Viareggio (Lucca), 5 June 2024 – Among the Italian famous people there is also Gianna Nannini who, in November 2010, at the age of 56, gave birth to Penelope, conceived naturally after a long course of fertility treatments. Monday 3 June is born Instead Sebastiana little hero of almost 2 kilograms of love and anxiously waiting for the new one mother Flavia Alvaro who will turn 64 on October 24th: the oldest in Italy. The baby was born at 31 weeks and 4 days. IVF took place in Kiev. “I’m too happy”, Flavia’s words yesterday morning, whispered from the bed of the Versilia hospital, next to her gynecologist Andrea Marsili. The desire for motherhood had been born for years in Flavia’s heart: now certainly a little tired, sedated, after an almost emergency caesarean section performed on Monday evening, after her blood pressure had risen and the doctor deemed it appropriate intervene immediately.
She is incredulous and satisfied. “Doctor, where is Isabella? I want to have a word with her…”. Yes, because Doctor Marsili, his wife Isabella, his trusted nurse Claudia and the handyman Fernando Di Pietro have become his family for over a decade, the confidants who have firmly believed in this dream. Flavia also has a 93-year-old mother: she is the real ‘grandmother’ who waits for her at home, between Viareggio and Varignano, near her doctor’s surgery. “A quiet pregnancy – assures the gynecologist – lived with serenity. Of course, I was worried, incredulous at first, I even made good-natured fun of her, but Flavia got involved, she wanted this child very badly and flew to Ukraine for a long time. twice”. “On the first attempt about two years ago – continues Marsili – Flavia had miscarried at the 14th week: a trauma. And at the beginning I too had expressed many human and medical doubts…”.
Flavia, who works at the municipal library-museum of Viareggio, one day leaves for the Biotex Com clinic in Kiev, excellence in assisted procreation and in vitro fertilization worldwide. The cost for fertilization and surgery is around 15,000 euros. She does everything by herself. Here, outside Europe, the age limit of 50 does not exist: the first time, unfortunately, the pregnancy ends after just over three months, but the woman does not give up and continues to hope. Last autumn she left again for Ukraine, invaded by war, without fear of bombs or other disappointments. He arrives in the chaos of a bombed Kiev and gets lost: instead of reaching the bus station to get to the clinic, which has been dealing with fertilization since 2008, he heads towards the train station… From the facility they call the Viareggio medical office: “We can’t find Mrs. Alvaro”. And the Marsili clinic, in the throes of anxiety, after various attempts, tracks her down. Hence the hospitalization: the embryo comes from two young people, a lifeguard and a swimming teacher from the same pool. And so the miracle happens. Flavia returns to Italy and begins monitoring: “The placenta was previa – adds Marsili – but otherwise no problem”. The months pass peacefully until the eighth, when Sebastian is born safe and sound. Now the little one is in the premature ward and, as soon as he reaches his ideal weight, Flavia will take him home: a late mother, but a generous, tenacious and loving fighter.
