A 74 year old Andhra woman, Mangayamma Yaramati
reportedly resorted to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment to give birth to
twin girls, recently. The father, Sitarama Rajarao is 82. Having spent over 9
months in the hospital, being constantly monitored by a panel of experts, the
babies were delivered after a Caesarean section was performed. Needless to say,
geriatric pregnancies of this nature being extremely rare, there has been
considerable press coverage and the couple pronounced themselves delighted,
insisting this is the happiest time of their lives.
The reaction to this has of course been mixed, given
that she is the oldest new mother in the world today. Many feel that
congratulations are in order, but in this situation, it is also evident that
the couple have been under tremendous pressure to become parents. Mangayamma
clearly feels vindicated on having ‘succeeded’ after over 5 decades of trying
and failing to conceive. She said that her determination to be a mother stemmed
from the fact that she had been criticized and stigmatized. People in her
village would make her feel guilty and look at her as if she had ‘committed a
sin’.
This accusatory mentality is typical in India where
too many men and women are subjected to unrelenting pressure to become parents.
Those who cannot or have chosen not to become parents are made to feel like
failures or accused of being selfish and self – indulgent in the latter
scenario, never mind that it is nobody else’s business. Not that such
considerations stops relatives and random strangers from hounding the couple
especially the mother and peppering them with unwanted suggestions, tips, and
assorted voodoo on getting pregnant. These include but are not limited to
bizarre sexual positions, dietary remedies like seared animal genitalia,
umpteen temple visits, expensive pujas, amulets and foul smelling herbal
concoctions sold by charlatans, gaumutra,
painful fertility treatments, and what not. It would be funny if it didn’t
amount to harassment and mental torture, which sees couples go through hell
merely to prove that they are ‘virile’ or ‘potent’ even though they certainly
don’t have to. It boggles the mind, that in a heavily populated country like
India, we are still turning on the screws to force our citizens to have more
children, when less or none is clearly
the need of the hour.
Interestingly, Mangayamma was inspired to do what
she did after another 50 plus neighbour successfully opted for IVF. Three years
ago, Daljeet Kaur, another geriatric Indian woman, had a successful birth. It
is believed that she too was in her early 70s though her exact age is not
verifiable. Medical practitioners and ethicists have questioned both the
doctors involved and the parents for the dubious choices involved. Extreme
geriatric pregnancies like these involve much higher risks for the mother and
child. There is also the question of providing a viable support system for the
children down the line, given the life expectancy of their parents. As for the
doctors involved, surely the ethics involved in making the decision to
encourage people to opt for such treatments given their advanced years and far
from optimal physical condition is debatable at the very least?
Advances in science and technology has made so much
possible. But just because we can do something, doesn’t mean we should.
This column originally appeared in The New Indian Express.
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