66 YO Woman Gives Birth

Published

Now folks, I am a firm believer in having babies, but I think that if you are old enough to retire, you might want to think about NOT starting a family. Why would you bring a child into the world that you most likely will not see graduate high school? Has life expectancy increased that much in the last few years? This woman was pregnant with twins via in vitro fertilization. Sadly, one was still born after her C-SECTION!!! I just think this is wrong, not because I think older people should not have babies, but more along the lines of being able to do the physically demanding job of parenting. I may be wrong, but I just figured menopause had a purpose?

Specializes in Education, Acute, Med/Surg, Tele, etc.

The nurse in me, given I would work with such a patient (I am in assisted living..guess it can happen huh! LOL!!!!), I would not judge and do my best to ensure a safe, and healthy situation for child and mother. Why? Because when I clock in, I am a nurse...I can not judge...I am to do my best to help according to my patients desires.

Now...that being said, and the fact I am NOT wearing my nurses cap or on duty...I think it is not appropriate! Responsible parenting starts the moment you break out the candles and mood music LOL!...considering the environment you will be introducing a child into and weighing that very heavily with your current lifestyle, and what it may be 20-30 years down the line!!!!!!!

Okay folks have brought up the age and death deal...very true. But have we considered the fact that this child may want a social life or be in activities? What if they are taking care of mom more than they can go out to play with their friends? Or the flack they are going to get about "oh..is this your grandma?"! YOu know kids..they are brutal, they will pick up on this..and no matter how well rounded a child is..the last thing they want is to be DIFFERENT!...that will weigh heavy in the future!

What if good ol mom has to go into a nursing or assisted living facility? I have my best friends mother who had two girls in her late fifties...she has MS and now is in a nursing home and the kids were going to have to be sent off to foster care because they don't allow your children in nursing homes (go figure..LOL!). My best friend took them in thank goodness..but sadly those two girls already paid a high price...they were severly unsuprivised, spoiled, and are already in trouble with sex and the law! WHY? Because 'mom' didn't think of what having children that late would do...and she still clings to the idea that she already raised her kids..and totally neglected the needs of these two girls! Thank goodness my best friend has turned them around, but my best friend didn't want anymore children...now she gets two more!

I don't know this particular womans case...maybe she has plans, which I hope includes another family member raising the child that may not be as old. Having another family member actively participating in their rearing so that if time does take its toll, disease or conditions make it hard for her to be a full time mom...that that child has someone they can count on to care for them if that was to happen...and belive me, at a certain age..that though will go through that childs mind, and anxiety will ensue to a certain degree! It would me!!!!!!!!

But alas..not like me to think of just one issue in an ethical debate such as this....If we were to put limits on the age of mothers....then okay..what top age would we set...and what bottom age would we set???? OUCH HUH? What would we all advise to do with pregancy on either end??? I can give just as many heartbreaking examples of teen mothers... Like I always say...nursing isn't black or white...but very very grey!

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Well I surely hope its true what another poster suspects, that this is a very wealthy woman who will at least provide for this infant (if it survives) well beyond her death, and has a plan to care for this child through the college years and keep it comfortable and loved..

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Specializes in Oncology RN.

Whew! This is a HUGE relief to me. I'll be 30 in less than two months, and to hear the medical community tell it...my child bearing days are numbered! :uhoh21:

It's good to know I have 30 more years to utilize my breeders hips!! Now, I suddenly don't feel the pressure to procreate within the immediate future. I have all the time in the world!!

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I'll be 40 in about 6 weeks. I can tell you I don't plan on birthing no babies at age 66. I might still be the baby nurse, but have no plans to repeat my performance as an OB pt. been there done that! I'm getting too old now. At 66..NO WAY!!!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
How many times do we see MEN 60, 70, 80 years old fathering children? And yet no one ever says a word about that issue, that they may die before the child comes of age, how good a parent that they can be?

Women are expected to accept menopause as G-d's will for them to stop procreating. Perhaps, men should respect "erectile dysfunction" as G-d's will that they have outaged their sex lives and should stop...perhaps we should ban viagra use after 50 or so?

(Having said that, I think that this woman's choice is nuts, but it is her right of choice)

right on.

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I don't think it's right for a man that old to father children either. A child needs a father as much as a mother. (though many single parents do a FINE job on their own). Just because it can be done doesn't mean it's always a good idea. I wouldn't cast stones at the woman or anything but it's not for me that's for sure.

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Specializes in Operating Room.

Well......I am only 31, and the only way I'm going to have another one is if it's God's will. (which it is even with invitro, b/c the actual pregnancy and birth is always a miracle)

However, I'm not going to TRY to have another one!

Granted, she didn't have any children, but couldn't she have decided she wanted a child at 56?

I agree with Nurse2be2007, but by the time that child is 10 or 20 it may be, "No that's not my great-grandmother, that's my mom!!!"

:uhoh3:

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God bless to the little premie. It's sad her sister passed away.

My mom is in her upper 50's. My dad is in his upper 60's. Yep 10 years difference in my parents age. I can tell a big difference from my mom and dad energy wise. Especially when it comes to watching my kids. Hey I'm 33 y/o and someday's I wonder how I keep up with them. By the night time I'm so EXHAUSTED!!!

Perhaps she has a lot of extended family that will help them through the active toddlerhood. Sheewww I'm glad my boys are past toddlerhood!!!!

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.
how many times do we see men 60, 70, 80 years old fathering children? and yet no one ever says a word about that issue, that they may die before the child comes of age, how good a parent that they can be?

women are expected to accept menopause as g-d's will for them to stop procreating. perhaps, men should respect "erectile dysfunction" as g-d's will that they have outaged their sex lives and should stop...perhaps we should ban viagra use after 50 or so?....................

ditto and amen!!! :) i totally agree with your take on this. :)

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Specializes in Community Health Nurse.
is it socially acceptable to place an age limit on child bearing/rearing. older people do it for a variety of reasons. some for noteriety, some for genuine love and the unquinchable desire to procreate, and others because the technology is available for another chance at experiencing the joy of parenting. ......................if this is the womens first child, than i hope that she enjoys motherhood and parenting as many has before her.

agree!!! :)

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Specializes in OB, M/S, HH, Medical Imaging RN.

The parameter is the naturally occurring menopause. It's an inevitability. I think the message should be spelled out loud and clear to women and they should accept it. God created our bodies so that we could have babies at ages when we can take care of them. God knew what he was doing when he created menopause. Thank you God for my menopause! If I thought I had to go through another pregnancy now at 49, yikes !!!!!! Here's a news story I found on the 66 year old new Mom:

"Ms Iliescu's daughter Eliza was born weighing 3lb 1oz, less than half the weight of an average newborn. She was placed in intensive care but was breathing on her own.

Ms Ilisecu, a retired university professor who is not married, had been pregnant with triplets but one died during pregnancy at 10 weeks and another was stillborn.

She underwent fertility treatment for nine years to reverse the effects of menopause, before being artificially inseminated and then having a Caesarean at 33 weeks.

She said she put off having a child because of her career. She is single."

This means she didn't start reversing her menopause until the age of 57, as Dr. Phil would say "What in the hell was she thinking!" I don't know her financial status, a retired professor you would not think is loaded. Of course she's never had to spend money on any one but herself so maybe she was able to save alot of money. She is from Romania and they have socialized medicine. Who would have approved this as eligible under socialized medicine? I would think she would have had to pay the bill herself. Artificial Insemination is not expensive like IVF. They say the loss of the other two babies is not age related but how do they know? I feel sorry for this baby.

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The parameter is the naturally occurring menopause. It's an inevitability. I think the message should be spelled out loud and clear to women and they should accept it. God created our bodies so that we could have babies at ages when we can take care of them. God knew what he was doing when he created menopause.

I agree with this also...like I said, I wouldn't go up and slap the woman for it, but I dont think it was the smartest choice. Modern medicine makes things possible that were never possible before...but just because this is so doesn't mean that these things should be done. I think the Dr. that treated her is probably basking in the publicity and that was probably his main motivator.

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