Safina Namukwaya, aged 70 years, has defied the art of motherhood in a rural community in Uganda. She gave birth to twins, a boy and a girl, on November 29, 2023, via Cesarean section at the Women’s Hospital International and Fertility Center (WHI&FC) in Kampala. This amazing achievement not only gave her the honor of being one of the world’s oldest mothers but also inspired amazement and hope everywhere, demonstrating that family desires are achievable no matter what.
Safina’s path towards this achievement was not easy. For decades, she suffered from the agony of childlessness in a world where womanhood was determined by motherhood. She lived years of ostracism and disapproval, imagining who would take care of her when she was old. But her unshakeable optimism and belief drove her on to reach this moment of redemption. Her giving birth to twins, conceived with in vitro fertilization (IVF) by using donor eggs, is a quiet victory a victory for her determination and the miracles of contemporary medicine.
The hospital celebrated Safina’s success as more than a medical miracle. “It’s about the strength and resilience of the human spirit,” they posted on their Facebook page, summing up the essence of her tale. Safina herself referred to the twins’ delivery as a “miracle,” a heavenly gift that went against conventional society standards and medical qualifications. Her tale asks us all to reflect on the strength of will and the wonder of life surprises.
- A Beacon of Hope: Safina’s tale encourages everyone who has ever felt squeezed by society or individual adversity along the way to chasing a dream.
- Medical Milestone: The successful birth at 70 brings the state of the art of fertility treatment into the spotlight, providing new hope for women.
- Community Inspiration: Her community now calls her “Nalongo,” a sign of respect for a mother of twins, which shows the cultural value of her success.
- Belief and Resilience: Safina’s belief in God’s timing puts the power of emotion in her life into sharp relief, challenging others to have hope.
This is a triumph for Safina at the personal level, naming her daughter Shakira Babiyre Nabagala (also known as Babiyre) and her son Kato Shafique Kangave (also Kato). These names complement her joy and gratitude, with the dawn of a new life in her rural community. With each step into motherhood, Safina’s journey invites us to think differently about what is possible, demonstrating that age is no obstacle when love, faith, and medicine converge.
1. The Medical Miracle Behind the Miracle
Safina’s twins were prematurely born at 31 weeks and weighed a little over 3 pounds each at the Women’s Hospital International and Fertility Center. Dr. Edward Tamale Sali, who is the fertility specialist who brought her through gestation and delivery, demonstrated the process proudly. Through IVF with donor eggs and her partner’s sperm, the hospital performed the impossible so that Safina could realize her life-long ambition of becoming a mother despite her advanced age.
Twins needed to be closely watched in incubators after premature birth, but the twins had a miraculous recovery. On January 6, 2024, Babiyre and Kato both exceeded 5 pounds, so the doctor deserved the nickname “miracle babies.” The miracle of Safina’s recovery was just as great she stood up and started walking on the day of her delivery, which absolutely corresponded with her physical strength and the level of medical services rendered by the hospital.
- Premature but Productive: The healthy growth of the twins in spite of their premature birth is a reflection of the improvements in neonatal care.
- Safina’s Stamina: Her speedy recovery at 70 is a testament to her robust health and determination.
- Teamwork: The hospital’s experienced professionals, from fertility experts to pediatricians, played a critical role towards this achievement.
- New Benchmark: This example paves the way for older women’s fertility treatment, which is creating international controversies.
Safina’s tale is not a medical miracle tale, but a tale of the human spirit overcoming. Grinning widely at a press conference, Dr. Sali joked with Safina, “If you want another child, we’re here!” Her excellent health good blood pressure, no diabetes made her a perfect candidate for this procedure, an indication that age does not equal ability. For Safina, this was not a medical procedure; it was the response to a lifetime of prayer.
2. Overcoming Personal and Social Challenges
Safina’s journey to motherhood was with despondence and resolve. Prior to her twins, she had a daughter in 2020 at the same hospital, her first triumph against years of sterility. In her native village, where children mean security and pride, Safina was ruthlessly reproached and mocked as “barren.” Her tenacity and unspoken faith in her triumphed, as she left her hopes in the hands of the Almighty.
The emotional weight of what she went through only grew heavier when she was carrying twins during pregnancy. Safina’s ex-boyfriend, whom she met in 1996 when she lost her first husband, abandoned her after learning that she was carrying twins. “Men don’t like to be told you are carrying more than one child,” she explained with a mix of sadness and resolve. Left to weather this milestone in solitude, she turned to her village for sustenance, demonstrating the courage it takes to welcome motherhood in these kinds of circumstances.
- Cultural Pressures: Safina’s story demonstrates the shame of sterility in most society, making her victory all the more compelling.
- Emotional Resilience: Survival after abandonment failed to deter her, demonstrating inner strength and determination.
- Community Support: Her readiness to help with childcare in her community proves the power of community care in the rural areas.
- Personal Sacrifice: Safina’s resolve to become a mother at 70 despite risks shows her strong dedication to family.
Nowadays, as Nalongo, Safina has neighbors who help her wash and care for the twins, and the requirements of her new life become easier. Her tale inspires all who have experienced social rejection or loss of image but never lost faith. Reminding us of her frailties and triumphs, Safina invites us to triumph with her and accept the messiness of her journey, affirming that love and family can flourish even in the darkest of winters.
3. Ethical Questions and Global Perspectives
Safina’s case has raised an international controversy over the ethics of fertility treatment among older women. The medical standard in most nations, including the United States, is that IVF for women aged more than 55 years old should be discouraged because of medical problems such as hypertension, gestational diabetes, and premature labor. Safina’s pregnancy was described as “irresponsible” by Dr. Brian Levine, a New York City fertility specialist, due to fears for the health of children born to much older parents in the future.
But Dr. Sali, Safina’s doctor, opposed it on grounds of her independence and good health, maintaining that “It’s her human right. It’s her body.” He justified her right to become a mother. This dispute poses an even more general question: where do we establish the line between medical capability and moral requirement? Safina’s case, while a personal triumph, poses questions regarding how personal interests are to be balanced with medical and societal ones.
- Health Hazards: More risk in older women, but Safina’s experience indicates that with monitoring by medical doctors, they can be reduced.
- Autonomy vs. Ethics: Age restrictions for IVF are contentious because they represent variability in opinions on personal autonomy and medical prudence.
- Global Differences: Variability worldwide exists since some nations provide IVF for older women while others impose restrictions.
- Child Welfare: Parents’ longevity concerns drive debate regarding health of children born to older parents.
Safina’s case is not alone in the world. In 2019, a 74-year-old Indian woman, Erramatti Mangayamma, gave birth to twins after undergoing IVF, and in 2006 María del Carmen Bousada de Lara, who was 66 years old, gave birth to twins in Spain. They confirm that fertility technology is breaking boundaries but also fuel long-standing debates regarding age, health, and responsibility. Safina’s happiness, guided by those tough questions, challenges us to consider what constitutes family and medicine’s power to determine the limits of life.
4. A Community’s Acceptance and a Mother’s Legacy.
Safina’s twins, Kato and Babiyre, have brought new life into her life as well as into her whole village. Nalongo, as she is now referred to, carries the honorific name that recognizes her special status as a twin mother. Her neighbors have come out in her support, providing practical assistance such as washing clothes and babysitting the infants, appreciating the ordeal of motherhood at a certain age. Such solidarity is an attestation to the solidarity of rural Ugandan society, where the bonds of kinship transcend blood.
Her incredible resurgence taking a stroll on the day of her own birth and playfully referred to by Dr. Sali as “almost playing football” has left family and friends in awe. Safina’s energy at 70 defies aging stereotypes and myths surrounding motherhood, illustrating that health and determination are timeless. Her tale is one of optimism, that no matter what, it’s never too early to start over, and with the support of a community standing behind you.
- Village Solidarity: Encouragement from her neighbors demonstrates the importance of community in times of adversity.
- Defying Age: Physical strength at 70 by Safina dispels popular wisdom about being an older mother.
- Cultural Pride: Being Nalongo holds great cultural importance and raises her position in the village.
- Inspiration for All: Her life inspires other people to seek out dreams despite age and circumstance.
As Safina brings up Babiyre and Kato, her legacy transcends her children. She is a beacon, demonstrating to the world that religion, science, and love can create miracles. Her path from overcoming decades of condemnation to enjoying her twins’ giggles challenges us to reframe what it means to live a full life at any point. Safina’s story will be inspiring us, reminding us that the greatest intentions of the heart can conquer, no matter what.
