67-year-old woman gives birth to twins

by Jenifer Scharpen (Subscribe to Jenifer Scharpen's posts) Dec 31st 2006 11:04AM

Categories: Just For Moms, Pregnancy & Birth

Yahoo!News reports that a 67-year-old woman gave birth to twins by caesarian section in Barcelona yesterday. Aside from the name of the hospital, Sant Pau, and the statement that the twins are in incubators and doing well, not much information was released.

The mother reportedly underwent in vitro fertilization in the United States, and is now the oldest woman to ever give birth.

My first reaction is to feel badly for the children, because they likely aren't going to get to have their mother for very many years. But, if you think about it, there's certainly no guarantee that any mother will live to see her children to adulthood. What might the positives be for these kids?

Well, I'm guessing that they will have a mother who is wise and capable; she's certainly going to have more experience than the mothers of their peers. Based on the enormous health risks their mother took (in my opinion, at least), they are certainly wanted and will be very much loved. Their mother is old enough to perhaps be retired and able to not only give them a stable home, but also all her available time and energy.

I know many grandparents, and great-grandparents, who are raising children, and doing a wonderful job of it. Is it much different in this case? I'd love to hear from the mom about what motivated her to make the choices she did.

Comments (11)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

joyy 12-31-2006 @ 12:30PM

hi mom,glade u and twins are doin good!!all i can say is congratulations/u go girl!! :)

Claudia 12-31-2006 @ 12:37PM

At first I was horrified at the thought of a 67-year-old giving birth but you are correct that many of us (I am 60) are raising our grandchildren. I have raised one from birth until she was 18 and as she says, "you were my mom - maybe not the one who gave birth to me but my mom just the same". I did a fantastic job and am sure this "older" mom will do the same. Claudia

Caroline 12-31-2006 @ 12:49PM

First, to Poster #1, I'm doubting that you even qualify to give any type of opinion regarding ANYONE giving birth. Your butchered sentence indicates that you have very little educational background. I hope for your own sake, that you spend less time worried about bringing more children into the world and more about bettering your education! Stay in school and study hard....Lord knows, you need it!
Secondly, it's a double whammy for the children of this woman -- looks not only like they are going to have a short-lived relationship with Mom, but also looks as though there's no Dad in the picture either! I hope there's a nice man and woman somewhere that will step up to the plate and take over if this woman decides to check out in the next 18 years!

Keri 12-31-2006 @ 1:29PM

Whoa, Caroline. Such harsh words and for no good reason either. At least poster #1 spelled 'congratulations' correctly, unlike the majority of the population. =)

Mary Wray 12-31-2006 @ 2:25PM

A good mother is patient, kind, nurturing,and loving.There are many highly educated women who would not be good mothers.I consider myself well educated. I graduated from college after majoring in psychology and education.The knowledge I received has been valuable in helping me rear my children. However,personality traits and personal beliefs on child rearing impart an invaluable focus on what is important. My four children are all successful college educated professionals.They are additionally kind, thoughtful,and loving individuals who value most the unconditional love they are given from their parents.If you love your children and teach them to love God and to care about the welfare of others, I doubt they will care about their parents grammer (or age).

Liz 12-31-2006 @ 4:24PM

LOL! I was thinking the same thing about the first poster. Mucho mistakes in two very short sentences. Oh well.... As far as the twins are concerned, it's such a shame that in this country so many children grow up in a single parent environment. Where is the father of these children? How old is he? Will they have any uncles or aunts? Any Godparents who will take over their care if/when something happens to their Mother?? A very unique situation.

Catherine 12-31-2006 @ 6:21PM

I can't help wondering what makes us think we have the right to comment or decide on another parents' choices?

Are you happy when others question your choices? Breastmilk vs formula, cloth vs. disposables, stay-at-home vs. working, homeschool vs. public, on and on...

If the "Reproductive Police" came into your home, would you pass their test? Not too old, not too young, not too poor, don't work too much, passed your recent physical, able to crawl on the floor with your little one, spend the correct amount of time playing with your child?

There is no way that I want to birth a child at 67, and yes, there is the possibility she won't live to see the twins to 20y old. Or she could live to be 100 years old.

But there is also the possibility that they will be very much loved, well cared for, very much wanted, and have their future planned for. Can we say that about every child in the world? Sadly, no...

Ginny 1-02-2007 @ 10:01AM

Who gives a rat's patootie how the first poster spelled? Gimme a break people.

Ben 1-02-2007 @ 12:01PM

Catherine, its funny you ask what makes us think we have th right to comment and then you comment... but anyway.

Personally I think 67 is far to old to be having kids (twins!) but think of the money she'll save with a seniors discount, no daycare and buying diapers for 3 in bulk! Sorry just trying to throw a little humour out there.

Tatyana 1-08-2007 @ 10:18PM

I think it is great. I'm 43 and childless,and my life situation is very unclear. But I still hope. This brave women lifted my spirit. God bless her and her children

Marcia 1-28-2007 @ 6:03PM

What arrogance and how mean spirited to attack a person about their spelling and education for no reason other than you disagree with their position. Some of the best parents I know were illiterate but had the gift. I adopted a child at 50 and it definitely has its plus and minuses more pluses however as I watch young self-centered twent something turn their children over to nannies and rarely skip a beat when it comes to paying attention to their offspring. And as the poster above remarked there are no guarantees, I lost my mother at a very young age with an 11 year old brother. Marcia

How To Submit Photos:
If you'd like your children (any age will do!) featured on ParentDish, upload photos into the ParentDish Flickr Pool. Be sure to read our main Flickr page for more information.