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Can I get pregnant at 56?
A pregnant woman. PHOTO/COURTESY
I am 56 years old and suffer from fibroids. However, I would love to have a baby. Is this possible? Serina
Dear Serina, Fibroids are non-cancerous swellings that develop in the womb of a woman during her reproductive years. Usually, such a woman has never had a baby or has taken long to reproduce. The majority of women with uterine fibroids may have no symptoms and can even get pregnant naturally. At 56, however, you are most likely in menopause, a time when you cannot get pregnant naturally but through IVF (the eggs have to be got from a younger woman and get fertilised outside of your body like in a test tube). The fertilised eggs will then be reinserted into the womb for pregnancy. Menopause is a time when a woman’s ovaries stop releasing eggs for reproduction and then she will have no periods.
Though fibroids may become smaller or even disappear after menopause, you require a better assessment of your fibroids apart from your general health. The doctor will be able to find out whether you can get an IVF pregnancy and carry it to successful delivery and if not, another mother may be used to carry your pregnancy (surrogacy).
