Couple Who Wanted Children ‘Were Devastated’ to Find Out Husband Had No Sperm Due to Rare Condition. Now They Have Twins

"If you want to leave me, I understand," Jenna Greenaway said her husband told her after his diagnosis

NEED TO KNOW

• A man diagnosed with azoospermia — a rare condition that means he has no sperm — feared he would never be able to have children
• After multiple unsuccessful fertility treatments, he and his wife turned to a sperm donor and IVF
• The two are now parents to twins and are speaking out to raise awareness about male infertility

A woman says her husband's rare infertility diagnosis left them questioning whether they would ever be able to start a family — and left him struggling with his sense of identity.

Jenna Greenaway and her husband, Shaun Greenaway, married in 2013 and tried to start a family several years later, according to Metro.co.uk.

But after months passed without success, the couple, who live in Cornwall, England, underwent fertility testing and received news they never expected: While Jenna's test results came back normal, Shaun was diagnosed with azoospermia, a condition in which a man has no sperm in his semen.

"To be told you have zero sperm, not even a low count. We didn't know what that meant for our future," Jenna, now 41, told Metro.

The diagnosis hit Shaun especially hard. "He had this feeling of not being a man and not being able to give me what a man should be able to," Jenna recalled. "He even said I could leave him if I wanted."

The couple later learned the condition may have been linked to a severe case of mumps Shaun experienced in his 20s.

Determined to explore every option, they pursued multiple fertility treatments. Doctors first recommended a varicocele embolization procedure designed to improve sperm production.

"We were warned it was only a 30% success rate, but we pinned all our hopes on it working," Jenna said. The procedure was unsuccessful.

"I'll never forget the day we were called to say it hadn't worked," she recalled. "We were devastated. That was a really hard pill to swallow."

Shaun later underwent a more invasive operation in which doctors searched for viable sperm, but none were found.

"This time I'd geared myself up for the worst-case scenario," Jenna said. "We'd talked about what we'd do if it wasn't successful."

After discussing adoption and other options, the couple ultimately decided to move forward with donor sperm.

In 2019, Jenna began fertility treatment. The process brought additional challenges, partly because Jenna was diagnosed with ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome and also because the COVID pandemic caused delays.

"It was a really lonely time for us and I felt quite isolated," she said.

“We didn't know anyone else going through IVF for the same reasons we were, and some of our family would ask us, ‘When are you going to hurry up and have kids?' ” she added.

Jenna also said that because Shaun was not sharing his diagnosis with friends and family at the time, outsiders often assumed that she was the reason they were struggling with infertility.

"Infertility issues are 50/50, but everyone always assumes it's the woman's problem," Jenna said.

“I was never directly asked, ‘What's wrong with you?', but that is what everyone thought, and I just went along with it, as I didn't want Shaun to carry the burden,” she added.

Their embryo transfer finally took place in June 2020, and two weeks later, the couple learned Jenna was pregnant.

Twins Ray and Evelyn were born in February 2021.

The mom of two added that while people sometimes comment on how much their son resembles Shaun, biology isn't what defines parenthood.

"The bottom line is that genetics don't really matter," she said. "Shaun is an incredible dad. It's about the love you give and the upbringing you provide. There is much more to being a parent than genes."

Jenna added that one of the most significant turning points in their journey came when Shaun began speaking publicly about his infertility.

"Shaun had really struggled," she said. "Very early on, he said, 'If you want to leave me, I understand.' "

But after opening up to friends and sharing his story publicly, Jenna noticed a change.

"I saw the weight he was carrying on his shoulders lift," she said.

“I don't know if he thought people would [tease him] for having no sperm. But from the day he opened up, it spurred him on to talk to more and more people. He isn't ashamed anymore,” Jenna added.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Today, the couple is raising awareness about male infertility and encouraging others to speak openly about their experiences.

Shaun, who is now a male fertility advocate and coach, posts publicly about his experience on the Instagram account @Knackered_Knackers.

He also co-founded the Male Fertility Hub, a community support hub for men facing infertility issues.

Read the full article here