In recent years, the average age of first-time mothers has steadily risen and many reports say that women are now more likely to have their first child in their early 30s – the average is still around age 28. All the mothers on this list have taken this delayed motherhood to the extreme as all of them are over 65 years old and many of them are even first-time mothers.
These women were able to have children at such an advanced age due to modern fertility treatments. Although these women (and their husbands if they’re married) are happy with their decision to have children in their advanced stage of life, they and their doctors have earned criticism from other doctors and people around the world.
As of July 2023, this list is as accurate as possible and will be updated as needed for the Oldest mother in the world.
10. Annegret Raunigk
Age at Time of Baby’s Birth: 65
Date of Baby’s Birth: May 2015
Country of Origin: Berlin, Germany
photo source: People Celebrity
Annegret Raunigk is the oldest woman, at age 65, to give birth to quadruplets. Raunigk is already a single mother to 13 children (from five different fathers) and with the quadruplets, this brings her total number of children up to 17.
Doctors in Germany refused to give Raunigk IVF treatments because they were concerned that her body wouldn’t be strong enough to survive the stress of bearing any more children. However, a doctor in Ukraine agreed to artificially inseminate Raunigk. When faced with criticism and accusations that she is selfish and crazy, Raunigk stands by her decisions and says that everyone “should live as they want to.”
Did You Know?
Annegret Raunigk’s youngest daughter (before having the quadruplets), who is 10, was the person who persuaded her to have more children so that she would have someone to play with.
9. Elizabeth Adeney
Age at Time of Baby’s Birth: 66 years
Date of Baby’s Birth: May 28, 2009
Country of Origin: Suffolk, England
photo source: The Telegraph
Elizabeth Adeney is the oldest woman to ever give birth in the United Kingdom. Adeney’s son was born on May 28, 2009 when she was 66 years old. In order to make her dream of having a child come true, Adeney traveled all the way to Ukraine to have IVF treatments as UK’s clinics do not do the treatments on women over 50.
Adeney, who is a divorcee, had first tried IVF treatments when she was still in her 40s and still married to her husband. However, those rounds of IVF failed and doctors told her she was too old to continue trying to get pregnant. Adeney’s marriage ended because of her intense desire to have children.
Did You Know?
Elizabeth Adeney is quite affluent and was able to hire a nanny to help her raise her son while she continues working as the managing director of Delmore Ltd, a Suffolk plastics and textiles firm.
8. Bhateri Devi Singh
Age at Time of Baby’s Birth: 66 years
Date of Baby’s Birth: June 2010
Country of Origin: Alewa, India
photo source: Daily Mail
Bhateri Devi Singh gave birth to triplets, at the age of 66, in 2010. Singh delivered the babies after receiving IVF treatments from the National Fertility Center in Haryana, India, which is is known to be a controversial treatment facility as it has supplied treatments to many of of the other Indian women on this list.
Dr. Anurag Bishnoi, who supervised Singh’s treatment, is proud of what the fertility center has achieved. Singh and her husband, Deva, had been trying to start a family since they were first married over 40 years ago and Deva said that he was ecstatic to become a father for the fist time.
Did You Know?
During Bhateri Devi Singh’s two previous IVF attempts only two embryos were transferred each time. For the final and successful IVF treatment three embryos were used, which resulted in the triplets being born.
7. Adriana Iliescu
Age at Time of Baby’s Birth: 66 years, 7 months, 16 days
Date of Baby’s Birth: January 16, 2005
Country of Origin: Bucharest, Romania
photo source: Daily Mail
In 2005, after giving birth to a daughter at age 66, Adriana Iliescu was the oldest recorded mother at the time. She successfully gave birth to her daughter via Cesarean section after undergoing fertility treatment for nine years. Iliescu told reporters that she had always wanted to be a mother but was unable to conceive naturally. When she was interviewed by Realitatea TV, Iliescu said that she was optimistic that she would be able to see her daughter, Eliza Maria, grow up as her family has a history of longevity.
As of 2019, there have been no reports or rumors of Iliescu’s death, so she is most likely still alive and Eliza Maria would currently be 14 years old. One of the last interviews Iliescu gave was in 2010 to the Daily Mail – at the time Eliza Maria was five and Iliescu said that she was open to having another baby.
Did You Know?
Adriana Iliescu is a retired university professor and has authored numerous children’s books.
6. Maria del Carmen Bousada de Lara
Age at Time of Baby’s Birth: 66 years, 11 months, 24 days
Date of Baby’s Birth: December 29, 2006
Country of Origin: Cadiz, Spain
photo source: Alchetron
Maria del Carmen Bousada de Lara is perhaps the most controversial older mother on this list. She admitted to lying about her age to doctors in order to receive her fertility treatment at a private clinic in Los Angeles, California. After giving birth to her twin sons at the end of 2006, Bousada de Lara defended her decision by saying, “I have wanted to be a mother all my life, but I never had the opportunity or met the right man.”
Bousada de Lara’s own family called her decision “selfish and irresponsible” and told her that her children would most likely be orphaned. About a year after giving birth, Bousada de Lara was diagnosed with stomach cancer and her family’s predictions sadly came true. Bousada de Lara died on July 11, 2009. Following her death, the twins were given to Bousada de Lara’s nephew and his wife.
Did You Know?
Maria del Carmen Bousada de Lara used the fact that her mother lived to the age of 101 to justify her decision to have children so late in her life.
5. Margaret Adenuga
Age at Time of Baby’s Birth: 68 years
Date of Baby’s Birth: April 19, 2020
Country of Origin: Lagos, Nigeria
photo source: CNN
Very recently, in April 2020, Margaret Adenuga became one of the oldest mothers in the world when she gave birth to twins at 68 years old. Before successfully becoming a mother for the first time, Adenuga underwent three previous IVF treatments that failed.
Despite being told the risks of getting pregnant at such an advanced age, Adenuga took the risk and luckily it paid off. Adenuga’s pregnancy and her twins’ birth were free of any major complications and the twins were carried to full term.
Did You Know?
Maragaret Adenuga has been married to her husband Noah Adenuga since 1974 and the couple had never stopped trying to become parents.
4. Omkari Panwar
Age at Time of Baby’s Birth: 70 years
Date of Baby’s Birth: June 27, 2008
Country of Origin: Muzaffarnagar, India
photo source: The Daily Mail
Omkari Panwar is another older mother from India, who gave birth to twins in 2008 at the age of 70. Panwar said that she was determined to have a son as she and her husband, Charan Singh Panwar, already have two adult daughters.
Due to her advanved age, Panwar had to undergo IVF treatment, which her husband paid for by selling his buffalos, mortgaging his land, spending his life savings, and taking out a credit card loan. The Panwars said that all the trouble they went through was worth it just to have their son as they now have an heir to their farmland.
Did You Know?
When Omkari Panwar was told that she was now the world’s oldest mother, she replied, “If I am the world’s oldest mother it means nothing to me. I just want to see my new babies and care for them while I am still able.”
3. Rajo Devi Lohan
Age at Time of Baby’s Birth: 70 years
Date of Baby’s Birth: November 2008
Country of Origin: Alewa, India
photo source: Daily Mail
In 2008, Rajo Devi Lohan gave birth to her daughter at the age of 70 in India. At the time, Lohan was the oldest known first-time mother and she garnered international attention. She was able to have her baby after receiving IVF treatment at the age of 69, but nearly died in the process.
In 2013, the Daily Mail conducted a follow-up interview with Lohan, who said that having her daughter made her stronger and that she’s “the only reason” that Lohan has not died despite being ill. As of 2015, Lohan appears to still be alive nearly a decade after giving birth to her daughter, Naveen.
2. Daljinder Kaur
Age at Time of Baby’s Birth: 72 years
Date of Baby’s Birth: April 19, 2016
Country of Origin: Amritsar, India
photo source: CBS News
Dr. Anurag Bishnoi, the doctor who provided Kaur with fertility treatments, was criticized by other doctors and fertility experts for giving IVF treatments to someone as old as Kaur. These critics worry that Kaur’s success will give unrealistic expectations to other older women hoping to have children.
Did You Know?
Daljinder Kaur named her son Arman, which means “wish” in Hindi.
1. Mangayamma Yaramati
Age at Time of Baby’s Birth: 74 years
Date of Baby’s Birth: September 5, 2019
Country of Origin: Andhra Pradesh, India
photo source: CBS News
Although Daljinder Kaur held the record for several years, Mangayamma Yaramati became the oldest woman in the world to ever give birth in September 2019 at the age of 74. Like many of the older mothers on this list, Yaramati was only able to have children (she delivered twins) due to extensive IVF treatments.
Since Yaramati has already gone through menopause, she and her 82-year-old husband, Sitarama Rajarao, used a donor egg fertilized with Rajarao’s sperm and implanted it into Yaramati. Fortunately, Yaramati’s pregnancy went smoothly and there were no complications.
Did You Know?
Although several news outlets reported that Mangayamma Yaramati is 73, she reportedly provided her doctor with her birth certificate to show that she was 74 years old at the time her twins were born.
OTHER POSTS YOU MAY BE INTERESTED IN
