Against the Odds:
Motherhood at 42

Mrs C. had known since her early thirties that she had a rudimentary uterus — a developmental condition in which the uterus is severely underdeveloped, making pregnancy impossible to carry. She had been told by multiple physicians across multiple countries that biological motherhood, in the traditional sense, was not an option for her.

What took her years to discover — and what changed everything — was that carrying a pregnancy and having a biological child are not the same thing. With her own eggs and her husband's sperm, it was still possible to create embryos genetically their own. The only element missing was a uterus capable of sustaining them.

"They told me I'd never carry a baby. No one told me I couldn't have one."

— Mrs C., age 42

Mrs C. and her husband came to IRMC for a consultation at 42. Despite her age, her ovarian reserve was sufficient for a stimulation cycle. The team retrieved several eggs; four fertilised and three progressed to day-5 blastocysts. PGT analysis identified two chromosomally normal embryos.

IRMC's surrogacy coordination team then began the process of matching a gestational carrier — a woman who would carry the embryo, with no genetic connection to the child. The matching process, medical and psychological screening, and legal contracting took several months. Mrs C. was kept informed at every stage.

The first embryo transfer to the gestational carrier was successful. A heartbeat was confirmed at seven weeks. IRMC's obstetric team managed the pregnancy in Bishkek throughout, while keeping Mrs C. and her husband informed via regular teleconsultation.

Mrs C. and her husband flew to Bishkek one week before the due date. Their daughter was born healthy. The birth registration process, managed by IRMC's legal team, confirmed both parents' legal status before they left the hospital.

"I spent years grieving something I thought I could never have," Mrs C. said. "I didn't realise there was another door."