Mother of first child conceived through in vitro fertilization dies in Portugal

The mother of the first child born in Portugal through in vitro fertilization (IVF) in 1986 died of illness in Lisbon on Wednesday, a family source told Lusa.

Alda Saleiro, who has died aged 66, was the first Portuguese woman to give birth to a baby conceived through IVF at the Santa Maria Hospital in Lisbon on 25 February 1986, the birthday of Carlos Saleiro, known as Portugal’s first “test tube baby”.

António Pereira Coelho was the doctor responsible for introducing the technique to Portugal, after working on its development in Paris.

The doctor then admitted that he was “always a little upset” during the birth, but noted that “everything was fine.”

Eight years ago, during a meeting with António Pereira Coelho, Carlos Saleiro, who had made a career as a footballer, told Luce that he had again “met a very important person” in his life.

“My mother and father were warriors, they fought to have a child and they succeeded,” he said proudly.

At this meeting with António Pereira Coelho, Carlos Saleiro was accompanied by his mother, Alda, who admitted that she had long wanted to hug the doctor who had given him the son he had been waiting for for years.

The doctor took the opportunity to recall some of Alda’s character traits, such as her determination and enthusiasm, which helped her become the first woman to give birth to an IVF baby in Portugal.

“I knew I was going to be the first,” she said, proud of having gone through the process. For his part, Pereira Coelho recalled another aspect of this mother: her stubbornness and persistence.

“Alda told me she had a break from the water, but before that [do parto] “I had to go to the hairdresser. This is really Alda, determined and confident,” he said.