Motherhood at 54: London woman delivers son with her own eggs after a decade-long infertility journey

Monica Kranner, a London-based nutritionist and mindset coach, delivered her son Lewis by caesarean section at age 54, after a long infertility journey that included seven miscarriages and several rounds of assisted reproduction using her own eggs. Lewis was the eighth pregnancy Kranner conceived in her bid to become a mother, and the embryo that became him was created from an egg retrieved when she was 52. Kranner and her husband, Peter, welcomed a healthy boy weighing 6 pounds 3 ounces, two weeks after the planned caesarean.

The couple’s path to parenthood began in earnest after they married in December 2012. Kranner, who had initially conceived naturally at 42 but miscarried 11 weeks into that pregnancy, endured a series of losses that dashed hopes of expanding their family. The couple undertook two rounds of fertility treatment in Vienna, Austria, beginning in 2014, when Kranner was 45. They pursued intrauterine insemination, or IUI, after doctors in Vienna advised that IVF might not be the best next step for her at the time. Each attempt produced pregnancies that ended in miscarriage, leaving Kranner and Peter emotionally exhausted and financially stretched.

By 2019, after further explorations and continued longing, the couple considered alternatives, including donor eggs. UK clinics had been reluctant to proceed, citing age-related risks and NHS limits, with the National Health Service commonly setting an upper age threshold around 43 for certain fertility treatments. Private clinics, while sometimes more flexible, often presented the option of donor eggs as the more likely path. Kranner, however, remained resolute: she wanted to try using her own eggs, even if it meant taking on substantial risk and expense.

In late 2021, as the COVID-19 pandemic impeded travel and care, Kranner and Peter traveled to Bilbao, Spain, where gynaecologists were willing to support her choice to attempt to conceive again with her own eggs. Four eggs were retrieved and fertilised with Peter’s sperm, resulting in four embryos. Given her age, doctors advised transferring a single embryo to reduce the risk to both mother and baby, while the other three were frozen for future use. Over the next year, Kranner underwent two embryo transfers that produced positive pregnancy tests but ended in miscarriages, followed by a third transfer in late 2022 that finally yielded a viable pregnancy.

The pregnancy progressed with careful monitoring. Kranner received regular tests and scans, including checks for chromosomal abnormalities, and faced gestational diabetes and high blood pressure—risks associated with advanced maternal age. An obstetrician recommended a caesarean section two weeks before the due date to reduce potential complications, and Kranner delivered Lewis in late 2022 at age 54. She recounts the moment she first held him: the joy, relief, and disbelief that after years of heartache, a biological child could be hers.

Lewis arrived as a curious and mobile toddler, speaking English and Kranner’s native German. The couple acknowledge that parenting at their ages will come with unique challenges, including the possibility of their son being teased in school about their age. They also recognize the effect this may have on their future plans and finances, noting they spent about £60,000 on fertility treatments and will likely need to work into their mid-80s to recover those costs. Kranner says the decision to pursue her biological child came at a time when giving up was not an option she could live with, despite the emotional and financial toll.

Public perception has been a constant undercurrent in Kranner’s journey. Some acquaintances and observers have questioned her choice, pointing to the ethical and practical implications of late-age motherhood and the potential for exploitation in the donor-egg industry. The discourse has intensified as celebrities have spoken openly about non-traditional paths to motherhood, including surrogacy. Kranner emphasizes that Lewis is 100 percent genetically hers and Peter’s and that her aim has always been to provide a loving, stable upbringing for their child, regardless of the challenges.

The couple’s experience also highlights broader health considerations associated with late pregnancies. Medical guidance for older mothers often involves heightened vigilance for conditions such as gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, and other age-related risks. Kranner’s obstetric team monitored her closely and recommended a planned cesarean delivery to reduce risk, a decision that reflected a cautious approach to a birth at the outer edge of typical maternal age ranges. Kranner notes that the experience required balancing hope with realism, and that the birth, while medically complex, yielded a healthy infant who has become the focal point of a renewed family chapter.

Looking ahead, Kranner and Peter acknowledge that raising Lewis will require ongoing energy and planning. They are aware that as Lewis grows, questions about his family structure may arise from peers or teachers, and they hope his resilience and confidence will carry him through any potential teasing. Kranner also reflects on the personal commitment involved in parenting at their ages, including the possibility of being older when Lewis starts his own family. She remains grateful for the opportunity to be a mother and for the support from family, friends, and medical professionals who walked with them through years of hope and heartbreak.

The broader health and policy landscape surrounding late-age motherhood remains complex. While advances in reproductive technology have expanded options for people facing infertility, medical guidance and public health policies continue to weigh the benefits of parenthood against potential risks to both mother and child. Kranner’s story underscores the deeply personal nature of infertility, the endurance required to pursue parenthood, and the ways in which medical advances intersect with ethical, social, and financial considerations. As Lewis grows, his parents say they will continue to advocate for understanding and nonjudgment, hoping that stories of late-life parenthood contribute to more nuanced conversations about family, health, and resilience in modern society.