72-year-old Woman Desperately Tries to Get Pregnant

How old is too old to be a mother? A 66-year-old woman did it, now what about a 72-year-old?

Jenny Brown, pictured, is hellbent on giving birth and has spent more than $48,000 on six IVF treatments in the United States and Italy.

After first advertising for a sperm donor 20 years ago, Miss Brown initially tried to have a child using her own eggs, but the attempt failed as doctors said the eggs had deteriorated because of her age.

She will now apply to have treatment at clinics in Bulgaria, Romania, Spain and India - where a woman of 70 recently became the world's oldest mother of IVF twins.

She has ignored criticism from anyone who says her decision is irresponsible, including a hospital midwife who said: "A woman is not meant to get pregnant after the menopause. She is at high risk of preeclampsia, miscarriage and diabetes. She also won't have enough energy to care for the child properly and is ultimately being irresponsible."

But Miss Brown said: "I know there are risks, like high blood pressure, but I'll take medical advice and doctors will be able to see if there is anything going wrong with scans. I've been criticized by a lot by people who say I'm doing it for my own purposes, or that I want to relive my childhood. Others say the child won't like the fact its friends' mothers will be a lot younger. The possible objections are endless - but really it's just unusual and people don't like unusual things."

She added: "I have babysat young children and been with friends who have babies and I know it's hard work, but I get on very well with children. I'm aware you are often up all night with a crying baby and I am up for that. I like a challenge."


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