66-year-old woman gives birth to tenth child without IVF assistance

A 66-year-old German woman, Alexandra Hildebrandt, gave birth to her 10th child, a baby boy named Philipp, on March 19. What’s unusual about her case is that she conceived it without the help of IVF.

Philipp was born by C-section at Charit Hospital in Berlin. He weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces. He fits right in with his siblings, who are between 46 and 2 years old. Alexandra already has nine other children.

According to People, despite her busy schedule as the managing chairwoman and director of the Wall Museum at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin, Alexandra has received positive feedback from her relatives and friends about the arrival of her 10th child.

Alexandra revealed that she had no problem with Philipp’s pregnancy, and everything went according to plan.

Alexandra also lives a healthy lifestyle, which she gives credit for keeping her fit and active even in old age. She explained, “I eat very healthily, swim regularly for an hour, and walk for two hours.” These habits seem to have contributed to her overall well-being and successful pregnancy.

Medical perspective on pregnancies

Alexandra’s case is unusual since pregnancy at the age of 66 involves more factors of risk. Health experts stated that women who are over the age of 50 are most likely to risk complications, including premature birth, heart disease, hypertension, and complications arising out of previous cesarean sections.

Alexandra has undergone eight cesarean sections, and these usually increase the risk to the pregnant mother.

The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) states that pregnancy is possible in women who have a normal uterus, irrespective of age. In 2023, Safina Namukwaya from Uganda gave birth to twins at the age of 70 years using IVF, which clearly shows that modern reproductive techniques can make women mothers even in their old age.