Home / Lifestyle / Widow Carries Late Husband's Baby After IVF Miracle
Widow Carries Late Husband's Baby After IVF Miracle
6 May
Summary
- Chantelle is 29 weeks pregnant with her late husband's child.
- The baby was conceived via IVF after discussions before his death.
- She described the pregnancy as 'bittersweet but beautiful news'.
Chantelle Thompson, widow of the late Rochdale AFC midfielder Joe Thompson, is 29 weeks pregnant with the couple's third child, a baby boy conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF). Joe Thompson passed away on April 17, 2025, at the age of 36, following his third cancer diagnosis.
The decision to proceed with IVF was made by the couple during extensive discussions before Joe's passing. Chantelle revealed to the BBC that this outcome is "bittersweet but beautiful news," expressing pride in carrying her husband's child and feeling his presence.
Chantelle, who is also mother to daughters Thailula, 13, and Athena, 3, with Joe, shared on Instagram that the pregnancy resulted from her "first attempt" at IVF. Despite the unexpected circumstances of undergoing treatment alone, she conveyed deep gratitude.
Joe Thompson was first diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2013, later receiving clear diagnoses in 2017 before retiring from soccer in 2019. He was diagnosed with stage four Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2024.
