70-Year-Old Woman Gives Birth to 'Miracle' Twins After IVF Treatment in Uganda
Nov. 30 2023, Published 5:00 p.m. ET
A 70-year-old woman in Uganda, Safina Namukwaya, gave birth to twins after undergoing IVF treatment, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The Women's Hospital International and Fertility Centre, where the groundbreaking procedure took place, announced the news on social media, hailing it as a remarkable achievement.
Namukwaya, a resident of the Ugandan capital of Kampala, delivered a baby boy and a baby girl via cesarean section at 12:04 p.m. local time on Wednesday, November 29.
Both the mother and the newborns are reported to be in good health.
The Women's Hospital International and Fertility Centre expressed their excitement over this unprecedented event in a post that read, "@WHIFCug Sets African Record! Celebrating our 20th anniversary, we've achieved the extraordinary — delivering twins to Africa's oldest mother aged 70! This a historic event."
Namukwaya expressed her joy, referring to the birth as a "miracle."
The doctors, who assisted her throughout the process, congratulated her on this significant milestone, stating that it is more than just a "medical success."
However, Namukwaya's journey to motherhood has not been without challenges. She revealed that her partner abandoned her upon learning that she was expecting twins — luckily, this did not deter her from pursuing her dream of having children.
This is her second delivery in just three years, having given birth to a baby girl in 2020.
According to the BBC, Namukwaya's desire to have children was fueled by her experiences of being mocked and stigmatized for her childlessness. She defied societal expectations and sought assistance at the fertility clinic, where she was able to conceive and successfully carry her pregnancies to term.
The specifics of the IVF treatment Ms. Namukwaya underwent are not disclosed in the news report.
It is unclear whether she used a donor egg or one of her own, which may have been frozen and stored during her younger years. However, advancements in medical science have made it possible for women to conceive and give birth even after experiencing menopause, typically occurring between the ages of 45 and 55.
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In-vitro fertilization (IVF) is one of the techniques available for women seeking to conceive later in life. The process involves removing an egg from a woman's ovaries and fertilizing it with sperm in a laboratory. Once fertilized, the embryo is then transferred into the woman's womb to develop and grow.
Namukwaya's case is not the first of its kind. In 2019, a 73-year-old woman from India gave birth to twins following IVF treatment.
These instances have raised ethical debates about the age limits for childbirth and the potential risks associated with advanced maternal age amongst medical professionals and those on social media.