74-year-old ‘barren’ Guntur woman gives birth to twins
Samdani.MN@timesgroup.com
Guntur:06.09.2019
A 74-year-old woman from a village in East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh became perhaps the oldest ever to become a mother when she gave birth to twin girls at a private hospital in Guntur on Thursday. The woman, who married her farmer husband 57 years ago, opted for in vitro fertilisation (IVF). A team of four doctors performed a caesarean section on her, after which the twins were born.
Yaramati Sitarama Rajarao, a farmer from Nelaparthipudi village, had married Mangayamma in 1962. They were not able to conceive a child despite consulting several doctors and temples.
Mangayamma says not bearing a child had been a heavy burden that she carried all these years. “People looked at me with accusing eyes as if I had committed a sin,” she told TOI. “Neighbours would call me ‘godralu’ (a curse-word for a childless woman). However, my husband stood by me.”
“We are the happiest couple on earth today. We have our own children,” said an ecstatic Rajarao who is confident that they will be able to bring up the girls well.
In fact, the couple had given up on becoming parents until they consulted IVF expert Dr Sanakkayala Umasankar in Guntur about a year ago.
Keeping Mangayamma’s age in mind, Dr Umasankar constituted a board of cardiologists, gynaecologists and paediatricians before deciding on treatment. Mangayamma conceived in the very first cycle of the IVF procedure.
The doctors convinced the couple to take the IVF route since Mangayamma had crossed the menopausal stage. However, Umasankar refused to divulge the details. “Keeping in view the confidentiality clause in the agreement with the patient, we can’t disclose certain details. But we followed all rules,” he told TOI.
Mangayamma was admitted to the hospital in January and stayed under the observation of the medical team. The 74-year-old’s sound physical health also made the job of the doctors easier. She was also subjected to several rounds of psychological counselling to ensure she remained mentally strong throughout the procedure. “Both the mother and babies are doing fine. Ten doctors worked for nine months to keep a close watch on her health. This is a medical miracle,” Dr Umasankar told reporters after the operation.
“It’s due to the grace of God and doctors that I have now become a proud father of two baby girls,” said a jubilant Rajarao, who celebrated the occasion by distributing sweets at the hospital. “I am very happy. After 54 years, God has answered our prayers,” Mangayamma said.
Meanwhile, a debate has been triggered in the medical fraternity on whether it is wise to make a woman undergo IVF at Mangayamma’s age. Many gynaecologists in Guntur and Vijayawada said they were against it. “The doctors should not have considered the case even if the couple pleaded with them,” said a gynaecologist, who didn’t wish to be quoted.
Full report on www.toi.in
Mangayamma is probably the oldest woman to give birth
Samdani.MN@timesgroup.com
Guntur:06.09.2019
A 74-year-old woman from a village in East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh became perhaps the oldest ever to become a mother when she gave birth to twin girls at a private hospital in Guntur on Thursday. The woman, who married her farmer husband 57 years ago, opted for in vitro fertilisation (IVF). A team of four doctors performed a caesarean section on her, after which the twins were born.
Yaramati Sitarama Rajarao, a farmer from Nelaparthipudi village, had married Mangayamma in 1962. They were not able to conceive a child despite consulting several doctors and temples.
Mangayamma says not bearing a child had been a heavy burden that she carried all these years. “People looked at me with accusing eyes as if I had committed a sin,” she told TOI. “Neighbours would call me ‘godralu’ (a curse-word for a childless woman). However, my husband stood by me.”
“We are the happiest couple on earth today. We have our own children,” said an ecstatic Rajarao who is confident that they will be able to bring up the girls well.
In fact, the couple had given up on becoming parents until they consulted IVF expert Dr Sanakkayala Umasankar in Guntur about a year ago.
Keeping Mangayamma’s age in mind, Dr Umasankar constituted a board of cardiologists, gynaecologists and paediatricians before deciding on treatment. Mangayamma conceived in the very first cycle of the IVF procedure.
The doctors convinced the couple to take the IVF route since Mangayamma had crossed the menopausal stage. However, Umasankar refused to divulge the details. “Keeping in view the confidentiality clause in the agreement with the patient, we can’t disclose certain details. But we followed all rules,” he told TOI.
Mangayamma was admitted to the hospital in January and stayed under the observation of the medical team. The 74-year-old’s sound physical health also made the job of the doctors easier. She was also subjected to several rounds of psychological counselling to ensure she remained mentally strong throughout the procedure. “Both the mother and babies are doing fine. Ten doctors worked for nine months to keep a close watch on her health. This is a medical miracle,” Dr Umasankar told reporters after the operation.
“It’s due to the grace of God and doctors that I have now become a proud father of two baby girls,” said a jubilant Rajarao, who celebrated the occasion by distributing sweets at the hospital. “I am very happy. After 54 years, God has answered our prayers,” Mangayamma said.
Meanwhile, a debate has been triggered in the medical fraternity on whether it is wise to make a woman undergo IVF at Mangayamma’s age. Many gynaecologists in Guntur and Vijayawada said they were against it. “The doctors should not have considered the case even if the couple pleaded with them,” said a gynaecologist, who didn’t wish to be quoted.
Full report on www.toi.in
Mangayamma is probably the oldest woman to give birth
