Dear Robert
I am 50 years of age, and have 3 children, all conceived and delivered naturally. I am re-married and my husband (also a father of 3) would love a child of our own. I still menstruate monthly, and I am fit and healthy. Last month was our first month of trying and I took an ovulation test and it showed a smiley face. When I picked myself up from the floor in sheer delight of what this may represent, I dashed off to see my husband. I also demonstrated visible clear, wet, sticky mucus. I started my period two weeks later. Even though we are realistic that my eggs and his sperm may not be as young as they once were, may we still conceive naturally? We certainly don’t want to interfere with nature, but I would just get some comfort in the knowledge that this ‘could’ and ‘may’ happen. I am actively fit, and am a nutritionist so eat extremely healthily, neither my husband or I smoke.
With kind regards and thank you in anticipation.
M.
Dear M.,
Sorry, not good news. Menstruation and ovulation in a 50 year old is normal. Pregnancy is not. And in 40 years of running one of the busiest clinics in Europe I never once saw a 50 year old woman pregnant (without miscarriage) either after natural sex or IVF.
Apologies but what you hope for is sadly extremely unlikely.
Best wishes
Robert Winston