A Victorian reproduction specialist says there is no legal barrier to stop IVF treatment for older women, after a 62-year-old gave birth in Melbourne.
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Australian Medical Association president Michael Gannon called the birth “selfish”, “wrong” and “madness”.
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, a third of women who gave birth in 2013 were likely to be aged between 30 and 34 years.
It was reported that the baby is the first child of the woman and her 78-year-old partner.
The woman, who does not wish to be identified, received IVF overseas where she was implanted with a fertilised donor embryo.
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Dr Burmeister said there was nothing to prevent women from travelling overseas to access the treatment.
“A pregnancy at the age of 62 is a very risk business indeed, with a very high risk of serious complications such as blood clots and blood pressure problems”, he said.
That said, they would not rule it out completely.
Prof de Lacey, who specialises in infertility and bioethics, says responsible fertility care does not just rest on the age of the mother alone but on issues regarding the child’s welfare. Doctors draw the line at treating women for IVF in Australia at age 53.
“So this baby might have parents that are alive for the next 20 years, and hopefully become an adult and be able to look after themselves”. I think we’re all selfish in having babies and one of the main motives of having them is self-fulfilment and selfishness, so I don’t criticise her at all for that.
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“I have a couple of questions, first of all, how we know about the fact that she’s got the baby at 62”, she said. “I can see many situations that might have driven her to this”.
