Another old lady is showing the world that pregnancy and childbirth aren't just a young woman's game. If all goes well, a 60-year-old Japanese woman will give birth next year for the first time in her long life.
She will become that country's oldest single mom, leaving her fellow citizens to debate which is worse -- aged- or single-motherhood. While single moms aren't unheard of in Japan, it is rare for a woman to seek motherhood without a partner on purpose in the highly conformist society.
The rest of the details of this latest senior citizen's conception and pregnancy are the usual: woman whose contemporaries are grandmothers wants a baby; comes to the U.S. (or South Africa or Brazil) where fertility technology is less regulated; is implanted with one or more embryos; goes home and creates a frenzy; discomfort and outrage ensue until someone brings up Tony Randall.
The side of me that likes to be consistent applauds this mom and wishes her the best. The side of me that likes to see old biddies flip an oppressive generation in a somewhat oppressive culture the middle finger would like to raise a cup of non-alcoholic sake and toast the metaphorical balls on this woman. Kanpai! Call me if you need a sitter!
Japan doesn't have an age limit on women who want technological
assistance in becoming pregnant, but the laws forbid single women from
undergoing procedures. In 2001, a 60-year-old married Japanese woman gave birth after U.S. doctors implanted an embryo from a donated egg and her husband's sperm.
But all this leads me to wonder just how many of the AARP set are priming their uteruses and trying to get pregnant. I’m assuming chances are not so good the older you get. So, these few that we hear about – the 66-year-old record holder from Romania, that 62-year-old New Jersey woman, the 51-year-old surrogate of her grandchildren – they’re the exceptions right? That means there must be a whole bunch of others out there trying this very minute.
I wonder what my mom is doing right now.
