The Ugandan woman who gave birth to twins at the age of 70 through in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) shared the first photos of her babies after being discharged from the hospital.
In late November at Women’s Hospital International and Fertility Centre (WHI&FC) in Uganda, Safina Namukwaya welcomed twins, a son and a daughter. On 6 January, the mother of three brought her son and daughter home for the first time. She reportedly named her daughter Shakira Babiyre Nabagala and her son Kato Shafique Kangave, according to Today.
Dr Edward Tamale Sali - a fertility specialist at the hospital - told the outlet that Ms Namukwaya is a “loving” and “playful” mother, adding: “She can’t stop staring at them.”
At a press conference outside the hospital on 6 January, Dr Sali recalled how Ms Namukwaya was up and walking the same day she delivered her twins. “She’s fit, her blood pressure is normal, she’s not diabetic — she’s a very healthy woman and the whole of Africa is rejoicing for her,” Sali said, before telling the new mother: “If you want another child, we’re here.”
Dr Gloria Lunyolo, the twins’ paediatrician, called the twins “miracle babies,” and revealed that they are now in the stage of alternating between formula and breast milk.
“At 70, Safina Namukwaya’s maternal love blossoms into a miracle, cradling twins alongside Dr Edward Tamale-Sali,” a carousel of photos shared on the hospital’s Facebook page were captioned. “Their hands hold not just babies, but gems of hope, proving that a mother’s love transcends time and age. In this emblematic moment at Women’s Hospital International and Fertility Centre, the joy of motherhood shines unblemished, echoing the resilient spirit of Africa where every dream is nurtured with love and care.”
When the twins were born on 29 November, local Ugandan outlet NTV Uganda announced: “Mother and babies are all well,” saying that both of the twins weighed 3 lbs, 7 oz. They reportedly now weigh more than 5 pounds each.
The hospital congratulated her, saying it is more than a “medical success; it’s about the strength and resilience of the human spirit,” the BBC reported. Ms Namukwaya admitted to the outlet that her geriatric pregnancy was far from easy, sharing: “There was a time I felt very sick because of the pregnancy. I spent nearly all my savings. Then I went to a hospital and talked to the doctor about my condition.”
Dr Sali explained to the outlet that Ms Namukwaya used a donor egg and her partner’s sperm for the in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) procedure. He added that the twins were born 31 weeks premature and had to be placed in an incubator.
Before giving birth to her twins, she previously gave birth at age 66 in 2020 to a daughter, who is now three years old.“Some households will be helping me with washing and the babies because of my advanced age,” she told Today.
The age limit for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and other medically assisted reproduction in the US is generally mid-50s, and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) generally discourages embryo transfer “in women over age 55”.
