A 48-Year-Old Mom Overcomes Health Risks to Conceive Another Baby through IVF

At 48 years old, Ms. Lan decided to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) to alleviate feelings of loneliness as her daughter and granddaughter lived far away. She visited the Center for Reproductive Support at Tam Anh General Hospital in Hanoi with her husband for the procedure, despite the potential health risks explained by the doctor.

Despite Ms. Lan’s willingness to have another child, her relatives raised concerns about her age and potential health risks for both herself and the child. However, after initial challenges, the doctor was able to retrieve one egg through intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and create a viable embryo following preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) to screen for abnormalities.

After preparing Ms. Lan’s uterine lining for embryo transfer, she successfully underwent the procedure but faced complications during her pregnancy, including threatened miscarriages, high blood pressure, and gestational diabetes. Despite these challenges, she delivered a healthy baby girl through an emergency cesarean section.

Dr. Le Hoang, Director of IVF at Tam Anh General Hospital, highlighted the increasing trend of middle-aged individuals seeking assisted reproductive treatments to have more children. Although pregnancy and childbirth risks increase with age, advancements in assisted reproductive technologies like IVF have provided opportunities for older individuals to fulfill their dreams of parenthood while also facing complexities such as chromosomal disorders and birth defects associated with pregnancy at an older age.

Dr. Hoang emphasized that older women must prepare mentally, physically