Mangayamma,
a 74-year-old woman in India’s Anthar Pradesh state, recently became
the oldest woman in history to give birth, after successfully delivering
twin baby girls following an IVF procedure.
The
Indian woman had married Yaramati Sitarama Rajarao, a farmer from
Nelaparthipudi village, back in 1962, but despite visiting countless
doctors and temples, the couple were unable to bear children for 54
years of their marriage.
Mangayamma
remembers people looking at her as if she had committed some kind of
sin, and some calling her cursed, but luckily her husband stuck by her
and gave her the strength to move on.
Even
after reaching menopause some 25 years ago, the woman still had a
strong desire to give birth, and last year, after seeing a 55-year-old
neighbor become pregnant via in-vitro fertilisation, she and her husband
decided to undergo the procedure as well.
Doctors
at Ahalya Nursing Home in Guntur admitted that it’s not every day that
they get approached by 74-year-old women looking to become pregnant,
which made Mangayamma’s case that much more special. They performed all
the necessary tests and concluded that she could undergo IVF as she was
not suffering from diabetes or blood pressure. However, they also asked
her to undergo psychological counselling, to ensure that she understood
what she was getting into and that she remained mentally strong
throughout the pregnancy.
Despite
her age, Mangayamma conceived in the very first cycle of the IVF
procedure, and for the next nine months, a total of 10 doctors monitored
her general health, nutrition and cardiac health, making sure that her
pregnancy went as smoothly as possible. Yesterday, the 74-year-old woman
became the oldest in the world to give birth, after delivering healthy
twin girls. The previous record was set in 2016, when 70-year-old
Daljinder Kaur gave birth to a baby boy, also through IVF.
“I
am very happy. God has answered our prayers,” Mangayamma told reporters
“We are the happiest couple on earth today. We have our own children.”
“It’s
due to the grace of God and doctors that I have now become a proud
father of two baby girls,” Mangayamma’s 80-year-old husband added. “I am
very happy. After 54 years, God has answered our prayers.”
Doctors
said that one of the main factors for the success of the IVF treatment
was the mother’s sound physical health. Following Thursday’s C-section,
both Mangayamma and her twin daughters were reportedly in good health,
but remained at the hospital for observation.
The news of a 74-year-old woman giving birth has sparked controversy among doctors in India, with some claiming that it wasn’t wise to allow a woman of that age to undergo the treatment, even if she pleaded with doctors. And even though the two parents gave assurances that they will take great care of their babies, some wonder if they will be able to do that, and if so, for how long.
Source: Odditycentral
