Rajarao Rao gently caresses the face of one of his twin daughters and playfully tickles her cheek. The overwhelming sense of wonder, happiness, and pride of a first-time father showering affection on his child is unmistakable on the man’s countenance. He tenderly adjusts the blanket enveloping the baby before turning his attention to his other twin. “I’ve always dreamt of interacting with my own child,” he shares. “It’s just that we had to wait for more than five decades after our wedding to be graced with not one but two beautiful children. I’m eagerly anticipating their growth so I can engage with them.”
His wife, Erramatti Mangayamma, reclining on the bed, gazes at the infants adoringly. Their nearly year-long sojourn at a hospital far from her hometown in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh during her pregnancy has proven to be exceedingly rewarding. “No one can label me barren or look down on me for not having children anymore,” she asserts, her voice resonating with pride.
(This couple in their seventies remained steadfast in their aspiration of having a baby.)
Welcoming two children into their lives has irrevocably transformed their existence, not only filling it with parental joy but also earning them newfound respect and admiration within their community.
Erramatti and her spouse, Rajarao, are far from an ordinary couple.
Putting an end to a wait spanning over 50 years
While most medical experts deem the upper age limit for IVF treatment to be around the age of 40, since becoming a mother after 40 poses potential risks for both mother and fetus, Erramatti was 72 when she approached an IVF clinic with the heartfelt desire to have a child.
And her wish was granted.
At 10:30 AM on September 5th of the preceding year, Erramatti and her 78-year-old husband, Rajarao Rao, joyfully embraced their roles as parents to two precious baby girls.
Erramatti characterizes the twins as “divine justice.”
Dr. S Umashankar, a gynecologist and the head of Ahalya Nursing Home in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, distinctly recollects the day the couple walked into his consultation room.
“It was November 12, 2018, when the elderly couple visited for a consultation,” he reminisces. “After a few hesitant moments, they revealed that they were eager to become parents.”
Erramatti first learned about Dr. Umashankar from a neighbor she met at a wedding in their village. The neighbor had successfully conceived via IVF at the age of 55. Acknowledging Erramatti’s aspiration for a family, the neighbor recommended that she consult the doctor for assistance with her pregnancy.
At the outset of their initial consultation, Dr. Umashankar remained oblivious to the fact that Erramatti was 72 years old.
“Initially, she falsely claimed to be 65 and expressed her desire for IVF treatment to have a child,” he recounts. “We only discovered the truth after her husband and family provided her school records, which documented her birthdate as September 1, 1946.”
Erramatti was resolute in her quest to conceive, even if it necessitated withholding certain details. To her, motherhood represented not only personal fulfillment but also a means to overcome the social stigma she endured from her community.
In a culture where motherhood is venerated and countless women in rural India face ostracization due to infertility, Erramatti was determined to have a child, demonstrating her womanhood in all its facets.
A few years into their marriage, upon realizing Erramatti’s inability to conceive, the couple consulted a local physician. The prescribed treatments failed to yield positive outcomes. They sought advice from several more doctors within their village, but unfortunately, the prospect of parenthood seemed increasingly elusive.
“When all else failed, we resigned ourselves to the idea of being a childless couple,” Erramatti conveys. “Yet, within our village, many people would continually taunt my wife, labeling her as barren. It was immensely painful, but we felt powerless.”
Rajarao recalls longing to accompany his own child to school after observing fathers performing the same ritual. “However, the medications provided by the doctors in my village were ineffective,” he laments. “I eventually came to terms with the fact that we might never have children.”
Then, three years ago, Erramatti encountered a friend at a wedding, and their lives underwent a seismic shift.
Nurturing optimism
Initially, the hospital administration hesitated to accept Erramatti’s case due to her advanced age, despite the age she claimed during their initial consultation. “We thoroughly informed them about the associated risks of undergoing treatment at such an advanced age,” the doctor asserts. Nevertheless, the couple, clutching at this final hope, was determined to proceed regardless of the potential risks.
Dr. Umashankar stipulated that Erramatti would need to remain in the hospital throughout her pregnancy. “I informed her husband that sending her home would jeopardize the entire treatment plan,” he explains.
Given their modest means – Rao is a farmer owning a small plot of land – they were uncertain if they could afford an extended treatment and hospital stay. Fortunately, the hospital administration offered to cover the full cost of treatment through the hospital trust. The couple was elated.
With the financial barrier overcome, Erramatti relocated to the hospital, quickly forming connections with fellow expectant mothers. Hospital staff recall her as cheerful, cracking jokes, and forging friendships with nurses.
From her first check-up onward, Erramatti received care from a team of ten doctors responsible for monitoring her nutrition, blood pressure, and potential pregnancy-related complications. To their relief, regular scans indicated her body was in surprisingly good health despite her age. She did not suffer from diabetes or hypertension, facilitating the doctors’ work.
Since she had passed menopause, doctors initiated treatment by administering medication to restart her menstrual cycle. To the surprise of doctors and the couple alike, Erramatti conceived during the very first cycle of the IVF procedure.
Erramatti’s pregnancy progressed smoothly, yet in the eighth week, a new revelation emerged during a scan – she was carrying twins. While doctors grappled with concerns about her body’s ability to accommodate twins, the couple celebrated the news.
Erramatti was overjoyed. After 57 years of marriage, she was finally pregnant.
Having weathered constant mockery and taunts, she was now expecting twins. “This is divine justice. After yearning for a child for so long, God is compensating us with two,” declares the septuagenarian from Nelapartipadu in East Godavari, Andhra Pradesh.
With the discovery of the second child, Erramatti required additional care, given the heightened variables affecting her health. Alongside physical care, the couple also received psychological counseling to navigate the process of becoming parents in their seventies.
The birth of miracles
On the appointed day, Erramatti was wheeled into the operating theater. Given her body’s limitations, the medical team opted for a Caesarean section. Three hours later, a doctor emerged to announce Erramatti had delivered two healthy baby girls.
“I couldn’t believe it myself initially. It’s a medical miracle,” Dr. Umashankar emphasizes, pride evident in his voice. “Given her age, we were prepared for potential complications during delivery. To our surprise, everything went smoothly.”
While Erramatti appeared well, Rao developed a health issue. Outside the ICU after escorting his wife inside, a nurse noticed Rao’s labored breathing and chest discomfort.
“As a precaution, we kept him under observation,” Dr. Umashankar explains. “Given his age of 78, it was quite a strain, especially with his wife in the ICU and their infants in the incubator. Furthermore, his pre-existing health conditions may have exacerbated due to the commotion. However, he did not experience a stroke, as reported by certain media outlets earlier.”
Initially, the babies were bottle-fed, as Erramatti’s body had ceased milk production. The family arranged for a local wet nurse to feed the infants.
“For decades, my wife and I were subjected to humiliation due to our childlessness,” Rao reflects. “Day and night, self-proclaimed ‘experts’ offered suggestions – from exotic herbs to pilgrimage to secure a child. We felt as if we were not doing enough to have a baby.”
“They have no idea how it feels to overhear people wishing death upon you so they can claim your property. They can’t comprehend the sensation of being ostracized for infertility. They wouldn’t understand how it feels to console your wife, referred to as a barren woman at social events. We were determined to become parents at any cost, even if it meant risking our lives.”
Rao is now eagerly anticipating the future. “I will finally do everything I’ve yearned for over decades.”
