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#I’m having my twin sister’s baby

#I’m having my twin sister’s baby

Identical twins Amy Fuggiti and Courtney Essenpreis have done everything together over the years, whether it was attending the same college, playing their favorite sports of softball and basketball or grabbing coffee every morning.

Now the sisters’ bond has been further strengthened through an incredible act of generosity — Courtney is carrying Amy’s longed-for baby.

“I didn’t even have to ask her to be our surrogate,” Amy told The Post. “We’re so intrinsically tied, it felt like something that was supposed to happen.”

The 36-year-old Chicagoans, who shared their story on the podcast “Pregnantish,” can’t wait for the arrival of the little girl in October.

She is the result of IVF paired with a procedure known as PGT-M, or pre-implantation genetic testing for monogenic/single gene defects. It’s a complex test of an embryo that’s meant to reduce the risk of having a child with a genetic condition.

Amy and Courtney — who are so-called mirror twins, with matching freckles on opposite sides of their faces, and one is right handed and the other left handed — have the chromosomal disorder Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome. In their case, it caused them to be diagnosed with glaucoma at the age of 12, extreme symptoms of which include blindness and heart abnormalities.

Courtney Essenpreis and Amy Fuggiti
Amy Fuggiti, right, cradles sister Courtney Essenpreis, who is carrying Fuggiti’s longed-for baby.
Roger Kisby

There’s a 50 percent chance the women’s offspring would inherit the potentially debilitating condition, and genetic testing was the way forward. The pricey procedure involves screening embryos in the lab and only transferring those without the disorder. However, an extra complication for Amy was the way her uterus had rejected healthy embryos in the past.

“I’ve lost count of the number of retrievals I’ve had,” said Amy, a compliance coordinator. She was plagued with bad luck during four years of IVF cycles. The embryos created with her husband, Anthony, 38, either failed the genetic testing or did not implant following transfer. Once, the couple’s hopes were raised, but it turned out not to be a viable pregnancy.

“There were so many opportunities for things to go wrong,” said Amy, who, with her spouse, has spent tens of thousands of dollars to start a family. “It was disappointment after disappointment.

“Then, what we call our ‘golden embryo’ was created last July.”

An ultrasound showing Amy Fuggiti's baby girl in utero.
An ultrasound showing Amy Fuggiti’s developing baby is proudly displayed in her home.
Roger Kisby

This time, Courtney carrying the baby was “the logical next step,” with the decision immediately sanctioned by Amy’s specialist. In early February, the sisters held hands during the transfer of the frozen, 5-day-old blastocyst. “We didn’t want to get our hopes up too much after all the disappointments,” admitted Amy.

But they were in luck. She recalled the moment Courtney confirmed her positive pregnancy test. The outpouring of joy reinforced her sense that the miracle baby “belongs” not only to her and Anthony, but also to her twin.

“When I say ‘We’re pregnant,’ I mean myself, my husband and my sister,” Amy said, adding, “It’s a beautiful celebration of life, because all three of us did this together.”

Amy Fuggiti and Courtney Essenpreus
Sisters Amy Fuggiti, left, and pregnant Courtney Essenpreis, can’t wait for the birth of Amy’s daughter and Courtney’s niece.
Roger Kisby

Courtney, who has previously gotten pregnant three times through IVF and PGT-M, has safely delivered two kids. Her youngest, now 2 ½, was a true blessing, born after the tragic loss of a daughter during Courtney’s second trimester.

Her current pregnancy as a gestational carrier is going well, despite bouts of morning sickness in the first few weeks.

“It’s been totally normal,” said Courtney, who works as an assistant at a university. “The fact I’m pregnant with my sister’s baby feels entirely normal. It’s a means of getting from point A to B without much fanfare.”

She joked that IVF has dominated their lives so much, her offspring think all babies are conceived in a lab. “We can forget the birds and bees talk,” she said with a laugh.

Amy Fuggiti and Courtney Eisenpreis pose in the nursery for Amy's baby.
Amy Fuggiti, left, and her identical twin, Courtney Eisenpreis, show off the newly decorated nursery ready for newborn, due in October.
Roger Kisby

Indeed, as soon as she’s old enough to understand, Amy’s daughter will be told about her origins. “We plan to be totally transparent,” Amy said. “She’ll know that her aunt was her babysitter for nine months and she was wanted and loved for a very long time.”

The tot will also be raised “by the village” of the entire family, just like her cousins, who will no doubt regard her as their little sister.

As for the baby’s birth, Amy and Anthony will be there “to hold Courtney’s hand” during the labor.

“There’s nobody I would rather do this with,” said Amy. “If I couldn’t have my own pregnancy, who better than my soul mate to make my dream come true?”

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