“Miracle at 70: Woman Defies Odds, Gives Birth to Twins via IVF”.

A 70-year-old woman, Safina Namukwaya, recently welcomed twins through IVF treatment at a hospital in Uganda. The birth of a boy and a girl occurred via caesarean at a fertility center located in the capital, Kampala. Namukwaya, among the oldest women to give birth, expressed to local media the profound sense of wonder surrounding this occurrence, deeming it a “miracle.”

The hospital extended its congratulations, emphasizing that this event signifies more than just a “medical success”; it embodies the resilience and fortitude of the human spirit. This remarkable feat echoes a similar occurrence in 2019, when a 73-year-old Indian woman gave birth to twins through IVF treatment.

The Women’s Hospital International and Fertility Centre (WHI&FC) celebrated this extraordinary achievement, highlighting that these twins mark a historic event by being born to Africa’s oldest mother at the age of 70. According to their announcement on Facebook, the successful delivery took place on a Wednesday just after midday, assuring the public of the well-being of both the mother and the babies.

Despite the joyous outcome, Namukwaya shared with Uganda’s Daily Monitor newspaper the hardships she faced during her pregnancy, especially after her partner abandoned her upon realizing she was expecting twins. She expressed her disappointment, citing that her partner had not visited her since her admission to the hospital.

This delivery marks Namukwaya’s second within three years, as she had previously given birth to a baby girl in 2020. Her desire for children stemmed from enduring ridicule for her childless state, expressing concerns about growing old without anyone to care for her.

Amidst speculations about the conception process, whether involving a donor egg or her previously frozen and stored egg, the details remain unclear. While women typically undergo menopause between the ages of 45 and 55, advances in medical technology have defied conventional fertility limitations, making childbirth feasible post-menopause. Techniques like in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) have played a pivotal role, involving the fertilisation of an egg with sperm in a laboratory, followed by the implantation of the embryo into a woman’s womb for development.

Article By Suzy Nyongesa.