For more than two decades, Ms Doris Anum-Dorhuso held on to one prayer: to become a mother. However, year after year passed with her still being childless. Yet, the Chartered Accountant refused to let go of that hope.
And then her story changed on July 3, 2026. Both traditional and social media turned their spotlights on her for weeks.
Obviously, she had least expected that becoming a mother would become a topical story. More interestingly, she who was once considered a “hopeless case” had become a source of hope to many other women who are also battling infertility.
Four days before her 62nd birthday, with the help of Stem-Cell Enhanced In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF), she gave birth to her first child. She named her baby girl Naa Dromo. The delivery took place at the Mary-Lucy Hospital in Awoshie, Accra.
The facility also became the talk of the town despite being in existence for years.
The elated new mother, sharing her joy with the media, revealed that, “the journey has been 22 years of expectation to hold my child in my own arms.”
She described her baby girl as “a memorable package from God.”
For Ms Anum-Dorhuso, motherhood at 61 is not a source of shame but of gratitude. “I don’t feel ashamed at all. This is the doing of the Lord,” she stated. News of her safe delivery at 37 weeks, without complications for mother or baby, opened up a wider national conversation. The discussion was about infertility, the pressure placed on women, and the new possibilities being created by modern reproductive medicine. It is sad that a woman who is a successful chartered accountant contributing meaningfully to the development of her country isn’t enough for society because she is childless. It is this insatiable nature of society that puts an unbearable and also unrealistic burden on childless women and, by extension, their partners.
A Journey Marked by Setbacks
The road to motherhood, she explained, was not easy.
“My late husband and I visited many hospitals over the years,” she recalled. “Most of them told us it would be impossible because of my age and because I had a fibroid surgery years ago.”
She added that the years of waiting and hospital visits took an emotional toll on both her and her husband. But she said faith kept them going. “There was a prophecy many years ago that I would be a mother,” she said. “So I kept holding on to that word.”
The strong-willed woman said she still did not give up despite the unfavourable conclusions and reports from various medical facilities.
“My journey with Mary-Lucy Hospital started on 3rd April 2023,” she said. Her perspective changed after she watched an expert from the hospital on a television programme. The programme dwelt on Stem-Cell Enhanced In Vitro Fertilisation. She said upon a visit to the facility, she heard more about the procedure. It uses a woman’s own cells to help rejuvenate the womb. The chartered accountant said she was hopeful, but also cautious.
“I was afraid because of my previous surgery,” she admitted. “I thought maybe my womb would have to be removed. But the doctors assured me that would not happen. So I decided to give it a try.”
The new mother revealed that, after many evaluations, she underwent another fibroid surgery. During that surgery, 23 “fibroid noodles” were removed from her uterus. She shared how an earlier IVF attempt at a different facility had failed and hence her cautious optimism. Sadly, another attempt at Mary-Lucy Hospital also did not work. Still, she said she refused to give up because of the prophecy that she would one day become a mother.
“I describe myself as a fighter,” she said with a quiet laugh. “So I told myself, let’s try again.”
The second attempt, thankfully, was successful.
“If I had given up, I wouldn’t be a mother today,” the new mother reflected. She said she was happy that after that second try, God answered her prayers.
It was heartwarming to hear that, despite her age and medical history, her pregnancy was successful and without complications. She carried the pregnancy to 37 weeks. She recalled the sacrifices she made such as stopping driving and avoiding all strenuous activities. Ms Anum-Dorhuso said she followed every piece of medical advice.
She applauded the medical team for their commitment to duty. “They are the vessels that were used to help me have my baby,” she said, sounding satisfied.
She urged every woman who desires to have her own children not to give up. “Seek help early at accredited facilities,” she advised. “And have faith. If I had given up I wouldn’t have achieved my goal to be a mother.”
A Medical Milestone
For Dr Davis Kofie Adedze, an Obstetrician-Gynaecologist and Stem Cell Expert, the case marks an important step forward.
“Honestly, years ago I would have said it was impossible for a 61-year-old woman with her history to carry a pregnancy,” he said. “But science has evolved. This is a gift from God to make human lives better.”
“Stem-Cell Enhanced IVF combines conventional assisted reproductive technology with regenerative medicine,” he explained. “We harvested cells from her own body. We injected them into the womb to strengthen the uterine lining before embryo transfer. That helped her womb to function better and support the pregnancy.”
He noted that every woman’s path to parenting is unique and therefore encouraged all those desiring children to seek medical evaluation so that they will be attended to appropriately.
Ms Doris Anum-Dorhuso carries her baby with pride and satisfaction.
Because Ms Anum-Dorhuso remained strong throughout, she did not require hospital admission during pregnancy. She was monitored closely. She carried the pregnancy to 37 weeks before delivering a healthy baby girl.
“This is a significant milestone for reproductive medicine,” the Stem-Cell Expert noted. “It shows what is possible when advanced medical care is combined with a patient’s determination. My advice to women is simple: remain hopeful, and seek help early at accredited facilities.”
Faith, Sacrifice and a Wider Conversation
Beyond the medical achievement, Ms Anum-Dorhuso’s story has started an important conversation. It is about how society treats women without children, regardless of their professional success.
Her experience carries a clear message. With perseverance, access to the right care, and faith, timelines that society calls “too late” can still be rewritten.
It also raises a critical question: could Stem-Cell Enhanced IVF become a new avenue of hope for women struggling with infertility? By using a patient’s own cells to repair and strengthen the uterus, the procedure offers renewed possibilities for carefully selected patients who previously had very few options.
As Ghana celebrates the arrival of baby Naa Dromo, one truth stands out. Medicine provides the science. But it is often faith and determination that carry a woman like Ms Anum-Dorhuso through.
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