Top-flight journey for IVF twins born early on holiday

Alix and Saran Raven-Sarai, from Baildon in West Yorkshire, conceived twins Tyler and Aliza after having IVF treatment in Thailand last December.

Mrs Raven-Sarai then unexpectedly went into labour six weeks early, while on holiday some 300 miles from home.

She said: “We needed to go and check my parents’ old house in Devon because we didn’t know when we would get back again.

“We were just going for three days but on the Saturday my waters broke.”

Son Tyler was born first at 3lb 13oz, at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, followed by daughter Aliza at 4lb 11oz.

To get the babies back to West Yorkshire, the family would ordinarily have had a six-hour ambulance journey – potentially swapping ambulances halfway through.

Instead, the twins were flown by the Embrace Yorkshire and Humber Infant and Children’s Transport Service from Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust, which has just begun offering the service with IAS Medical.

During the one-hour journey the babies, each secure in a pod, were accompanied by transport consultant Steve Hancock and two nurses.

On arrival at Leeds Bradford Airport the newborns were driven to Airedale Hospital to be reunited with their mother and father. Mrs Raven-Sarai said: “Steve was absolutely lovely, very kind. when I met him I thought ‘my babies have been in good hands with this man’.”

Dr Hancock, who has spearheaded the Sheffield Children’s NHS Foundation Trust’s bid to offer the airborne service, said: “We’re so pleased we were able to transport Tyler and Aliza back home safely. We wish the family luck and are delighted they were so pleased with their care.”