Is it advisable to try the test-tube baby technique?
Question:I am 38 years old. I have tried various methods to conceive but in vain. Is it advisable to try the test-tube baby technique?
The discovery of the test-tube baby has blessed many with motherhood. This technique has a relatively high percentage of success if employed in women under 30. Its efficacy is doubtful when applied to women above the age of 35. That this procedure guarantees immediate conception is an erroneous notion. It may take anywhere between 8-10 months to 3 years to ‘bear fruit’. As a woman nears 40, the hormonal content responsible for sustaining pregnancy decreases.
Even a natural pregnancy is far from ideal after 35 years of age. Late pregnancies mean greater risk and higher percentage of abnormal babies. The possibility of mental retardation and deformity increases. In such cases, it may be preferable to face and accept “childlessness” and seek fulfillment in socially useful activities. If the motherly instinct is too strong to be suppressed, adoption is a simple and straight forward alternative. Depending on the mental state, co-operation and inclination of family members, it is possible to adopt an orphan or even a child from within the family.