'Conor is my miracle baby'
Olwen Donovan (43), who works for the Irish Blood Transfusion Service and her husband Chris (44), a retired member of the Defence Forces, both from Dublin, had their first and only child Conor (3) when Olwen was 40. She says: "Chris and I had been trying for years to have a baby but I was never able to carry a pregnancy past 11 weeks and had five miscarriages.
"On a friend's advice I went to see Dr Phil Boyle at the Galway clinic. He ran tests that revealed my thyroid levels were very low and my progesterone levels dropped too fast to carry a pregnancy. He was able to put me on drugs to correct that and within the year I had conceived.
"Ten weeks before I was due to give birth I was out shopping when my waters broke. I was rushed to hospital where Conor was born -- the day before I was due to start my ante-natal classes. I had a C-section and couldn't take him home for three weeks because he was so little, and, after the birth, I suffered from post-natal depression just because I'd been through so much.
"I think it's unfair that people often question women having children later in life. It depends on your circumstances and when it is the right time for you. If you have a child before you're ready the child could suffer.
"I feel like Conor is my miracle baby and I'm so delighted that someone was able to help me find out what was wrong. I'd advise all women trying to get pregnant to get all the tests they need. Being a mum has its ups and downs at any age, but I feel being a parent means so much more to me now than it might have done if I had conceived earlier in life. My life wouldn't be complete without Conor."
Irish Independent
