At just 19 years old, Hayley Haynes from London, England, was told she would not be able to have children. After passing puberty without ever getting her period, she decided to check with doctors, who gave her some shocking news. Even though Hayley never felt different, she didn't have ovaries, fallopian tubes, or a uterus.

Specialists also informed Hayley that she was born with XY chromosomes, making her technically male, and diagnosed her with androgen insensitivity syndrome. "When they told me I had no womb, I was so confused I felt sick. My biggest fear was never having children. Suddenly a huge piece of my life was missing," Hayley said.

Hayley eventually married her childhood friend Sam, with whom she shared her infertility struggles early on. They both had their hearts set on having a family, and that finally became a possibility after a doctor discovered something others had missed in the past — a small uterus. "It was only a few millimeters, but it was a start. He was optimistic it would grow. I still couldn't conceive naturally, but I could have the option of IVF," she told the Mirror.

After rigorous hormone treatment, she started IVF treatment in 2011, three years after her uterus was discovered. "I was so nervous. We only had one shot and couldn't afford to go through it all again. I desperately wanted to be a mother and knew if there were no viable eggs or the implantation wasn't successful, I'd be distraught." Only two of the 13 eggs harvested were viable for implantation, and she had only a 60% chance of getting pregnant.

The IVF proved successful when the couple discovered what they never thought possible — they were pregnant. They got even better news when scans showed they were expecting non-identical twin girls. The couple met their miracle babies on Christmas Eve, when Hayley gave birth to Darcey and Avery.

"Becoming a mother was the single most amazing moment of my life. When I held the babies in my arms for the first time, I was overwhelmed. I had spent nine years coming to terms with the fact this might never happen, but in that moment all the pain just washed away."

NEXT: After Hitting Menopause at 20, Woman Has Miracle Baby at 35 »

This story originally appeared on WomansDay.com

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[via Telegraph.com

Marlisse Cepeda Web Editor Marlisse is the Web Editor of WomansDay.com, and she hails from Bronx, NY.

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