Kelly Clarke, now 55, became a first-time mother at age 50 after undergoing IVF in Greece. She traveled to Athens in 2020 for the procedure, which cost just under £3,000 including flights and accommodation. Clarke used donor eggs and donor sperm, as advised by clinicians who deemed using her own eggs too risky due to her age.

Clarke, who lives in Crawley, Sussex, had a 23-year career as an air stewardess and held senior positions at Gatwick Airport before being made redundant during the pandemic. She retrained as a swim teacher before pursuing motherhood.

Her daughter, Lyla Rae, was born in March 2021. Clarke chose an anonymous sperm donor to maintain sole custody and raise Lyla as she wished. She stated, "She is not my egg but she is mine, I grew her and without me she wouldn't be here."

Clarke described her pregnancy as amazing and stated she had no medical problems, despite UK doctors referring to her age as "geriatric." She felt she was at her peak fitness when she conceived. Clarke believes her age has been an advantage in single motherhood, allowing her to focus on her daughter without the desire for a social life separate from Lyla. She also noted that she had paid off her mortgage before Lyla's birth, allowing her income as a teaching assistant to be fully dedicated to her family.

Clarke's experience comes as a new study suggests lower IVF success rates in older women, even with donor eggs. Researchers at IVIRMA Global Research Alliance in Italy found that while donor eggs can help, womb-related aging may reduce implantation success, with a significant drop observed around age 49. The study of 1,774 women indicated that those over 49 were less likely to have a live birth and had a higher miscarriage rate compared to women aged 35-40.

Despite these findings, Clarke encourages other women considering later-life motherhood. "I've spoken to a few friends who were umming and ahhing about it and I would 100 per cent recommend doing it," she said. She added, "At the end of the day you're as old as you feel."

While experts note increased risks for older mothers and their children, Clarke reported minimal side effects during her pregnancy, primarily migraines which she already experienced. Her cravings were for strawberries and pineapple, and she experienced ankle swelling.