Marina Selim, 30, who was told she would never have children due to early menopause, has given birth to triplets. She and her husband Bishoy Salib, 33, welcomed non-identical triplets Miracle, Levi, and Suriel on November 28 last year. The couple described the birth as something they believed they would never achieve after Marina was diagnosed with a 'significantly diminished ovarian reserve'.
Diagnosis and struggles
After months of unsuccessful attempts to conceive and missed periods, Marina consulted a doctor. Tests revealed it was highly unlikely she would ever naturally conceive without egg donation. Her anti-Müllerian hormone level was 0.2 picomoles per litre, far below the normal range of 8-65 for her age. Bishoy's semen analysis came back normal. Medics said she was ineligible for NHS fertility treatment unless her levels reached above 5.4.
Bishoy said: 'We tried to have babies from the beginning, we just thought it was normal... We never thought at all that there was anything wrong.' He added: 'I kept telling her, we walk by faith, not by sight.'
Faith and refusal of egg donation
Doctors suggested egg donation as a realistic route, but the devout Coptic Orthodox Christian couple, who are Egyptian, could not consider it. Bishoy told the specialist: 'We are Christians and we still believe in miracles.' He repeated this to the GP, asking to be remembered.
The couple kept trying even after Marina's periods stopped in February 2025. On May 19, 2025, after a trip to watch Liverpool vs Brighton, Bishoy urged Marina to take a pregnancy test. She initially refused, but the next morning the test came back positive. Marina was shocked, shaking, and did the test five times before telling Bishoy.
The surprise of triplets
A scan at Brighton Hospital revealed Marina was expecting not one but three babies. Bishoy said: 'It's definitely a miracle. There is not any other explanation.' The triplets were delivered safely on November 28 at Royal Sussex Hospital. Bishoy noted that doctors have yet to provide a medical explanation for how the pregnancy occurred. He said: 'They don't understand, honestly. None of them get it.'
