70 year old gives birth to twins
Categories: In the news, Weird but true
Every now and then, my husband sees a little pig-tailed cutie holding someone's hand and sighs and says, "You never gave me a daughter." He's kidding, of course, but wondering what raising a child of the opposite sex would be like is a fact of life for families blessed with kids of the same sex.
However, for 77 year-old Charan Singh Panwar of India, not having a son weighed on him so heavily, he mortgaged his land, sold his buffaloes, spent his life savings and took out a credit card loan to finance fertility treatments so his seventy-year-old wife could bear him a male heir.
His wife, Omkari Panwar, mother to Panwar's two grown daughters and grandmother to five, gave birth Friday to twins: the longed for boy, and bonus girl who wasn't even mentioned by dear old Dad.
Said the ancient Pop, "At last we have a son and heir. We prayed to God, went to saints and visited religious places to pray for an heir. We kept no stone unturned and God has rewarded us. The treatment cost me a fortune but the birth of a son makes it all worthwhile. I can die a happy man and a proud father."
I realize that in some places, sons are necessary for the family's financial survival, but having sold your land and livestock for fertility treatments to have a son sort of defeats the whole purpose of free male labor. Not to mention risking the life of your aged wife, who probably wasn't given a lot of choice in the matter.
It also makes me wonder what fertility clinic and doctors who would agree to even attempt such a thing. In the photo of the babies (who were born by C-section) they have exceedingly tiny arms and legs and all up swallowed up by the large disposable diaper they are wearing.
And the life expectancy rate India is only 60-61 years. Who's going to be stuck raising these little babies when Panwar dies? I'm guessing it would probably be the grown daughters who weren't enough to make their dad a "happy and proud father."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
ann burkart 7-05-2008 @ 5:08PM
I think this 70 year old lady and her husband are horrible GREEDY people just thinking of themselves and not of a childs future....they will be dead in a few years and here are more parentless children. They should be punished for child abuse. I dont care about modern artificial insemination, this should be used PROPERLY and should be banned to anyone over child bearing age. Isnt it bad enough a "man-woman" freak had a baby this week???? Give me abreak and lets think of the childrens future!!!!!!!!!!!
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Inger 7-05-2008 @ 10:39PM
Whoa, Ann!
Chill for a minute there, chica! While I agree that it is reprehensible for this woman to burden these children with unknown amounts of health and living issues during thir lives, I don't see how it at all relates to the transgendered man and his family! You really cannot compare a young healthy couple wanting to have a family together to a 70 year old couple trying to get pregnant only to try and have a boy.
Being born a month premature and 2 pds - those poor babies are in for a rough time and I wish them all the best.
Dion 7-07-2008 @ 9:17AM
I'm at a loss for words. Wow! So much effort for a son - must be real important to their culture. I'm thinking the daughters will probably take responsibility when they die. Twins at 70 - she's going to need all the help she can get. I wish for them many more years, health and strength and the resources to clear off all that debt.
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Lorrie 7-07-2008 @ 5:01PM
That is unreal. I have a 71 year old mother and gets around but to take on the demands of an infant let alone 2, I could never see that. What about when these children are starting to walk around? Are these parents going to be able to take care of them? Even if they are given to the daughters that they have, they also are probably up in age. I don't know who could do it but I am 49 and eagerly waiting the birth of my first grandson. I have an 8 year old nephew who keeps me busy. I can keep up with the 8 year old but a newborn. I don't think so. Not 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. My prayers go out to these parents.
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Bernice 7-09-2008 @ 11:03PM
I've read somewhere that in some cultures having a son has something to do with going to heaven. Can't remember exactly, if anyone knows please explain.
It must be something EXTREMLY URGENT & MOST NECESSARY for someone to their age to do this, but I agree I think it is kind of selfish and unfair to the child or should I say children (ALL of them including the ones that will have to raise them once the parents die) These daughters are probably grandparents themselves! Man I'm 45 years, have raised three so I would be pissed if my old mother left me with not one but TWO, Somebody would have to include me in that heavenly promise to get me to agree to go through the horrible teens years again with another child! I'll need to see that in writing first, a contract signed by the finger of God himself!
Lawd help them!
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Desiree 7-25-2008 @ 4:10AM
Sorry I totaly do not agree with this!There is so many people out there trying to have babies and these selfish people have them! The other weak a man woman had a baby too all this should be aleagle! I hope that thoose horible selfish people read this coment and understan what they're doing wrong! What about the kids when they are 3 or for their parents will die! Why did they have other babies now any way they should of tried more when they were younger.I dont wish the best for theese people or any thing! I just hope the poor babies get on well at school and everything!
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