Woman, 60, gives birth to twins – and ethics debate

A 60-year-old Calgary woman has become the oldest Canadian yet known to give birth, delivering twins on Tuesday in a medical case that raises a snarl of vexing ethical questions.

After four decades during which she and her husband attempted to conceive, Ranjit Hayer had two boys by C-section at Calgary's Foothills Hospital on Tuesday morning.

While several serious complications arose during the donor-egg pregnancy, family members report that Ms. Hayer and her sons are recovering well.

The CBC said she had tried for years to get pregnant but had miscarried three times, even after surgery to correct a problem with her womb. While unusual, a 60-year old woman giving birth is nowhere near a record. ABC News reported in July that a 72-year-old woman in India, who already had five grandchildren, gave birth to twins after in vitro fertilization, making her the world's oldest mother. The CBC report said the Calgary woman's obstetrician thought it was a joke when she was referred to him before she showed up at his office. He is still questioning the implications of someone having children at an advanced age.