Susan Tollefsen, 59, was set to become the oldest woman in Britain to have IVF, but has now cancelled the fertility treatment and believes she is too old.
Susan, a retired teacher, conceived her first child through IVF when she was 57. She had to travel to a clinic in Russia after being refused fertility treatment in the UK because of her age, reports the Telegraph.
Susan was due to start her first round of IVF at a private London clinic this month, to help her have baby No. 2. However, she’s changed her mind, and said she's worried she might die, given the ill effects she suffered with Freya.
“We’ve basically decided the risks are too great and I’m too old,” said Susan, from Laindon, Essex.
“My advice to older women wanting children is don’t risk it.”
Susan explained further, “After I had Freya I had a burst ulcer in my stomach and I nearly died.
“I don’t want to leave behind two young children for my husband to look after on his own.
“He is a bit nervous that we are tempting fate with my age. I should just be happy with the child I’ve got.
“We’ve been talking about the pros and cons for months and I’m worried about having another baby at my age.
“We want a sibling for Freya for when we are not around but we had to seriously reconsider it.
“The doctors didn’t have any problems treating me but I know there are huge risks. I wish I was 35 again but I’m not — and I’ve got to realise that, however hard it is.
“I had hoped to set a precedent for older women but that’s not going to happen.”
Last year, Elizabeth Adeney became the UK’s oldest mum at 66. Elizabeth had IVF in the Ukraine, as she was too old for fertility treatment in Britain.
Also in 2009, the world’s oldest mum, Maria del Carmen Bousada de Lara from Spain, died aged 69, orphaning her 2-year-old twins, conceived with the help of fertility treatment.
