Date:03/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/03/stories/2008120359700300.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Science fulfils 36-year-long desire for baby

Special Correspondent

CHENNAI: A 58-year-old woman gave birth to a healthy male baby, science finally coming to her rescue after 36 years of yearning for a child.

Selva Mary Vedham (58) and her husband Vedam (61) from Ramanathapuram district, both retired government clerks came to Aakash Fertility Centre and Hospital at Vadapalani, with the hope that doctors at the centre would be able to help them. Selva Mary was diabetic, but otherwise her parameters were normal, which encouraged doctors to go ahead with the procedure.

T. Kamaraj, consulting sexologist at the hospital, said they had to use a donor egg for the mother who was well past her menopause. The husband, who was on hormone treated, produced the sperm which was fertilised artificially. Later, the technique of laser hatching was used to puncture holes in the embryo before it was implanted in the woman. “This was done so that the embryo would rupture and attach itself to the wall of the uterus,” Dr. Kamaraj explained.