Could you imagine giving birth at the ripe ol’ age of 67?? How about twins?
Well, this is actually happening! Yep. A woman in China has shocked her doctors by falling pregnant with twins.
Despite doctors’ advice to abort the pregnancy, the mum-to-be has decided to continue with the very high-risk pregnancy. And her reason is heartbreaking.
Happiness after heartbreak
Four year ago the woman, surnamed Zhang, and her husband lost their only child in a car accident. He was 34. Like many Chinese families, the Zhangs only had one child due to China’s strict one child policy which was only lifted in 2015.
Since the death of their son, the mum-to-be admits she has been plagued with nightmares, unable to cope with the loss of her only child.
“I couldn’t fall asleep without sleeping pills for years. I used to dream about educating my son’s children, but it came to nothing [after the accident],” Zhang told The Beijing News.
Couple turns to IVF
She and her husband tried to adopt a baby but couldn’t because their age was an issue. Last year they decided to go through IVF and discovered a hospital is Taiwan that was willing to help them.
Amazingly, the procedure worked and the babies are due early 2019.
However, the pregnancy is plagued with serious health concerns for the babies and mum, especially because of her age.
So far she’s been turned down treatment by three doctors who have all advised her to terminate the pregnancy.
Too old to be a mum?
According to Monash University professor and IVF specialist Gab Kovacs, it can be considered quite “irresponsible” to treat women over the age of 53.
“Our bodies weren’t designed to have children in our 60s. I don’t think any responsible IVF unit in Australia would treat someone of that age, and it’s not a standard of medicine I would condone”.
‘Having a child is everything to me’
But, despite the negativity and potential lack of medical care, Mrs Zhang is sticking to her decision to have the twins.
“I’m not so rich, but I’m prepared to support a child,” she explains. “I believe I could live to 85 to see my child grow up to be an adult. [Even if I couldn’t,] my nephew, who’s about 40 years old, can help raise the child.
Having a child is everything to me.”
Mrs Zhang isn’t the oldest woman to give birth to twins but she does come close. For another atypical birth story, don’t miss our article about the transgender dad who just gave birth to a baby boy.
