7.5 months pregnant. And after 24 hours of her life-changing news, she gave birth the next day to a healthy baby boy.

Baby Jayden was safely delivered, weighing 3lbs 9oz in the early hours of October 7, and was immediately rushed to the hospital's neonatal intensive care unit.

Monica had embarked on a new fitness regime and diet and dropped 20lbs during her pregnancy - which doctors said was good for her and the baby.

Monica, who is a cook by profession, met her current partner, Jason Ratliff in 2017 and she made it clear that she would never be a mother.

"When I turned 40 I became content with being a dog mom. I figured they could be my babies. I have a niece also and she's really special to me. When Kevin died in 2016, I put having a family out of my mind completely. I met Jason when we matched on an app and we really hit it off," she was quoted saying in media outlets, as her exceptional case was headlined.

The 40-year-old woman thought she was entering menopause, when she began to experience what she believed to be incontinence in September last year. It was a symptom of life change.

The woman was still menstruating each month, but noted that her periods were lighter and more irregular than usual.

In early October, she experienced nausea and cramping and left work early to visit medical care centre neaby. It was then, when her blood test revealed that Monica was pregnant and at a final stage to deliver.

The 40-year-old woman returned to work, the next day but at the end of her shift, she began to experience cramps and bleeding. She rushed to the hospital, where the doctors told her, she was in labour.

"I was shocked to learn I had been in labor all day. They did a vaginal exam to discover the source of the bleeding and they determined my amniotic sac had ruptured and I had been leaking fluid.

In fact, the fluid had been leaking for months and I had mistaken it for urine and incontinence associated with menopause. The doctor told me I needed an emergency C-section which was frightening," she said.

"I got to hold him for the first time a week later, and it was surreal. I thought 'Wow, I'm a mom'. It felt right. I felt complete," the new mother added.