Woman who went through menopause at 20 has baby 15 years later: And she only found out she was pregnant 12 days before birth

  • Allison Noyce was told she could not have children after early menopause
  • The 36-year-old was afraid she had cancer when she felt lump in stomach
  • Instead, medics told her she was pregnant and she gave birth 12 days later
  • Mrs Noyce and husband were overcome with ’sheer joy’ at Sophie’s arrival
  • Doctors have no idea why the fitness instructor suddenly conceived
  • Most women experience menopause between the ages of 45 and 55

After going through the menopause aged 20, Allison Noyce was told she could never have children naturally.

So when she went to the doctor with stomach pains 15 years later, she was astonished to learn that she was pregnant – and the baby was due within days.

The 36-year-old was afraid she had cancer when she felt pain and found a lump in her stomach.

Instead, medics told her she was eight months pregnant, and just 12 days later she gave birth to daughter Sophie, who weighed 6lb 4oz.

Mrs Noyce said: ‘Sophie is truly a miracle. We simply couldn’t believe it when doctors said I was not only pregnant – but so close to delivery.’

The fitness instructor became alarmed when she felt unusually tired after one 40-mile bike ride.

She said: ‘Around the same time I noticed pains in my tummy, and over the past few weeks, I had thought I could feel a lump. Terrified, I booked an appointment with my GP.’ Her doctor believed the lump was ‘probably a large cyst’ and quickly sent Mrs Noyce to hospital for tests.

She was sure pregnancy was not a possibility because at the age of 30, after marrying her husband Richard, she had gone back to the doctor’s to double check that she would never conceive naturally.

She recalled: ‘Richard and I were worried it was something serious. So we were overcome with emotion when the woman doing an ultrasound said I was eight months pregnant. Relief that it wasn’t cancer and sheer joy that we were having a baby.

‘We were also in shock – when a midwife arrived to discuss birthing arrangements I thought I was dreaming.

‘In hindsight I’d had other signs, but put morning sickness down to a virus and tiredness down to being busy.’