Designer whose endometriosis sent her into menopause at age 27 shares struggle to get pregnant 

At nine months pregnant, Thessy Kouzoukas is like any expectant mother – excited to meet her new baby.

But the 28-year-old designer behind Sabo Skirt’s pregnancy journey has been far from easy like most.

The Sydney-based fashion designer recently opened up about her struggle to get pregnant – which she did via two rounds of IVF – on account of her crippling endometriosis, which sent her into the menopause at just age 27.

‘I once looked at myself and thought your body is broken,’ Thessy wrote in a candid Instagram post. ‘You don’t function like you’re supposed to. What a waste of a woman (sad but true).’

The Sydney-based fashion designer Thessy Kouzoukas (pictured) recently opened up about her struggle to get pregnant – which she did via two rounds of IVF

The reason why Thessy (pictured eight months pregnant) struggled to conceive is because she suffered with a crippling endometriosis that sent her into the menopause at age 27

The reason why Thessy (pictured eight months pregnant) struggled to conceive is because she suffered with a crippling endometriosis that sent her into the menopause at age 27

'I once looked at myself and thought your body is broken,' Thessy wrote in an Instagram post (pictured). 'You don't function like you're supposed to. What a waste of a woman (sad but true)'

‘I once looked at myself and thought your body is broken,’ Thessy wrote in an Instagram post (pictured). ‘You don’t function like you’re supposed to. What a waste of a woman (sad but true)’

What is endometriosis? 

* Endometriosis is present when the tissue that is similar to the lining of the uterus (womb) occurs outside this layer and causes pain and/or infertility.

* Two types of problems can occur when endometriosis is present – pain and infertility.

* There are three kinds of treatments for endometriosis – medical, surgical and complementary or alternative.

* Symptoms include pain around ovulation and with bowel movements, fatigue, heavy and irregular bleeding.

Source: Endometriosis Australia 

 

The 28-year-old announced her pregnancy in March, after undergoing a gruelling surgery to remove a 14 centimetre cyst in her left ovary in late 2017. 

Thessy had her left ovary and both her fallopian tubes removed after they were ravaged by the debilitating Stage 4 endometriosis.

She was later told that her only hope of conceiving was via IVF. 

‘I always thought of my reproductive system as my biggest flaw,’ the Sabo Skirt co-owner recalled.

‘Always so fragile and weak, always letting me down. My scars were constant reminders of the battle I felt I was constantly losing. With every setback, I let my fiancé down, my family down and future self down.’

The 28-year-old announced her pregnancy in March, after undergoing a gruelling surgery to remove a 14 centimetre cyst in her left ovary in late 2017

The 28-year-old announced her pregnancy in March, after undergoing a gruelling surgery to remove a 14 centimetre cyst in her left ovary in late 2017

'The top photo was my cyst which measured 13cm long and sat inside my left ovary. This was taken the day before surgery and the cyst was caused by my endometriosis,' she said 

‘The top photo was my cyst which measured 13cm long and sat inside my left ovary. This was taken the day before surgery and the cyst was caused by my endometriosis,’ she said 

Thessy underwent two rounds of IVF with her partner, Georgio Batsinilas, before getting pregnant.

Speaking about her struggle to her unborn daughter, she said: ‘You will never know how truly close I was to not being able to have life inside me.

‘If my daughter didn’t fight to stick in my broken womb at that particular time, I’m not sure how many more times my body could have undergone hormonal treatment (IVF).’

The 28-year-old said she could never ‘just hope and pray for a natural conception in the future, as it is not possible for me to every fall pregnant naturally’.

Thessy underwent two rounds of IVF with her partner, Georgio Batsinilas, before getting pregnant - because she could never get pregnant naturally

Thessy underwent two rounds of IVF with her partner, Georgio Batsinilas, before getting pregnant – because she could never get pregnant naturally

'Now when I look down and see my scars I think of how hard we all fought to be here, and how strong I was throughout the whole process even though I didn't know it at the time,' she said (pictured in hospital)

‘Now when I look down and see my scars I think of how hard we all fought to be here, and how strong I was throughout the whole process even though I didn’t know it at the time,’ she said (pictured in hospital)

However, now, rather than looking at her scars as something to be angry and ashamed about, Thessy said they tell a story.

‘Now when I look down and see my scars I think of how hard we all fought to be here, how strong I was throughout the whole process even though I didn’t know it at the time, how strong Georgio was and how incredibly close we got to losing this,’ she said.

Thessy concluded her heartfelt message by adding: ‘I can’t wait to see her for the first time and thank her one hundred times over for saving us’. 

Thessy concluded her heartfelt message by adding: 'I can't wait to see her for the first time and thank her one hundred times over for saving us' (pictured at 18 weeks and 34 weeks pregnant)

Thessy concluded her heartfelt message by adding: ‘I can’t wait to see her for the first time and thank her one hundred times over for saving us’ (pictured at 18 weeks and 34 weeks pregnant)

In the past, Thessy has spoken about how she found strength through her business partner and sister-in-law Yiota Kouzoukas, who gave birth to her first baby earlier this year despite also suffering from endometriosis.

‘When something significant in life gets you down it is so easy to just give up,’ Thessy said.

‘There is no point just saying I have a problem, this bad thing is happening to me, if you are not going to do anything about it.

‘I like to encourage all the other #endowarriors out there to try and work towards solutions with this disease, and now my baby is going to be proof that things are possible if you positively work towards a change.’

Thessy is due to give birth in September.



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