One Time World’s Oldest Mother Dies at 69
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Almost three years ago, Maria del Carmen Bousada gave birth to twins, setting the record as the oldest mother ever at age 66. This record was broken by Rajo Devi Lohan of India last year who gave birth for the first time at the ancient age of 70. However, Bousada is still the oldest mom to ever give birth to multiples until she passed away earlier this week at the age of 69, leaving her 31-month old twin boys orphans.
In Vitro Fertilization Aided the Late in Life Conception
Bousada has never been married and got pregnant through in vitro fertilization using an unknown donor’s sperms. She reportedly spent all her life savings and even sold her house in order to pay for the fertility treatments. The IVF procedure was performed in Los Angeles where she supposedly lied about her age. Many countries, including the US, have set a maximum age limit for women who want to go through IVF but some don’t.
Bousada’s case will surely spark up the debate of the ethics of having children so late in life. While proponents of the issue argue for freedom of choice that science has enabled us, its opponents question whether it is fair to have children and put them at risk of being orphaned at an early age. One can say that Bousada’s story has proven the opponents right. Earlier this year, a 65-year old British woman created a furor when she decided to have a child and had fertility treatments in an eastern European country.
What Happens to the Children?
Sources told CNN that the children are being well taken care of by a nephew of Bousada. One source (a neighbour) told CNN that “God didn’t let her enjoy her children very much. He should have given her more time.” But what about the kids? They, too, didn’t have much time with their mom. It is sad, but they will barely remember her when they grow up to be adults.
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Kristi says...
Exaclty why older persons should not become parents. I understand that she wanted children, but she should have done it sooner. It’s using those two poor boys just so that she can enjoy a pregnancy and newborns. She must have known that she would not live long enough to raise them fully so she intentially had children just so that someone else would have be burdened with them. It just doesn’t seem right to create children for your own selfish plan
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Angie says...
This is the best reason I can think of to not allow such a thing to happen. I realize that any parent can be taken at any age from a child- but this is stacking the deck against in a cruel and profound way. The fact that they even allow titles like this to be placed on the obviously selfish….It’s sad what we glorify and ignore at the same time. I have all the pity in the world for the abandoned boys. At least the family is willing to take them in.
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