Woman pregnant from late husband's sperm frozen nearly 20 years ago

(Dan Tri) - After eight years of caring for her husband with cancer, ten years after his death, Laura Orrico (American) finally enjoyed the joy of motherhood at the age of 49.

After years of suffering the pain of losing her husband and many miscarriages, Laura Orrico (49 years old, American) finally succeeded in getting pregnant through in vitro fertilization (IVF). The fetus is 5 months old, fertilized from the nearly 20-year-old frozen sperm of her late husband, Ryan Cosgrove.

Laura Orrico next to a photo of her late husband (Photo: NY Post).

Orrico had previously suffered five miscarriages. The last one occurred around the time of her husband's funeral, about 10 years ago.

In 2007, her husband, Ryan Cosgrove, was diagnosed with brain cancer. Before starting chemotherapy, the couple followed their doctor's advice to freeze their sperm.

"Ryan and I met with a lawyer and signed a legal document that dictated what could be done with the frozen sperm... That meant more to me than anything," Orrico shared.

After eight years of battling the disease, Ryan passed away. During that time, the couple had tried several unsuccessful IVF attempts. However, Orrico never gave up hope of becoming a mother.

"After Ryan died, I thought I would remarry and start the next chapter of my life. Although I had been in several long-term relationships and had always expressed my desire to have children, I was not able to become a mother.

I never thought I would do it alone, but at this point I had no other choice and I really wanted to start a family," she shared.

This year, Orrico decided to undergo IVF using her late husband's sperm, which had been stored for nearly two decades. She now lives with her mother, who has multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease, in Chicago and fully supports her daughter's decision to become a single mother.

Because of her age, Orrico was classified as a high-risk pregnancy and was being closely monitored by a team of maternal-fetal medicine doctors. She underwent extensive testing before undergoing IVF.

In June of this year, Orrico broke down when it was announced that she had successfully conceived at the age of 49. According to Dr. Barry Witt, a reproductive endocrinologist, getting pregnant in your late 50s is difficult due to a sharp decline in egg quality and quantity. This is especially difficult when Orrico also has a history of multiple miscarriages.

"I was very worried about my health, but it turned out better than I thought. The doctors also hoped that everything would always be fine," she said.

Through her journey, Laura Orrico hopes to inspire couples struggling to conceive, and highlight the importance of timely sperm and egg freezing when faced with health issues.

In her second trimester, this mother is enjoying happy days after many years of waiting.

"I eagerly await the birth of my daughter every day so that I can tell her about my journey and about her father. My child will know that she has a father in heaven who always loves her," she shared.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/nguoi-phu-nu-mang-thai-tu-tinh-trung-dong-lanh-gan-20-nam-cua-chong-qua-co-20251117151147188.htm