The silent 'battle' of a soldier longing to be a father.

As a soldier serving in a key unit, Pham Duc Canh has been diligently fulfilling his duties in strengthening the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic while also supporting his wife in their "battle" to have a child.

Baby Khanh Ngan is the first daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Canh after infertility treatment at Tam Anh General Hospital. Photo: Provided by the family.

"I am grateful to you."

Mr. Canh married Ms. Ha (26 years old) in October 2019. As a soldier serving in a key unit, he is often away from home, sometimes only returning once every few months.

After two years of marriage without any good news, and a failed attempt at natural ovulation induction, they began their own unique battle: conquering disease, the Covid-19 pandemic, and their own fears, in order to have a child.

In April 2021, at the Reproductive Support Center of Tam Anh General Hospital in Hanoi , doctors diagnosed Ms. Ha's uterus as normal, with both fallopian tubes open. However, her menstrual cycle was irregular, with only 2-3 periods per year, making it difficult to track ovulation for conception.

To have children, she needs to undergo ovarian function rehabilitation treatment, combined with modern in-vitro fertilization techniques.

At that time, the COVID-19 pandemic was raging, and soldier Pham Duc Canh was assigned to the Political Officer Training School, while also being on enhanced duty, ready to respond to the pandemic. Simultaneously, he and his wife began the in-vitro fertilization (IVF) process to try to have a child.

"The decision to do IVF wasn't easy," Mr. Canh recalled. Besides the financial pressure, the couple also harbored fears about the medical interventions. Ms. Ha was prescribed medication to regulate her menstrual cycle and scheduled for ovulation-stimulating medication. The results were excellent, as they obtained three day-3 embryos, one day-5 embryo, and three day-6 embryos.

The treatment process was interrupted for 10 months due to COVID-19. On February 21, 2022, after People's Physician, Associate Professor, Doctor Le Hoang, Director of Tam Anh IVF Center, transferred a high-quality 5-day embryo into Ms. Ha's uterus, Mr. Canh had to return to continue his duties, while his wife went back to her hometown alone to self-isolate.

Mr. Canh and Ms. Ha got married in 2019. Photo: Provided by the couple.

After the embryo transfer, Ms. Ha began showing symptoms suspected of being COVID-19, and she had no family members with her. Mr. Canh also had to quarantine because there was a confirmed case at his workplace.

When he learned his wife was pregnant, Mr. Canh was both happy and worried. Throughout the 9 months and 10 days of her pregnancy, Ms. Ha went through it all alone, being both a strong support system and the pillar of the family, without a single complaint.

On November 9, 2022, little angel Pham Le Khanh Ngan was born, the greatest gift of their lives, the culmination of love, resilience, and even the tears of a soldier and his wife on the home front.

"I am grateful that you accepted to be the wife of a soldier who is often away from home. Throughout your IVF journey, you were always optimistic and strong, never once complaining, leading to a miracle," Mr. Canh wrote in a post shared with the program "The Miracle of Parents," part of the "Tam Anh IVF - 18 Years of Creating Miracles" event series, organized by the Tam Anh General Hospital System.

Associate Professor Le Hoang (right) and MSc. Dr. Nguyen Le Thuy (left) reunite with the family of a successful infertility treatment. Photo: Tam Anh IVF Center.

Unwavering belief creates "miracles".

Associate Professor, Doctor Le Hoang said that treating the families of military personnel presents extremely special challenges. The soldiers and their families possess unwavering faith and determination, but they must overcome difficulties related to time and geographical distance.

Whenever Ms. Ha went to the hospital alone for treatment, the doctors, medical staff, and customer service team provided maximum support so that the soldier's wife would not feel lonely on her journey to "find a child."

"We have been, are, and will always strive to find the best possible solution. But above all, the success of Tam Anh IVF is built on the belief and perseverance of the patients themselves," said Associate Professor Le Hoang.

As of June 2025, the Tam Anh IVF Assisted Reproductive System has 4 major facilities in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, providing examination and treatment to over 100,000 clients annually.

Over the past 18 years, the entire system has successfully treated tens of thousands of infertile couples, fulfilling their dream of becoming parents and having healthy, legitimate children.

IVF Tam Anh utilizes a state-of-the-art "lab-in-lab" embryo culture system, the best in Southeast Asia, meeting ISO 5 ultra-clean standards. Artificial intelligence (AI) software integrated into the Time-lapse embryo culture incubator helps specialists score and select the best embryos for patients.

The "three-pronged" strategy involves close collaboration between male infertility, female infertility, and the laboratory, along with personalized treatment protocols. The system also utilizes modern genetic diagnostic techniques, embryonic genetic defect screening, and in-depth genetic counseling, increasing patients' chances of conceiving and having healthy children.

Hundreds of babies born through in-vitro fertilization (IVF) at Tam Anh IVF Center reunited with their parents at the Golden Pregnancy Day event organized by the system.

The children received free general health check-ups from a team of experienced pediatricians, with positive results indicating proper development. The event will continue in Hanoi on June 8, 2025.

PN

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/cuoc-chien-am-tham-cua-nguoi-linh-mong-uoc-lam-cha-20250607093539052.htm