Monica Thompson had been trying to conceive for 16 years.
A 46-year-old woman gave birth just 24 hours after learning she was pregnant.
Monica Thompson, from Las Vegas, got the surprise of her life when she learned she was more than seven months pregnant – especially because she had been trying to conceive, without success, for years.
"It’s just total shock," she told Inside Edition.
Thompson had tried to conceive a child for 16 years with her husband, who died in 2016, before eventually giving up all hope.
"It was hard because all my friends were having kids and here I am, not having a baby," she said.
When she started experiencing stomach cramps at work, she thought she had the flu and went to urgent care.
"The doctor comes in and he asks, 'Do you think you might be pregnant?' I'm like, 'Haha, yeah right. There's no way. I’m too old to have children. I am probably going through menopause.'"
But a pregnancy test confirmed she was 7 1/2 months pregnant. Incredibly, she had been on a health kick and had recently lost 20 pounds.
"It's like hitting a brick wall," she said. "'You are having a baby now.'"
Her fiance, Jason, was stunned too, even asking, "Is this a joke? Are you kidding with me? What's going on?"
Just 24 hours later, she needed an emergency C-section. Her son, Jayden, weighed just 3 pounds, 9 ounces, and had to stay in hospital for more than a month.
Now he’s 11 months old, and happy and healthy.
Dr. Francis Banfro, a neonatologist, hugged Jayden when the family paid a recent visit to the University Medical Center in Las Vegas.
"We love you, OK?" Banfro told him.
The couple also greeted a nurse who had cared for Jayden in the neonatal ward.
"If it wasn't for this guy I probably wouldn’t have known half the stuff that was going on with my little boy," Jason said.
Clinical director Cathryn DeLee said a story like Thompson’s is rare but not unheard of.
"I have been doing labor and delivery for 27 years and it occasionally happens," she said.
But for this mom who never expected to be a parent, it’s a miracle.
"God actually answered my prayer that I wanted to be a mom," she said.
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