A 62-year-old woman, Mrs Fummi Akinade, has successfully delivered a baby boy after 31 years of marriage without a child.
The baby conceived through In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) was delivered on Tuesday via caesarian section at 37 weeks in a private hospital in Lagos, Nigeria.
Speaking to reporters on Thursday in Lagos, Akinade said that she married in 1992 but never had a child.
The woman said she went through a series of gynecological treatments, including three previous IVF procedures that failed, adding that it was the fourth IVF that became successful.
She expressed gratitude for her husband’s unwavering support and highlighted that both of them remained hopeful and optimistic that God would bless them with a child.
“Even when I felt it was already too late to be possible, God, in His infinite mercy, made it possible for me in my lifetime. I return all glory to Him,” she said.
Akinade urged couples who long for children to remain steadfast and have faith in God as they pursue appropriate medical assistance. She emphasized that financial constraints pose a significant hurdle in their quest for parenthood, highlighting the high costs associated with fertility treatments.
The new mother appealed to governments to consider subsidizing the expenses of IVF and other fertility procedures, particularly for economically disadvantaged couples.
“Fertility treatment is quite expensive – whether IVF or whatever. A lot of couples out there are childless and do not have the financial capacity to go for them,” she said.
Speaking from a professional point of view, a consultant gynecologist who delivered the baby, Dr Ayodele Ademola, said that a woman above 62 years could still conceive through IVF or other innovative methods of assisted pregnancy.
Ademola, who is also the hospital’s medical director, emphasized that numerous childless couples can still conceive with appropriate medical assistance.
He highlighted that the primary obstacles faced by individuals undergoing IVF are the financial commitment and the apprehension of potential failure.