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Worlds Oldest New Mother Dies Leaving Behind Twin Toddlers

 
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The argument that women over 35 should no longer be conceiving has been longstanding and for good reason. After the age of 35 the risks of developing certain medical conditions such as preeclampsia, diabetes, and placenta previa increase, although not much higher than they were when you were 34.

It is after the age of 40 that risks to the mother AND baby significantly increase. Not only is it harder to get pregnant at that age, but the risk of miscarriage, stillbirths, and chromosomal abnormalities also increase.

So, with all of this information available, why would a 66-year-old woman from Spain decide to lie about her age to undergo In-Vitro Fertilization? Was she being selfish or did she have just as much right as say--a 30 year old woman wanting to undergo this procedure?

About a week ago Maria del Carmen Bousada passed away at the age of 69, leaving behind two boys who had yet to turn 3. Shortly after giving birth to twins, she was diagnosed with a tumor but the cause of her death has been undisclosed.

Maria Bousada sold her home, underwent hormone therapy to reverse 20 years of menopause, and deceived doctors telling them she was 55, the maximum age limit for IVF--all for the chance of being a mother. A dream that was extremely short-lived.

Many people say she was being purely selfish, others say that any 30 year old woman can die tomorrow of either natural causes or by accident--leaving young children behind as well. But when you know that you are of advanced maternal age and that your chances of passing away are much, much higher than those of a younger mother, is fair to compare the two?

Was it selfish of her to sell her home if she had no way of providing for her children? What is the maximum age that women should be allowed to bear children through these procedures? Should doctors start asking for birth certificates if their patients look over the age of 40? What kind of future do her children face now that their mother has passed away?

What are your thoughts on the world's oldest mother, now dead?

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31921390/ns/health-womens_health/?GT1=43001
http://www.parenting.com/article/Fertility/Planning/Pregnancy-Over-35

Add a Comment62 Comments

EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

How bout you and every govt/law maker keep your laws off my body and you mind your own business... Fair to the children? Lets count the crack babies of the world shall we?

November 26, 2009 - 9:34pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

What a stupid comment. Crack is also illegal. Just because people do it anyway doesn't make everything else that's not quite as bad as crack okay, too. That's like saying, "What's wrong with theft? Let's count the number of murders in the world today shall we? Keep your laws off my stolen property."

January 23, 2010 - 11:02am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I think society is once again judging men and women separately - men often conceive children late in life, celebrities are in the press often for just that. And yet, no one seems to condemn their actions, despite the fact that they too run the risk of dying and leaving their child without a father.

Yes there are risks when women have children later in life - I understand that. But, I can't help feeling sorry for the mother and children in this story. She clearly desired children a great deal as she risked everything in order to finally be a mother. No doubt she loved her children enormously after such a struggle. I don't think she was selfish - misguided but not selfish. She, and the children, deserve our sympathy not condemnation!

November 14, 2009 - 7:27am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

Actually I think she deserves both our sympathy and condemnation. I am sympathetic about her desire for children, but she crossed the line when she actually impregnated herself, and did so via deceptive means. That behavior deserves to be objected to.

When men have children late in life, generally there is a young-ish mother involved, so as ridiculous as the Larry Kings of the world are, at least the kids will have a future with one parent. There is no father for this woman's children mentioned in the story. She had in-vitro. I've never heard of an older man wanting to be a single parent and using an egg donor and a surrogate. That would be the comparable case here.

January 23, 2010 - 11:10am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

didn't see that coming. WOOOOAH! I'm on fire!

November 8, 2009 - 5:41am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I gave birth to my first child with the help of IVF at 43. I am very grateful to be healthy and enjoy every single minute of every single day with my daughter who is now 2.5 years old. I work full time and still manage to be a good mom at the end of the day with plenty of hours of play and interaction with my child. She wants for nothing, certainly has lots of love from her parents and grandparents. We will try and do it all over again within the year , hopefully giving birth in my 47th year. I take good care of myself and plan and pray to be just as healthy as I am today for many more years. Though my husband and I are not in our 60s, we have built and continue to build a good and secure future for our daughter and any more children to come so that in the event of our early demise they will be well loved and cared for or be able to take good care of themselves (depending on their age at the time).It is not anyone's place to pass judgment on a person for choosing to become a parent at the age of 60+. Those children were brought into this world lovingly and for a reason that is perhaps beyond what any of us can know today. I am sad this woman had to die so early in her sons' lives and hope that they are being taken care of by people who love them and will provide for them. I don't think what she did should be labeled as selfish. I certainly don't think that one should make that kind of judgment ever about one they do not know, and certainly not if they are not aware of all the facts involved - like what provisions were made by the mother for the children should something like this happen. At 3 years old our memories are probably good enough to remember bits and pieces about an important person in our lives like a mother, and chances are good that whatever memories stick with those young boys of their mother will be good ones / loving ones. Cheers.

October 15, 2009 - 4:56am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

Thankfully, ppl like this ARE reproducing.

November 26, 2009 - 9:39pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Ignorant and selfish. just plain dumb in the head

October 3, 2009 - 4:07pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

This is the type of person you should be concerned about reproducing....

November 26, 2009 - 9:36pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

In my country, like some others, we are having to mop up the social damage caused by the offspring of disempowered, inexperienced, confused and occasionally chaotic young women, who, for whatever reason, are prepared to sacrifice their autonomy and potential by offering their reproductivity in return for welfare assistance.

In light of this, I find it astonishing that so many people - so many women in particular - are prepared to sit in judgement on older women who have the resources, the experience and THE LOVE to offer a child a great start in life, despite the risks.

Isolating young mothers and making them wards of the state is proving to be much riskier and more damaging than senior motherhood ever could be.

September 19, 2009 - 4:47am
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