After 54 years of marriage, elderly couple welcome their first baby through IVF in Rajasthan's Alwar

After 54 years of marriage, a 75-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman welcomed their first child on Monday in Rajasthan's Alwar.

The doctors claimed it was the state's only case. However, thanks to IVF technology, many elderly couples in the country and around the world have become parents at the age of 70-80 years

The Alwar-based couple used IVF technology to have a son, and both mother and kid are said to be in good health. This has raised awareness about conception in the elderly, whether or not the seemingly impossible feat can be accomplished, Dr. Pankaj Gupta said.

Gopichand, the proud father, is a former soldier from Jhunjhunu's Nuhaniya village who was shot in the leg during the Bangladesh war.

"Happy that we can take our family forward as I am the only son of my father Nainu Singh,'' an elated Gopichand said.

Gopichand reached the fertility clinic through a relative around a year and a half ago. Chandravati Devi was able to conceive nine months ago on her third IVF attempt. While there was joy, there was also apprehension due to the mother's advanced age. But on Monday, she gave birth to a healthy baby.

What is IVF?

IVF is a technique in which mature eggs from the ovaries are fertilised with sperm outside the body in a lab to generate an embryo, which is then clinically placed in the uterus. IVF, also known as test tube baby, is an expensive and sophisticated technique that aids infertile couples in becoming pregnant.

According to Dr. Gupta, a law was passed by Parliament recently which came into effect from June 2022. According to it, no IVF infertility center will be able to provide treatment to women and men above 50 years. But the couple was lucky as the woman had conceived before the law came into force.

Success rate of IVF?

For women aged 40 and above, there are 20% chances for the IVF cycle to work. With every increasing year, the success rate keeps decreasing by 2-3%. Lastly, women at an age of 45 or above have only a 3% chance of pregnancy through an IVF treatment and only 1% of natural conception.

Disclaimer: Information mentioned in the article is for general purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Consult your doctor before making any change to your health.