Newly-engaged couple Jennylyn Mercado and Dennis Trillo were originally going for surrogacy only to be blessed and surprised that the actress was going to conceive naturally.
In a Twitter post on Saturday, Jennylyn revealed that she had a handful of fertility treatments and had a hard time producing eggs for the procedure before eventually harvesting an embryo.
“May surrogate na kami but it was destiny na gusto ni baby na ako ang madala,” said Jennylyn.
Jennylyn and Dennis opened up more about their surrogacy-turned-natural pregnancy in an interview with Mega Entertainment’s G3 San Diego.
According to the lovebirds, they already found their “perfect” surrogate and were only waiting for the embryo to be transferred to the surrogate this October, when Jennylyn started having pregnancy symptoms.
“Napili namin na perfect para du’n sa embryo na ‘yun. Pagkatapos naman, okay na lahat, okay na. May schedule na ng implant. Nakilala na namin ‘yung surrogate, mababait sila, tapos magpipirmahan na lang kami ng kontrata and i-inject na lang ‘yung embryo sa kanya ngayong October dapat.”
Jennylyn recalled feeling uneasy and moody when she was on a 10-day quarantine for the the filming of upcoming drama series Love.Die.Repeat.
“Nasa lock-in taping ako nu’n so meron kaming 10-day quarantine sa hotel dito lang sa Manila. Tapos ‘yung feeling ko ‘yung parang lahat ang panget. Nu’ng pagpasok ko sa hotel, ayoko ‘yung hotel, nagdala ako ng vacuum, naglinis ako nang buo, ta’s umiiyak ako kasi, ‘Bakit ang dumi.’ ‘Yung ganun. ’Yung grabe ‘yung emotions ko,” Jennylyn was quoted as saying in the Mega interview.
“Hindi ko alam kung bakit — yung inaaway ko siya (Dennis), sinasabi ko sa kanya, ‘Wala ka kasi dito kaya hindi mo alam ‘yung feeling na… Parang kawawang-kawawa ‘yung feeling ko, ang lungkot-lungkot ko, napaka-emosyonal ko,” Jennylyn said of her experience.
She added, “Tapos after nu’ng 10-day quarantine na ‘yun, na-survive ko naman siya nang malungkot buong quarantine.”
Jennylyn’s actions weirded out Dennis, which even led them to a have fight before the actress went on quarantine.
“Nag-away pa kasi kami nu’n bago siya mag-quarantine kasi ‘di ko na rin siya maintindihan. Sabi ko, ‘Ano’ng nangyayari sa ‘yo?’” recalled Dennis.
“Sobrang weird na weird daw siya sa ‘kin kasi, ‘Di ka naman ganyan? Ano’ng nangyayari sa ‘yo?’” Jennylyn shared.
A few weeks later, Jennylyn’s mood swings persisted during her tapings. She felt other symptoms such as acid-reflux, headache and vomiting.
“After mga ilang weeks na nagte-taping ako, dun ko naramdaman na lagi akong nag-a-acid reflux, tapos ang headache ko grabe, ta’s nagsusuka ako.
“Du’n ako medyo kinabahan. Sabi ko, ‘Hala.’ ‘Tsaka tiningnan ko ‘yung cycle chart ko, parang late ako ng one week!” shared Jennylyn.
She then asked Dennis to have their driver buy a pregnancy test kit for her, after her tarot card suggested that she is pregnant.
The longtime couple first shared the double happy news – getting engaged and pregnant – during an interview with Nelson Canlas on their home network GMA’s news program 24 Oras on Friday.
Dennis popped the question to Jennylyn on October 8 in their home, as seen in a proposal video posted on the actress’ YouTube channel.
Jennylyn shared she had no idea about the proposal since Dennis made her believe that they would be filming a video for their future selves.
“Nagkaroon ako ng kutob nung nagsimula siya magsalita dahil seryoso niya akong kinakausap. ‘Parang may mangyayari ata,’” said Jennylyn.
She added, “Tapos noong nagsalita na siya, naiiyak ako. Kasi ngayon ko lang siya nakitang ganung ka-intense, ka-serious. Tapos lumuhod, nagulat ako bumukas ng pinto.”
In the proposal video, Dennis and Jennylyn engaged in an emotional conversation, as the actor spoke about wanting to spend the rest of his life with Jennylyn.
“Gusto ko lang mag-thank you kasi pinili mo akong samahan sa journey na ito. Iniisip mo siguro kung bakit ngayon lang nangyare, hindi pa kasi ako ready noon. Pero siniguro ko muna na talagang kapagka nangyari yun, ito na yung best version ko,” Dennis started, making Jennylyn cry.
“Salamat lang talaga at dumating ka ulit sa buhay ko. Hindi ko alam kung makakahanap pa ako ng pagmamahal na katulad ng binigay mo sa akin kasi talagang sagad eh at ramdam na ramdam ko yun.
“Ikaw lang ang gusto kong makasama. Ikaw at ‘yung bagong addition sa pamilya natin, isa lang yun sa mga pangarap ko. Matutupad lang ‘yun kung papayag kang pakasalan ako,” Dennis told Jennylyn before getting down on his knee.
“Sa tamang oras, sa tamang panahon, sa pagkakataon na ready ka na siguro, duon siya ibibigay sa’yo,” said Jennylyn of her pregnancy.
The actress is currently three weeks pregnant.
Dennis and Jennylyn both have a son from their previous relationships, hence, they are hoping for a daughter. “May two boys na kami so sana, sana ibigay sa amin ang baby girl.”
