70-year-old beats odds, delivers a set of twins
Nov 30, 2023
Dr Edward Ssali, who is the senior gynecologist at the facility, confirmed that both the mother and babies are in good health.
Safina Namukwaya 70 delivers twins.
Agnes Kyotalengerire
Journalist @New Vision
________________________ One of Namukwayas twin baby02 Safinah and her husband Badru Walusimbi A nurse attending to one of Namukwaya's babies02 Safinah Namukwaya after delivery
Safinah Namukwaya, 70, has beaten the odds and entered records after she delivered a set of twins.
Namukwaya underwent a C-section at the Women's Hospital and International Fertility Centre in Bukoto, Kampala at 12:04 pm and 12:05 respectively on Wednesday, November 29, 2023. The babies: A boy and a girl weighed 1.7kg each.
Dr Edward Ssali, who is the senior gynecologist at the facility, confirmed that both the mother and babies are in good health.
This is the second pregnancy Namukwaya, a resident of Nunda village, in Lwabenge parish, Buyiisa sub-county in Kalungu district is carrying and delivering successfully.
Namukwaya managed to carry the pregnancy to 31 weeks, until five days ago when she was admitted to a women's hospital. The doctors embarked to admit and monitor her in preparation for a C-section delivery given her age coupled with it being a multiple pregnancy.
First pregnancy
Namukwaya became the oldest new mum in Uganda after she was delivered by C-section to a baby girl at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital in June 2020. This was after 47 years of endless search for a baby.
The endless search for a baby
Namukwaya first got married at the age of 15, in 1973. She conceived and carried her pregnancy up to 22 weeks when she suffered a miscarriage. She did not conceive again although she continued to battle with severe painful menstrual cramps. After nine years, she was diagnosed with blocked fallopian tubes and was treated at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital. Her health stabilised, the painful menstrual cramps disappeared and she gained weight. Sadly, she tried to conceive in vain.
Unable to withstand the humiliation of a childless marriage, Namukwaya’s husband decided to marry another woman and got several children.
Although Namukwaya’s in-laws constantly despised her because of being barren, her husband loved and respected her because of her good behavior. Namukwaya did not think of divorce, instead took on the role of caring for her co-wives' children.
“The idea of not conceiving and having my children constantly troubled me but I could not do much since I did not have money to seek fertility treatment,” Namukwaya says.
Sadly, her husband suddenly fell sick and died after a week. Though still, Namukwaya did not abandon her matrimonial home, she stayed around. Luckily, after her husband’s death, Namukwaya got into a relationship with her current husband. She immediately disclosed her failure to bear children to her new lover who accepted to marry her regardless of her barrenness.
Namukwaya left her late husband’s home. Her new husband, Badru Walusimbi, built her home. The couple then embarked on the search for the baby. Luckily, while Namukwaya shared with her friend about her failure to conceive, she was advised to seek medical help at the women’s hospital. The friend assured Namukwaya that after receiving fertility treatment, she would be able to conceive. Later, she directed Namukwaya to the fertility centre.
In July 2018, Namukwaya visited the fertility centre where she was examined and diagnosed with a blockage of the fallopian tubes.
Namukwaya was started on treatment and later conceived through In vitro fertility treatment (IVF). In Vitro Fertility (IVF) treatment is where there is a fusion between sperm and the woman’s eggs in a test tube to form a fertilised egg (embryo). The embryo is later transferred into her uterus through the cervix.
On November 9, 2019, five embryos were transferred into Namukwaya’s womb. In November, she took a pregnancy test and the results showed that she had conceived on the first attempt.
On December 9, an ultrasound scan was done and results confirmed she was six weeks pregnant with one baby. The couple was overjoyed after the pregnancy test turned positive.
Immediately after Namukwaya conceived, she started experiencing pregnancy signs of morning sickness, not to mention being picky with food. When the pregnancy progressed to 19 weeks, on March 20, 2020, she started attending her antenatal care at Masaka Regional Referral Hospital.
She could not travel to the women’s hospital because of the long distance. The situation was worsened by the COVID-19 lockdown. So she had no option except to continue going to Masaka Hospital for antenatal care.
Unfortunately, when Namukyawa’s pregnancy clocked 34 weeks, she developed complications and was admitted to Masaka Regional Referral Hospital. Her blood pressure shot and her body was swollen with an extremely extended abdomen that gave her a lot of discomfort. She also had difficulty breathing coupled with an irritating cough.
To save her life and that of the baby, Namukwaya was delivered at 36 weeks and through C-section. Her baby girl weighed 2.6kg. Namukwaya's first daughter Nanteza Isha Sarah is now three years old.
Search for another baby
Late last year (2022), Namukwaya, together with her husband, visited the women's hospital in Bukoto in search of another baby. Tests were done and luckily, early this year, Namukwaya was helped to conceive through Invitro fertility (IVF) treatment without challenges.
Although she is of advanced age, Nakukwaya explains why she decided to have more babies.
“I decided to have more children given that having one baby is risky. It is like having one stick of matches,” she said.
At the time of the interview, Namukyawa’s husband, Badru Walusimbi, was not at the health facility.
Cost of babies
Namukwaya and Walusimbi did not have a budget for fertility treatment for the first pregnancy. However, they paid in installments for every treatment phase that she received. By the time of delivery, the couple had paid sh37m and the remaining shillings of three million were cleared later.
Last year Namukwaya was set to have more babies but she could not raise money to pay for IVF, luckily the hospital rendered her free services.
Call for support
Namukwaya calls upon Good Samaritans for support to care for the babies given that she is financially constrained.
“It is going to be difficult to take care of these babies because I have not worked throughout pregnancy,” she said.
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