Woman in 60s 'pregnant through IVF'

[Tutter]

(from yahoo! news)

raises some interesting questions i think - like why do we have kids? for whose benefit? is she being selfish? or is she as justified as you or i?

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A controversial Italian fertility doctor has helped a British woman in her early 60s to become pregnant, it was reported.

Patricia Rashbrook, a child psychiatrist from Lewes, East Sussex, is now seven months' pregnant after being given IVF treatment by Severino Antinori, according to The Sun.

The newspaper reported she was 63 - which would make her the oldest British mother when she gives birth.

Dr Rashbrook's husband, John Farrant, refused to comment on the story but said his wife

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was younger than 63.
He told The Sun: "My wife is seven months' pregnant. We are of course both very happy and looking forward to the birth. Obviously at our age it is quite daunting.

"I would not call it a miracle baby but an assisted conception. We were aware this was going to come out and we have been preparing ourselves psychologically for the news to break."

Dr Rashbrook, who already has two children from her first marriage, flew to Rome last October for treatment, The Sun reported.

Antinori, who runs a private fertility clinic in Rome, first made headlines in 1994 by helping a post-menopausal 63-year-old woman become pregnant with donor eggs and hormones.

He has said in the past he aimed to be the first to produce a baby cloned from an adult. In 2004 he claimed that he knew of three cloned babies that had been born but refused to produce any evidence, citing legal reasons.

Previously Britain's oldest mother was hill farmer Liz Buttle, from Wales, who was 60 when she gave birth to a son called Joseph in 1997. The oldest woman in the world to give birth is thought to be Adriana Iliescu, from Romania, who had a daughter called Eliza Maria in January 2005 at the age of 66.

[1Baby1Bump]

i dont want to be slated but it is definately not for me, meaning i am 22 have ds 9m and ds2 due in sep. i will be 23 and have 2 under 2 and thats how i personally wanted it- dh agrees. he is 25.
to be preg at that age puts the wind up me- i couldnt do it!
preg and birth knocks me for six at this age and im fit, young and healthy- let alone at 60!
:o

[PinkKerPlink]

she also has children in their 20s aswell, which makes it seem unusual that she would want and be allowed to have one at 63 tbh

I am not sure how/why a woman of 50/60 who already has children would be so desperate for a baby and why a specialist would grant them the right to have IVF other than being driven by money (the IVF specialist not the parents)

[FairyMum]

Too old. Totally ridiculous.

[rosebea]

Too old, definately. I've got two under three and I some times get so tired I could just collapse, I imagine she feels like that without running after babies!!! I really don't think it's terribly fair on the child either. My god I've just realised she's the same age as my nan!! I can't imagine it, my nan goes on at least 3 overseas holidays a year and is having a ball...you'd think a child at that age would cramp their style somewhat!

[expatinscotland]

Too old. Entirely selfish and should not be permitted.

[expatinscotland]

Yet another reason to discourage women from donating their eggs. In addition to not being allowed to be anonymous, your egg can go to get Granny pregnant.

Unconscionable.

[katzg]

well i think it bloody stupid! 63 if and its a big if she lives to 80 her child will only be 17, fancy having a child so late in life, who is going to look after it and guide it and help if she dies. i know people are living longer but i'm 28 and still rely on my mum for help and support her mum will be 91! its just plain crazy!

How selfish

[JoolsToo]

This woman already has children.
She is 63, well past child bearing age.
Imho its a totally selfish act and not thinking about the child at all.
I wish the child a happy life.

[juuule]

I was 29 when my mum died at 54. I have a friend who died when her youngest was 12, she was 45. How do we decide who is suitable to be a parent? I don't know the personal circumstances of this particular couple, but maybe they have already taken into account the well-being of the child should anything happen to them. Not something all younger parents do. As to whether they are being selfish or not - why does anyone want to have a baby/child?

[expatinscotland]

Menopause occurs for a reason, I think.

63 is too old. This practice needs to be stopped.

[BudaBabe]

Well I feel much better about trying IVF again next month at the "young" (comparitevely!) age of 42!

[mommie]

i think if someone can afford a nanny to do all the practical stuff - lifting, running around etc, why not be a mum at any age? my father died when i was 8. he was only 46. age is irrelevant really. we are pushing back the boundaries all the time in other areas - raising pension age to 70 plus, living til we are 100 plus...

[hotmama]

Agree with Expats - the menopause is there for a reason.

I'm 39 with 2 dd's ( born when I was 37 and 38) and I'm thinking about number 3 at about 41 and I'm worried this is too old.

This 63 old woman is very selfish and is not thinking about the growing needs of the child.

[mommie]

i suppose i am uncomfortable at what i have always seen as discrimination against women. Rod Stewart becomes a dad at 60 odd, the world says hurray, a woman becomes a mum in her sixties, we all say boo

[juuule]

And the reason for menopause is.....? Just curious as to what people think the reason is.:)

[cori]

But men have children at this age all the time. It is usually seen as sign as virility and they are congratulated and patted on the back.

I agree if they can afford to provide for the child as it gets older and there own health is good then there current age is not the biggest issue here.

My own mother died at 47, when I was 19. DH mother died at 37 when he was 12.(SIL was 4)
A young mum does not necessarily mean a healthy one who will live to see her grandchildren. There are no guarantees

[PinkKerPlink]

menopause is natures way of ending a womans fertility although i really do not agree with not offering IVF to women who have had an early menopause.

I think the question has to be asked as to why IVF specialists do give IVF to women over the age of say 55 other than for money

[GDG]

Ridiculous - I'm with expat totally (surprise, surprise since she is so often voice of reason!).

I know that sometimes parents die young and leave children behind but that's not irresponsible, that's tragic. Having a baby at 63 is irresponsible.

And if, as someone suggested, she's going to have a nanny to run round and do it all for her, what is the point?!

Btw, I do not think 'hurrah' when Rod Stewart or any other bloke gets someone up the duff at 60 either.

[PinkKerPlink]

no i shudder when I see old blokes having babies

[GDG]

Me too - totally cringeworthy!

[bundle]

hmmmmmmmmmmmm Antinori

[PinkKerPlink]

oh say no more then

[mommie]

i don't think having a nanny makes motherhood pointless! just considerably easier

[KTeePee]

I wonder how old her husband is? I used to know someone who was considerably older than her partner, she already had grown-up children from a previous relationship and after being with her partner for a long time he started to get broody and she said she would have had another child with him if it was possible but she was already around the 60 mark by then...

I personally found it exhausting being pregnant in my late 30s...

[juuule]

Why does nature want to end a woman's fertility at a certain age and not a man's? especially as generally women live longer than men (according to statistics, apparantly).