62-year-old woman gives birth to third child
MADRID (AP) — A 62-year-old Spanish woman has given birth to a healthy girl and encourages women in their later years to imitate her if they want to.
Lina Alvarez left the Lucus Augusti Hospital in the northwestern city of Lugo on Tuesday with her third child in her arms, saying she felt wonderful.
She said baby Lina, born Oct. 10, was in perfect health. The 2.4-kilogram (5.3-pound) Lina was born by cesarean section.
Alvarez's first child, now 27, was born with cerebral palsy. Her second child is now 10. Her second and third pregnancies were through in-vitro fertilization treatment.
Alvarez, a doctor, said that women who are well enough to have a baby in their later years shouldn't be afraid to do so, adding that they should let nature, not gynecologists decide.
"I encourage (older women), I really do encourage them - if they have good health - to have a baby when they have a more advanced age. They should have it because mother nature is very wise and sets the limits, not gynecologists, it is nature that decides. As you can see this has been a normal pregnancy, which has happened in a natural way, from the second month I didn't need any medication. I have shown that you can have a child when you are of an advanced age, if you are healthy and you look after yourself. There are many mothers who are wishing (to become pregnant) but don't because they are not well informed or they don't have enough courage. But I do encourage them, and I gave them hope that they can fulfill their dreams because this is a dream come true."