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The average age of first-time mothers is steadily increasing, yet the birth of a first child at an age beyond forty is more of a rarity than the norm. Due to health problems, Louise Warneford brought her dream baby into the world only at an age when other women often expect their first grandchild: she became a new mother at 48.
Did you know?
· The average age of mothers in most Western countries is around thirty.
· Motherhood after the age of 35 is often considered risky.
· About 15 percent of couples have problems conceiving.
The prognosis was not favorable, but the couple were not going to give up without a fight
Louise’s husband Mark, who was seven years older, had undergone a vasectomy before their relationship began, so it was clear from the first moment that the path to their dream child would not be simple.
When they began trying for parenthood, Louise was 32. As expected, conception did not occur easily, but Louise and Mark did not give up and used the services of an assisted reproduction center.
When it finally worked and a pregnancy test showed that Louise was pregnant, both spouses were overjoyed. Unfortunately, their great joy lasted only a short time.
After many years of suffering a diagnosis was found and with it further hope
Louise had been pregnant for only a few weeks when she unexpectedly miscarried. It was immensely painful for both, but they were not prepared to accept living their lives without a child, and continued to try their luck with the help of a reproductive clinic and in vitro fertilization.
Over sixteen years Louise became pregnant eighteen times in this way, but always with the same result … after roughly ten weeks of a thriving pregnancy a miscarriage would suddenly occur.
The couple spent over 2 million crowns
They spent over two million crowns on the reproductive clinic’s services over time. After so many years of pain the couple were beginning to lose hope.
Doctors at the assisted reproduction center eventually discovered the cause of these miscarriages: Louise’s body was producing cells that killed the embryos.
These conditions were suppressed with medication. Louise finally welcomed her longed-for son William and is enjoying motherhood to the fullest.
