Psychologist to be mother at 63

amother

Thu, May 04 2006, 7:25 pm

ROME/LONDON (Reuters) - A 63-year-old British hospital consultant is set to become one of the world's oldest mothers after undergoing fertility treatment, the Italian doctor who treated her said Thursday.

Patricia Rashbrook, a child psychologist from Lewes, East Sussex, was given in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment last October, Severino Antinori told Reuters.

Antinori, who said he was "excited and proud" about the treatment, gained notoriety in the early 1990s when he helped a 62-year-old Italian woman give birth following fertility treatment with a donated egg.

Italy has since introduced some of Europe's most restrictive laws on assisted reproduction and Antinori said he had carried out the procedure on Rashbrook in an unnamed former Soviet republic.

"The case of the English woman gave me great joy," he said, adding that the treatment was successful at the first attempt, using a single embryo.

He said Rashbrook, whom he last saw in November, was "perfect" for the treatment, because although she was 62 at the time, she had a biological age of about 45.

"She came here with her husband, the couple love each other, she is very slim, blonde and in perfect condition, she fits all the criteria for maternity."

"She should live for at least 20 to 25 years -- we are not giving birth to an orphan," he said.

Rashbrook's 61-year-old husband, John Farrant, told the Sun newspaper that his wife was seven months pregnant.

"We are of course both very happy and looking forward to the birth," he said.

"Obviously at our age it is quite a daunting prospect."

Farrant is Rashbrook's second husband and she has a 26-year-old daughter and a 22-year0old son, the paper said.

In a joint statement the couple said: "We wish to emphasize that this has not been an endeavor undertaken lightly or without courage."

"A great deal of thought has been given to planning and providing for the child's present and future wellbeing, medically, socially and materially."

Many fertility clinics in Britain will not provide treatment for women past the normal age for childbirth.

In 1997, Welsh woman Liz Buttle became Britain's oldest mother at the age of 60. Media reports said she had obtained fertility treatment after lying about her age to doctors.

Last year, a 66-year-old Romanian, Adriana Iliescu, became the world's oldest mother when she gave birth to a baby girl after IVF treatment.

cindy324

Fri, May 05 2006, 7:44 am

Totally irresponsible.

tweety99

Mon, May 15 2006, 8:03 am

especially coming from a child psycologist! she shud know better! Rolling Eyes

happyone

Mon, May 15 2006, 8:19 am

southernbubby

Mon, May 15 2006, 8:38 am

It would be interesting to hear what rabbis have to say since she is giving birth to a child that is from donor eggs. In the Torah we hear of Sarah Imainu and Yocheved giving birth as older women so I don't think that from a Torah standpoint that the age is the issue. I think it would be more of an issue as to whose baby it is according to halacha.

chen

Mon, May 15 2006, 9:42 am

Let's not forget that Soroh Imeinu lived 37 years after the birth of Yitzchok. Is that 63-y/o woman going to live 37 years after her child is born?

Ruchel

Mon, May 15 2006, 10:09 am

chen wrote:

Let's not forget that Soroh Imeinu lived 37 years after the birth of Yitzchok. Is that 63-y/o woman going to live 37 years after her child is born?

How knows. My dh's cousin just passed at 107.

newme

Mon, May 15 2006, 10:43 am

I don't think the age is an issue at all - do any of us really know how long we still have to live when we give birth to our children? If Hashem provided the doctors with means to make a woman happy with children I do not see why it should be Assur.

However the issue of donor eggs IS a very problematic issue and can have serious Halachic implications. I know that the major poskim of this generation (Rav Elyashiv and his ilk) forbid it absolutely.