BellaOnline Forums Relationships Married No Kids Indian woman gives birth aged 70: reports

NEW DELHI (AFP) � An Indian woman has given birth to her first child at the age of 70 after receiving IVF treatment, newspapers reported her doctor as saying Monday.

Rajo Devi, who married 50 years ago, gave birth to a baby girl on November 28 after in vitro fertilisation, said Anurag Bishnoi, a doctor at the Hisar fertility centre in Haryana state.

"Rajo Devi and (her husband) Bala Ram approached the centre for treatment and the embryo transfer was done on April 19," he told the Hindustan Times. "Both the mother and child are in good health."

Bishnoi claimed Devi was the world's oldest mother.

Another 70-year-old Indian was reported to have given birth to twins via IVF in July this year, while a 66-year-old Spanish woman had twins in 2006.

Devi's husband, aged 72, had also wed his wife's sister after 10 years of his first marriage did not result in children. His second wife also failed to become pregnant.

It was not clear whose egg and sperm were used in the successful treatment.

"IVF has revolutionised the way we look at infertility," said Bishnoi. "Infertility is no longer a social taboo or a divine curse. It can be treated scientifically."

This is so ridiculous.

Beyond rediculous! The idiot who performed this stupid deed should have his medical licence taken away. The poor kid doesn't have a hope in he*l to have a normal upbringing.GEEZ!

I feel bad for the baby, What kinda life can the parents give it. They don't have much life left them selves.
So stupid,

India is a different country, different culture and far different life style than we in America are used to. It is very important to the couple who just had twins to produce an heir - which must be a son - to their farm. The babies will grow up being taken care of by the parents as long as they can and there are adult daughters who will see to it that the children are cared for. The other couple, who also had a baby in their 70's, have their own reasons/purpose. To the older generations in India, being childless may still seem to be a "Social Taboo" as it has always been in that part of the world.

This does seem strange to us, but not to that family in a culture and belief system much different than ours. They are proud that they have been able to do what they felt they needed to. I cannot judge them for I do not live as they do, I do not walk in their shoes, I do not know what is in their hearts.

Thanks for pointing that out Phillis,

That is what I first thought of...it being more of a cultural difference than what we are used too.

If they can do it without hurting themselves or the child, and the child can be well taken care of when they are gone, then more power to them.

I could never do it at my age, let alone when I am 70!

Does this sound like they just said "There is no reason for a woman not to conceive because we can treat in medicaly no matter how old she is!"?
I dont like the fact that I cant get my tubes tied until I have two kids but a 70 year old woman can have a child no problem! What is wrong with these people???

Just to echo Phyllis' comments, having no children is indeed still a "social taboo or divine curse" in India, and even here in North American in Indian ethnic communities. People really pity you, as having children is seen as ensuring future economic and social caretakers...this woman is 70, if she lives to 86 which is likely (my Indian grandparents lived to their 90s) her child would be just the right age to look after her! haha (In India one finishes high school at 16 and enters pre-training for university, quite often living independently from the parents, unlike here...they are considered adults at that age) Then she and her husband would die and the child would be all alone for the rest of their life! Although again, no one is really alone because in the Indian context, there is always a lot of extended family (aunts, uncles, cousins ec.) around.

Just kidding, I agree it is nuts! And Mystic Sophia, you raise a troubling issue...not being able to get your tubes tied until a certain age. But you could have an abortion no problem! Isn't it ridiculous?

oh yeah! I am almost 30 and I still have to have kids in order to have my tubes tied?! but I 14 my cousin did have an abortion that was a few years ago and her parents had no idea! It amazes me that a young teenage girl has more rights and say so over her body then a childfree grow woman! Granted I am all for pro choice cause god knows that after the kid is born they are pawns and a meal ticket and no one gives a [censored] about them and they wind up in foster care or dead! I think at this point in time Abortion is the kinder choice of the two! But I dont under stand the idea behind forcing a woman to have kids when she doesnt want to have them! I dont understand the concept of its ok for a guy to get sniped but I woman cant! How many men do you know who would go get sniped or even think about it? Most dont they just excpect a woman to get on the pill or do whatever she needs to do so they can get there rocks off without concequents! and most guys dont even want to use condoms or spermiside so... the pill shot and IUD or IUC is about the only thing left to use and if you have hormone imbalinces say good by to the shot and pill and if you dont have kids good luck getting a dr to do the IUD or IUC!!
Personaly I think we need to protest the medical profession until they make it a law that they have to treat the child free with the same respect and understanding that they would a 12 year old mother to be!!!