- Breanna had a history of PMOS, when she ended up in hospital with a painful 12cm cyst
- Doctors were discussing surgery, when a blood test revealed she was also pregnant after years of being told she’d have trouble conceiving
- The pregnancy meant Breanna could no longer have the surgery and while the cyst continued to grow in her belly, it began to take up more space than her bub!
Here Breanna Lee Gaut, 33, Guanaba, Qld, tells her story in her own words
The gynaecologist’s words felt like a cruel joke.
‘I think you could be pregnant, and we need you to have an ultrasound as soon as possible,’ they said.
I let out a bittersweet laugh. I’d just had a blood test ahead of possible surgery to remove a 12cm cyst from my right ovary that doctors feared could be cancerous.
Having suffered from PMOS (polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome) since I was 19, I’d been told I’d likely never have a baby.
For years, my partner Jakson, then 33, and I had hoped for a miracle – but the good news never came.
Then in December 2024, aged 31, I started experiencing severe pelvic pain that left me bent over in agony.
That’s when an ultrasound had exposed the mass on my ovary, and I was referred to Gold Coast University Hospital for further testing and a possible op.
‘This is terrifying,’ I wept to Jakson, hugging my pelvis tight to relieve some of the pain.
READ MORE: I was paralysed by pregnancy but here’s why I wouldn’t change a thing!
Now, as the specialist told me my pregnancy hormone levels were really high, I thought there must be a simple explanation.
It’s another weird symptom of this cruel condition, I thought.
Still, I went in the next day for a scan at the hospital. And there it was as clear as day…
The sonographer pointed at the screen, explaining it showed a fluid sack which meant I was definitely pregnant.
‘You’re about four weeks along,’ she said.
‘I’ve been trying to fall pregnant for years. There’s no way I’m miraculously pregnant now,’ I gasped.
It wasn’t until my gynaecologist sat me down and went through the scan and blood test results, that I finally believed there really was a tiny bub growing in my belly.
READ MORE: ‘He’s still perfect’ – The rare condition that made my baby’s leg fall off in the womb
But the joyful news had implications.
It meant leaving the cyst on my ovary and monitoring it throughout my pregnancy, as surgery could cause complications for our baby.
Naturally I was worried, but I didn’t dwell on the negatives.
Back home, I burst into happy tears as I shared the news of my pregnancy with Jakson and my family.
For 14 weeks, things progressed smoothly, aside from a little morning sickness.
Weekly scans showed that the cyst on my ovary was stable too.
But in week 18 of my pregnancy, something strange happened.
READ MORE: ‘I couldn’t choose’: Mum defied doctors’ advice to save her twin girls
A surge in hormones caused the cyst to grow to a shocking 18cm wide.
‘We have to operate or there will be no room for the baby to grow,’ my gynaecologist told me, concerned, adding that the development could be life-threatening to the bub.
Two weeks later, I was admitted to hospital for surgery.
I trembled with anxiety, but my doctor reassured me they’d do everything they could to keep me and my unborn baby safe.
During a scan beforehand, I was told I was expecting a baby boy.
The news gave me a burst of joy as I was prepped for the op.
However, waking four hours later in excruciating pain, I was given some difficult news.
‘I’m afraid the cyst had ruptured in your body and attached itself to your uterus and bowel,’ the surgeon told me.
My bub had survived the explosion in my belly, but what was meant to be a simple two-hour procedure ended up taking much longer and involved multiple specialists.
During the op, the medics were forced to remove my right ovary.
‘This significantly reduces your chances of getting pregnant again,’ my gynaecologist explained.
I was heartbroken, but it gave me reason to give this pregnancy my all, and bring my baby into the world safely.
But at 28 weeks, I was faced with yet another challenge. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes (GD) – a temporary type of high blood sugar.
‘This is just another hurdle we have to overcome,’ Jakson consoled me. ‘We will get through this.’
From then on, I needed fortnightly scans to monitor the baby and – at 39 weeks – I was told that labour needed to be induced.
I desperately wanted a natural delivery, as a caesarean would mean reopening wounds from my previous surgery.
But after 12 hours I was dilated only 2cm and the birth was hardly progressing.
‘I’m exhausted,’ I sighed, flopping onto my side, sweat dripping from my forehead.
It was time to consider plan B.
At that moment, my gynaecologist who performed my cyst removal surgery walked into the room.
She’d heard about my ongoing ordeal and offered to deliver my baby. Having a familiar face there really helped calm my nerves.
I knew she would take care of me.
Twenty minutes later, our baby boy was on my chest, letting out his first cry. A wave of euphoria rushed through me.
‘That’s our little Rhylen,’ Jakson grinned, trying out the name we’d decided on and playing with our bub’s little cheeks.
Our miracle baby was healthy and, after tests to check for his blood sugar levels, we took him home three days later.
Today, Rhylen is five months old and has become our entire world.
Our boy is cheeky, like me, and a little stubborn like his dad – and we wouldn’t have him any other way.
‘I still can’t believe you are here finally after so many years of wishing for you,’ I tell him.
I have a simple message for anyone who’s been told they won’t have a baby.
Don’t give up.
Because, like me, your miracle may just be around the corner!
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