Celebrating her 70th birthday, an Indian woman has recently become a first-time mother, opting for I.V.F treatment in agreement with her 75-year-old husband for the final attempt. This remarkable occurrence places her among the world's oldest first-time mothers.
Jivuben Rabari and her spouse, Maldhari, proudly presented their newborn son to the media, emphasizing that he was conceived through I.V.F.
In her conversation with reporters, Rabari shared her age, acknowledging that at 70, she might be one of the oldest women globally to experience motherhood for the first time. However, Erramatti Mangayamma, an Indian woman who gave birth to twins at 74 in September 2019, holds the current record.
Hailing from the small village of Mora in Gujarat, India, Rabari and Maldhari, married for 45 years, faced a prolonged struggle in their quest for parenthood. Turning to I.V.F as a viable option post-menopause, the couple's journey was deemed "one of the rarest cases" by their doctor, Naresh Bhanushali, who initially doubted the possibility.
Bhanushali recounted, "When they initially consulted us, we informed them about the challenges of conceiving at such an advanced age, but their determination prevailed. They cited examples of family members who had undertaken a similar path. It's truly one of the rarest cases I've encountered."
The chances of natural conception for a woman in her 70s are virtually nonexistent due to menopause typically occurring in the late 40s to early 50s. Nevertheless, the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) asserts that assisted reproductive technologies can facilitate pregnancy for any woman with a "normal uterus," irrespective of the absence of ovaries.
In the medical procedure, a younger woman's donated egg is fertilized externally using a man's sperm. The resulting embryo is then implanted in the woman's womb, aiming for a successful pregnancy.
Instances of women in their 60s and 70s giving birth through I.V.F are not uncommon in India. Mangayamma, the previous record holder, welcomed twins through I.V.F at 74. Inspired by her 55-year-old neighbor's successful conception, Mangayamma pursued her dream of motherhood through I.V.F treatments involving a donor's egg and her husband's sperm.
