41 Year Old Woman’s Successful Pregnancy Through IVF

At Saraogi Hospital’s IRIS IVF Centre, we often see patients with complex medical histories. One such case was that of a 41-year-old woman who came to us after multiple IVF attempts and a history of serious health issues. Despite the many challenges she faced, we were able to help her conceive, and she is now expecting a baby. Here’s how we worked together to make this happen.

The patient, a 41-year-old woman, came to us with a history of tuberculosis (TB) in the neck, that started back in 2005. She had undergone treatment for TB for nine months and was later declared free of the disease. However, TB left behind some complications. She continued to deal with lung issues and had to use an inhaler regularly. In 2017, she had open surgery to address endometriosis and fibroids, which further complicated her fertility.

On top of that, both her fallopian tubes were blocked, a complication commonly seen in women with a history of TB. After trying two IVF cycles (one using her own eggs in 2023 and one using donor eggs in 2024), both were unsuccessful. So, she turned to us for help.

When she first came to us on September 14, 2024, we took a close look at her history. There were several factors to consider:

Our team, led by leading IVF doctor in Mumbai, Dr. Mohit Saraogi, decided to proceed carefully, first performing a hysteroscopy to get a better idea of the condition of her uterus and cervix, which we knew might have been impacted by the tuberculosis.

We started with a hysteroscopy to check the damage TB might have caused to her uterus and cervix. TB can leave the uterine lining thin and scarred, which is a big challenge when trying to conceive. When we performed the procedure, we found a false passage that made it difficult to enter. But we pushed through and found that the uterus itself was actually healthy, with room in the cavity and a good endometrial lining.

However, her cervix was tightly closed, most likely from the scarring caused by TB. We needed to do some cervical dilation before we could proceed with the embryo transfer. After two attempts at dilation, we were able to move forward with the next step.

For her treatment, we chose a donor egg cycle, using her husband’s sperm. The embryos we created were top quality, Grade A. We then moved forward with a frozen embryo transfer, which we performed under anesthesia to ensure the procedure was as comfortable as possible for her.

We started with a hysteroscopy to check the damage TB might have caused to her uterus and cervix. TB can leave the uterine lining thin and scarred, which is a big challenge when trying to conceive. When we performed the procedure, we found a false passage that made it difficult to enter. But we pushed through and found that the uterus itself was actually healthy, with room in the cavity and a good endometrial lining.

However, her cervix was tightly closed, most likely from the scarring caused by TB. We needed to do some cervical dilation before we could proceed with the embryo transfer. After two attempts at dilation, we were able to move forward with the next step.

For her treatment, we chose a donor egg cycle, using her husband’s sperm. The embryos we created were top quality, Grade A. We then moved forward with a frozen embryo transfer, which we performed under anesthesia to ensure the procedure was as comfortable as possible for her.

In the first attempt, she conceived with twins. However, given her age and medical history, she decided to reduce the number of embryos to one to avoid any risks.

Her first trimester was challenging, she experienced some bleeding, but we monitored her closely. By the second trimester, things settled down, and everything seemed to be progressing well.

Then, around the seventh month of pregnancy, she came to us with abdominal pain, and we admitted her for preterm labor. To help the baby, we gave her injections for lung and brain maturation. Thankfully, she made it to full term, and we’re now preparing for her delivery.

This case is a great example of how, with the right care and attention, even patients with complex medical histories can succeed in IVF. It wasn’t an easy road, there were a lot of obstacles to overcome, from the effects of tuberculosis to complications from surgery and multiple failed IVF attempts. But with a tailored approach and the expertise of our team, we were able to help her achieve a successful pregnancy.

It’s stories like these that remind us of the importance of personalized care in fertility treatment. Each patient is different, and we pride ourselves on being able to provide the most effective solutions for each individual. We’re excited to see this patient soon welcoming her baby and are grateful to have been part of her story.