A 61-year-old Ghanaian woman has given birth for the first time after undergoing a Stem Cell-Enhanced In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) procedure at Mary-Lucy Hospital in Awoshie, Accra, in what the facility describes as a significant milestone in reproductive medicine in Ghana.
Doris Anum-Dorhuso, a Chartered Accountant with 25 years of professional experience, welcomed a baby girl on July 2, 2026, four days before her 62nd birthday, after 22 years of marriage without having a child.
According to the hospital, Ms Anum-Dorhuso had previously been told by several health facilities that her age made pregnancy through conventional IVF impossible. She later sought treatment at Mary-Lucy Hospital after learning about its Stem Cell-Enhanced IVF programme through a television programme.
Hospital officials said the procedure, which uses a patient’s own stem cells to rejuvenate the uterus, enabled her to successfully conceive and carry the pregnancy to term.
Ms Anum-Dorhuso and her daughter, Naa Dromo, were officially introduced to the public during a news conference held at the hospital on Wednesday, which also coincided with her birthday.
Addressing the gathering, an emotional Ms Anum-Dorhuso encouraged women facing infertility not to lose hope.
“You shouldn’t sit in your home and weep because you cannot give birth. Look for a good facility to solve your problem for you, and pray while the medical team are doing their part,” she said.
She recounted that before her husband passed away, they had visited several fertility centres where doctors declined to perform IVF because of her age.
She admitted that she initially feared undergoing the procedure, including concerns that her womb might have to be removed, but said faith and determination helped her through the process. According to her, she experienced no major complications during pregnancy and continued working until delivery.
Advanced Procedure
The Director and Chief Executive Officer of Mary-Lucy Hospital, Dr Davis Kofie Adedze, said advances in reproductive medicine gave the medical team confidence that Ms Anum-Dorhuso could successfully carry a pregnancy despite her age.
He explained that after she declined options such as surrogacy and adoption, the hospital conducted a comprehensive medical assessment.
The evaluation revealed that she had previously undergone fibroid surgery, while further examinations showed that the fibroids had returned, leaving her with what he described as virtually no chance of conceiving naturally after menopause.
Dr Adedze said surgeons removed 26 fibroid nodules before using the patient’s own stem cells to regenerate the uterus and strengthen the uterine lining, which had deteriorated following menopause.
Following additional medical assessments confirming that she could safely carry a pregnancy, embryos were transferred into her uterus.
“And God being so wonderful, it picked with the second attempt after the first failed,” Dr Adedze said.
He added that Ms Anum-Dorhuso completed a healthy 37-week pregnancy without requiring hospital admission and attended all scheduled antenatal appointments while continuing her normal work routine.
Careful Medical Assessment
Stem Cell Practitioner and Specialist Obstetrician-Gynaecologist Dr Richard Asamoah, who was also part of the medical team, said pregnancies at an advanced maternal age carry significant health risks, including hypertension, diabetes, metabolic disorders and kidney complications.
He explained that the hospital conducts thorough medical evaluations before recommending the procedure to determine whether a patient is medically fit for treatment.
According to Dr Asamoah, the stem cell therapy helped minimise many of the health risks that could have complicated Ms Anum-Dorhuso’s pregnancy.
He added that while the hospital has successfully performed Stem Cell-Enhanced IVF for several women of advanced maternal age, Ms Anum-Dorhuso is the oldest patient to have achieved a successful pregnancy and delivery through the procedure at the facility.
