A Dream of Pregnancy After Forty… The Story That Changed All Concepts
Many people see the shiny pictures on Instagram: a woman over forty, smiling and happy, pregnant after years, as if it was easy and simple, as if she woke up one day and said, “I’m pregnant.” But the truth? The truth is something completely different. Today, we’re not here just to tell a happy ending story; we’re here to tell the beginning of a long journey full of pain and hope, full of tears and joy, and full of heartbreaks that could break the heart… But amidst all that, there was a small voice inside her saying, “There is still hope.”
The story began at the end of 2022; she was almost 40 years old then. She and her husband decided to start the pregnancy journey naturally: monitoring ovulation, doing the usual tests, and following the logical and common steps. And as every woman in her age knows, time is not on her side because pregnancy at forty is not like in your twenties or thirties. It’s a race against time in every sense of the word.
In January 2023, she did a hysterosalpingography (HSG) test. The result? Excellent. Fallopian tubes were clear, the lab tests were good, the eggs responded well, and everything was saying, “The path is open.” So we said, let’s start the IVF step, and indeed, we started in March.
Watch the video here: https://youtu.be/zEIiWl9PPX0?si=C1wF018NKAnPoVXn
We retrieved a small number of eggs, which was expected, and we successfully created 3 embryos: two excellent, and one of moderate quality. We decided to transfer them, and we did. But unfortunately, the result was a negative pregnancy test. The number was less than 2.
Then the heartbreaking questions began: Why was the period delayed? Where did the embryos we transferred go? Why was there no pregnancy? And is there still hope? The answers were harder than the questions themselves. Because as doctors, sometimes we know the medical answer, but we don’t know how to answer the feeling of failure and frustration that reaches the core.
Months passed filled with psychological pain, doubting everything. Pain in the body from the injections, pain in the heart from waiting, a feeling of loss even without a tangible loss. And all this at age 41. Time was passing quickly, and the hope for pregnancy was diminishing.
In October 2023, we resumed monitoring natural ovulation. We did new tests and found that the FSH hormone had risen, and the ovarian reserve had clearly decreased. Despite the attempts, every pregnancy test came back negative. Tests turned into a frightening ghost; just thinking about them caused anxiety.
Until we reached January 1, 2024. We decided to try intrauterine insemination (IUI). Maybe it would work. We did it. But the surprise? The period came before even taking the pregnancy test. As if saying: There isn’t even hope to imagine.
At that moment, as a doctor, I decided to tell her: “Go to someone else, maybe they can help you more.” But she told me confidently: “You are the one who will tell me I’m pregnant.” Those words were heavy, moving, and carried a big responsibility.
In February 2024, we started a new IVF cycle. This time, the medications were in a lower dose, and the protocol was a bit different. We retrieved five eggs. This was a real miracle! All five eggs turned into five embryos! This is not common at this age. We decided to freeze them and wait for a suitable cycle.
We prepared for embryo transfer cycles, but once the tests were not good, another time the cycle was unsuitable. It was postponed multiple times, and amidst this, we said, maybe a natural pregnancy will happen! We tried, but it didn’t happen.
Until June 2024, specifically on the Day of Arafah — a day full of blessings and spirituality. We decided to transfer the embryos. The lab team, even though it was a holiday, came specifically for this case. We transferred the embryos in a time full of prayers and reverence.
Two weeks passed. Eid passed, and the waiting was harsh. Suddenly, she sent me a voice message: “I took the test, but I can’t look at it. Please check it and tell me.” Her voice was full of fear, exhaustion, and hope.
The result? 679.
This number is not just a test result. This number is a shout of joy after a long silence. It is the return of the spirit after years of fatigue. After more than 10 negative tests, medications, injections, clinics, and waiting, finally… the pregnancy happened.
Everyone around her was telling her: “Change your doctor,” “Try someone else.” Even I, as her doctor, told her this. But she held on to me and to the faith inside us all that something good will happen.
The pregnancy came after the age of 42. After two years of attempts. After everyone said, “There is no hope.” After everyone got tired, she kept her certainty. She had a thin uterine lining, low ovarian reserve, and failures, but she never lost hope.
Those who see the final result don’t know the journey. They don’t know the amount of tears, exhaustion, expenses, physical and psychological pain. But those who live it know that pregnancy is not just a result; it is a story of struggle.
This journey was not just about a child; it was about the soul’s return, about regaining trust, and about every woman who dreams of becoming a mother knowing that not every negative test is the end, and not every delay means failure.
In the end, what happened was not just a medical miracle, but also proof that determination, support, and patience change everything. And that a true doctor doesn’t sell promises but walks the path with you sincerely.
And today, after all this, there is a child coming. There is a heart beating anew. There is a dream fulfilled, even though everyone said it was impossible. This is a message to you not to give up or despair, and that failure and trying are part of the journey without which we would never reach any goal in our lives.
If you are struggling with infertility, we have gathered here all the topics related to delayed pregnancy in detailed lessons with scientifically documented and organized information to help you reach the motherhood dream you deserve:
A Message for You from the Brave Women Who Came Before You to Achieve Their Motherhood Dream – TBIBTY TEBIBTY (My Doctor)