FAMILY AFFAIRS
I found out I had a long-lost twin brother – I was even more shocked to learn he was seven years older than me
It wasn't the only surprise reunion Isabel went through on the TV show Born From The Same Stranger
IT'S one thing to discover you have a long-lost brother, it's quite another to learn that you're also twins with a seven year age gap.
Isabel Paterson was reunited with her long-lost twin, Colin, 32, after deciding to track down her genetic mother who donated her embryo thirty years ago.
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Marie Flatekval and Colin Tortoise, Isabel's genetic parents had three eggs implanted and froze six.
Following fertility treatment, Marie donated a spare embryo to a childless couple, and Isabel was born.
However, the 26-year-old, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, got more than she bargained for when she found out about her genetic twin - who also turned out to be seven years older than herself.
Despite being born at different times, they are classed as twins as they are from the same batch of embryos but if they had been born at the same time, they would have been twins.
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Isabel also found out that she had a half-brother, Omar, on ITV's four-part series, Born From The Same Stranger, which started airing on Monday.
Speaking on the programme, narrated by Davina McCall, Isabel said: "'It's such a strange feeling... it's better than I imagined."
The new series follows donor children, of which there are more than 70,000 in the UK, and their hope to trace their long-lost relatives.
Isabel also has a brother, Tom, who she grew up with but shares no genetic relation to.
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The young woman was stunned to find out she had a twin, after setting out to find her genetic parents, as she thought she was the only child from the batch of eggs.
Colin admitted it was a shock too, as when he looked at Isabel he could see many similarities, with the two of them having the same eyes.
He said: "I was just taken completely aback that I had a full genetic sibling that we'd never known about.
"I couldn't sleep for days thinking about it!'
While Isabel was able to meet her genetic mum, her dad had unfortunately passed away in 2001.
'WE FORGOT'
Isabel was able to track down Marie in Norway after she sent a letter introducing herself.
Getting in touch was a decision Isabel thought long and hard about.
She explained: "If they said to me, they don't want any contact at all, I absolutely respect that."
But Marie was thrilled to meet Isabel and revealed she had donated the eggs and forgot about them after so many years.
She added: "We decided to donate and we forgot about them. It is a tremendous, big surprise.
"It's like some dear gem that's come back to you after being lost for a long time."
Donors could remain completely anonymous and were paid around £15 per donation.
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But in 2005, a new law changed that and it meant children could apply for details to help identify their biological parents from the age of 18.
The third instalment of the TV show Born From The Same Stranger will air tonight at 9pm on ITV1 and ITVX.
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Who do women freeze their eggs?
Women freeze their eggs for a variety of reasons - including not having a partner.
This gives them a back-up plan for when they find "the one" they want to start a family with.
Wannabe mums choose to go down this route due to career plans, waiting longer to have children while focusing on work.
And for others it's all about finances.
Women undergoing treatment, such as chemotherapy, or suffering from illnesses, also have the choice to freeze their eggs, in case of infertility in the future.
In 2017, singer Rita Ora shared that she had frozen her eggs while she was healthy.
She said, ahead of her 27th birthday: "I have always wanted a big family and my doctor asked me, 'I think you should freeze your eggs when I was in my early 20s', that is what he said to me.
“He has been my family doctor for a long time and he said you are healthy now and it would be great, why not put them away and then you never have to worry about it again?”
She added that she knew she was young to be doing it but "wanted to really be safe",
But all-in-all women choose to freeze their eggs to give them a better chance of getting pregnant in the future.
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