An Indian woman claims to have given birth to her first child at the age of seventy, making her one of the oldest new mothers in the world. Jivonben Rabari (70 years old) and her husband Maldari (75 years old) proudly presented their son, whose name has not been revealed, to reporters, stating that he was conceived through in vitro fertilization. Rabari mentioned that she does not have an identity card to prove her age, but she told reporters that she is 70, which makes her one of the oldest modern mothers. However, it is believed that another Indian woman, Erramatti Mangayamma, is older, having given birth to twins in September 2019 at the age of 74.
Rabari and Maldari, from a small village called Mora in Gujarat, India, have been married for 45 years and have tried to conceive for decades unsuccessfully, but they finally managed to have a child through in vitro fertilization, which can be effective after menopause. The couple's doctor, Naresh Bhanushali, stated it was "one of the rarest cases I have ever seen." Bhanushali added, "When they first came to us, we told them that they could not have a child at such an advanced age, but they insisted, saying that many family members had done so as well."
The chances of a woman in her seventies conceiving naturally are almost nonexistent, as most women experience menopause in their late forties to early fifties, according to the Daily Mail. However, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) claims that any woman at any age can conceive with medical assistance, provided she has a "functioning uterus," even if she no longer has ovaries. Doctors use an egg donated by a younger woman which is fertilized outside the body using the man's sperm. Ultimately, the embryo is placed inside the woman’s uterus in the hope of achieving pregnancy.
There have been several cases of women in their sixties and seventies giving birth through in vitro fertilization in India. Mangayamma is believed to be the oldest verified woman to give birth, welcoming twins through IVF at the age of 74. She gave birth to twin girls in a "medical miracle" on September 5, 2019, after receiving IVF treatments that included a donated egg and sperm from her husband. Mangayamma stated at the time, "I cannot express my feelings in words. These children complete me. My waiting of six decades has finally ended. Now, no one calls me infertile anymore."
The Guinness World Records officially listed Maria del Carmen Bousada de Lara as the oldest mother in the world, who was 66 years and 358 days old when she gave birth to twins, Cristian and Pau, in December 2006.
