A mother-of-two has revealed her shock at finding she was pregnant with twins – despite taking the morning-after pill following a one-night stand.
Holly Firth, 29, from Ayrshire, Scotland, was attending a family friends wedding on July 9 last year when she had a romantic liaison with another guest.
The bank worker went to take the morning-after pill the next day and thought nothing more of it until the smell of her air freshener at the office started to make her feel sick two weeks later.
The sickness prompted Holly to take a pregnancy test and on August 7, 2024, she was shocked to discover that she was pregnant.
Holly then attended a six-week scan appointment that showed she was pregnant with one baby.
But she was in for another shock two weeks later when she went to her eight-week scan – and discovered she was actually carrying twins.
The single mother later found that because she had already ovulated before taking the morning-after pill, it became ineffective – something that isnt uncommon with the emergency contraception.
Her twin girls, Charlotte Firth and Rose Firth, were born via planned C-section on February 27.
Holly Firth, 29, from Ayrshire, Scotland, had a one-night stand at a friends wedding which landed her with twins – as her morning-after pill didnt work for a little-known reason
Holly believes the pregnancy was meant to be and now cant imagine her life without the twins.
She is raising the identical twins as a single mother, and says that while the twins father has chosen to have no involvement, the door will always be open if he wants to reach out in the future.
Holly said: When I found out I was pregnant I burst into tears. It was just utter shock.
I went for a scan at six weeks and the picture showed just one baby. I went back two weeks later and thats when I found out there were twins.
Obviously that came as a shock – I was single and I didnt know the guy.
I remember going out for dinner that night with my mum and dad and saying to them that it meant double the love. I knew from then that it was meant to be.
Holly says the morning after pill has worked for her previously and she didnt realise when she went to get it that it can be ineffective if taken after ovulation has already taken place.
Holly said: Ive taken the morning after pill for other reasons in the past and its never failed me before, so I thought it would be absolutely fine.
Her twin girls, Charlotte Firth and Rose Firth, were born via planned C-section on February 27
Holly believes the pregnancy was meant to be and cant imagine her life without the twins
Holly was attending a family friends wedding when she had a romantic liaison with a guest
The 29-year-old was shocked to discover she was actually pregnant with twins after attending her eight-week scan appointment
Be the first to commentBe one of the first to commentDid you know timing could affect how the morning-after pill works?
Ive since found out however that it doesnt work if youve already ovulated, which they didnt tell me when I went to get it.
My period was actually due the day after the wedding so I had definitely already ovulated and I think thats why it didnt work.
The identical twins were born five weeks early via planned C-section on February 27, Charlotte Firth weighing 4lb 12oz and Rose Firth weighing 4lb 8oz.
Holly, who has wanted to be a mother since primary school, believes that falling pregnant was meant to be.
While the twins father hasnt had any involvement yet, she says the door will always be open should he want to get in touch in the future.
Holly said: I wasnt planning to get pregnant – Id been single for four years.
Id been single for so long that I genuinely didnt think that I was going to have kids.
I wouldnt have it any other way – regardless of if it was from a one night stand or from a relationship – Ive got the girls and I wouldnt have them if it didnt happen.
The sickness prompted Holly to take a pregnancy test and on August 7, 2024, she was shocked to discover that she was pregnant
Holly found out she was expecting twins at her eight-week scan appointment
Holly, who has wanted to be a mother since primary school, believes that falling pregnant was meant to be
The identical twins were born five weeks early via planned C-section on February 27, Charlotte Firth weighing 4lb 12oz and Rose Firth weighing 4lb 8oz
While the twins father hasnt had any involvement yet, she says the door will always be open should he want to get in touch in the future
Holly says she cant imagine life without her girls and she said if her twins ever want to meet their father she would be happy for them
I wouldnt have it any other way – regardless of if it was from a one night stand or from a relationship – Ive got the girls and I wouldnt have them if it didnt happen.
I remember seeing them for the first time and feeling such an amount of love that Id never felt before in my entire life.
I cant imagine my life without them now. Were going to be the three musketeers for the rest of our lives.
I have said to the dad that the door will always be open for him, if he ever wants it.
He hasnt used it yet, but if the girls ever want to reach out there will be ways of doing that.
If thats what they want then as long as theyre happy, Im happy.
What is the emergency contraceptive pill?
The emergency contraceptive pill, sometimes called the morning after pill, can stop a pregnancy happening after sex without contraception or if contraception fails.
You need to take it within 3 or 5 days after sex, depending on the type of pill.
The sooner you take an emergency pill, the more likely it is to work.
It works by preventing or delaying ovulation (the release of an egg), and may also prevent fertilization or implantation.
There are two main types: pills with levonorgestrel and pills with ulipristal acetate.
The morning after pill can fail for several reasons, including taking it too late, ovulation happened before you took the pill, vomiting within a few hours of taking it, weight, or interactions with other medications.
