World's oldest mum dies

[PuppyMonkey]

Just saw this on Sky...

news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Carmen-Bousada-Worlds-Oldest-Mother-Dies-From-Cancer-Leaving-Tw ins-Aged-Two-Behind/Article/200907315338955?lpos=WorldNewsFirstHomeArticleTeaserRegion2&lid=A RTICLE15338955CarmenBousada%2CWorldsOldestMother%2CDiesFromCancerLeavingTwinsAgedTwoBe hind

Puppymonkey - her body didn't successfully get pregnant and produce twins. Her body was forcibly made to become pregnant using donor eggs and injected hormones.

It's very hard to argue the rights and wrongs of it, because many people have babies for selfish reasons, and many of those people are not capable of bringing up a child.

Presumably these children have a father ( anonymous donor sperm?) and a biological mother ( donated egg(s)) somewhere. Let's hope someone can give them a stable, loving upbringing or they are going to be two rather confused individuals.

The loss of a mother is a devastating event for any child

According to the report in the op link -

"shortly after she was diagnosed with cancer, she said family members could care for them if she died.

"I have a nephew, and their godfather is very good with the children. They are not going to be alone," she said at the time."

Seems she did consider their future without her.

I suppose what I mean, Belgo, is that her body didn't reject the twins, she didn't miscarry, she successfully caried them...

Puppymonkey - my DH uses that quote fairly regularly!

Deja vu that was! He said it the other night about a film we watched......reign of fire i think, when they killed the only male dragon at the end. He thinks one of the females would change to become the next male.

Anyway, carry on as normal.

campion, are you suggesting the egg and sperm donor take on the children?

I do find myself using it quite a lot too Godzilla!

Well, lots of men in their sixties have kids. Not much scandal about that is there?

Puppymonkey yes I know what you mean, it is quite incredible that her body nourished those two babies for nine months and gave birth successfully to them.

A twin pregnancy is hard even for young and fit women.

aarghelp - no not much scandel, because presumably they are having those babies with pre menopausal women, so at least one parent is relatively young.

No. I think there is a double standard.

I tihnk her having IVF when she was so old, adn her dye are 2 seperate issues.

I don't htink she should have gore ahead with the IVF, but a young woman can die of cancer too.

aarghhelp, you say there's not much scandal about men in their sixties having kids - OK, it doesn't attract the attention of the newspapers, but I'll bet it does in their immediate circle. As belgo pointed out, their partner has to be pre-menopausal, and that usually raises a few eyebrows. Plus the unsaid "I-wouldn't-be-surprised-if-it-wasn't-his" - older sperm has similar problems to older eggs ...

LS but the chances are higher in an older woman.
aarhhelp, I think pregnancy, birth and raising an infant are discriminatory by nature. Having a child is physically more demanding on the woman than the man!

"I have a nephew, and their godfather is very good with the children. They are not going to be alone," she said at the time."

I wonder if she asked them before she went ahead with it. I know lots of people don't but normally a) plenty of children have two parents and b) younger parents are less likely to die. The odds on her seeing them through their teens without the cancer factor were low.
Younger parents also often have closer family such as siblings who are capable of taking on the parenting role

That all said its been done
Those poor children

Poor woman. I think it is pretty low to call a woman who has just died of cancer a "silly cow". She was desperate for children and then the whole family has been struck a tragic blow.
I don't necessarily agree with post-menopause fertility treatment (except in the case of premature menopause) but can't be so unfeeling as to condemn this woman. There are plenty of people at higher risk of dying who have children (service personnel for example) - when we read reports of their deaths we hardly call them stupid and selfish for leaving their children.

At the time of the IVF -hoohaa I believed it was wrong of her to have IVF and children , and this hasn't changed at all, I think that it also wrong to do a "look, we knew that would happen"....she died of cancer not of old age, and any of us could have this happen, no matter how young or old we are....and all it is is, it's tragic for all of them, and my heart goes out to them all.

Afterall, Jade, who also died of cancer, has also left young children behind...so...when is it ever alright than to have chldren?

For me its not about wether she might die.. lets face it .. anyone of us could get knocked down by a bus tomorrow

For me the menopause is nature's way of saying your body is slowing down and mother nature thinks having new kids would be too much of a strain.

Its not just the pregnancy but how much time can you give a teenager when you are 80??

Why didnt she have them earlier???

What age do people think should be the cut-off for ivf then?

I'm asking as someone with a bf of 47 who's just had her pfb via such means - a very joyous event.

My gut feeling is 50 - but it is a gut feeling only.

I dont think there should be an age limit.. I just think if your own body is going or has gone through menopause then you shouldnt be allowed to have ivf

I think 50 too.

My grandma knew a lady on her street in Bexley Heath who had twins at 50. That is the oldest naturally conceived pregnancy I have ever heard of, so that's why my gut feeling is 50. Nothing more scientific than that.

I am nearly 47 and still ovulating like clockwork. I bet I could still conceive (don't want to though!).

As for that issue...I think menopause generally....if it happens at a "normal" age....think early menopause would be a different issue...

I think she didn't have children earlier as she was her mothers carer....once her mother passed away she went for ivf....but might be misnformed

injecting yourself with a bunch of synthetic hormones to trick your body into thinking it isn't post-menopausal and then subjecting your 60-something-year-old body to pregnancy hormones can't be a wise health decision.

Maybe not wise at any age.
However,lots of things people do are not wise health decisions. They still do them.