76-Year-Old Tigray Woman Welcomes Baby Boy After IVF Miracle

In early February 2025, Embeyte Medhin Hagos—or Medhin Barka—made headlines across Ethiopia and beyond when she gave birth to a healthy baby boy at the age of 76.

The delivery took place in a hospital in Mekelle, capital of the Tigray region, where her journey to motherhood after decades of longing became a story of inspiration and joy.

From IVF in India to Birth at Home

Medhin had traveled to India about a year earlier to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF). Despite the long odds, the procedure succeeded—and she carried the pregnancy naturally to term. When informed of her conception, she later said she was stunned: “I was not convinced at all when I was told I had conceived.” Her own family shared the amazement, a young relative declaring, “Nothing is impossible to the Holy Saviour.”

A Bright Light Amidst Tigray’s Hardship

The timing of this event has been especially poignant. Since 2020, Tigray has faced brutal conflict, displacement, hunger, and a collapsing health system. Millions have fled, and maternal care has become increasingly scarce due to destroyed clinics and blocked aid. In such a context, the birth of a baby to a woman of Medhin’s age became a rare beacon of hope for local residents—proof that even amid devastation, life and miracles persist.

Redefining Motherhood at Any Age

While there are documented cases of women abroad giving birth in their 60s or early 70s via IVF, few women in Ethiopia—or anywhere—have become mothers in their mid-70s. Medhin’s case draws comparison to biblical narratives and to women in other African nations, such as a 70-year-old Ugandan mother of twins. But for her community, this felt uniquely powerful: a mother born in Mekelle, carried by years of care and collective hope.

Community Celebration and Faith

Video shared on regional media during the baby’s baptism showed crowd-filled celebrations, with neighbors, extended family, and local elders offering blessings. Though there is no formal medical report on the birth, locals describe a ceremony full of gratitude, tears, and rejoicing—an emotional break from the daily struggle of rebuilding lives. Comments on social media likened the moment to Sarah’s birthing of Isaac at 90, emphasizing faith’s enduring role.

Health, Ethics, and Access Questions

Despite the celebratory tone, the birth also raises important questions. Medhin underwent IVF abroad—raising concerns about access, ethics, and long-term maternal health risks for such elderly mothers. Medical experts caution that pregnancies at extreme ages carry heightened risks, and not every older woman is a medical candidate. Yet supporters highlight this as a unique moment of personal victory and collective spirit.

A Story Both Personal and Universal

Embeyte Medhin’s journey is both intensely personal and broadly symbolic. It’s a deeply human story: a woman’s decades-long hope, a family’s grief and joy, and a community’s faith ignited in a time of deep crisis. Her son is more than a newborn—he’s a living testament to resilience, possibility, and the enduring belief that miracles still happen.

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