Indian woman in her 70s gives birth to first baby after IVF treatment

An Indian woman in her 70s has given birth to her first child after she and her husband, who have been married for 46 years, underwent IVF treatment.

Daljinder Kaur, who believes she is 70-years-old, had two years of treatment at the National Fertility and Test Tube Baby Centre in Hisar, in the north of India. They have named their son Arman, who is said to be a healthy baby weighing 4.4lb.

Mrs Kaur and her husband Mohinder Singh Gill had started the treatment after seeing an advert for the IVF clinic. Mrs Kaur told AFP she had always wanted a baby of her own and her life “feels complete now” that she does. “I am looking after the baby all by myself. I feel so full of energy. My husband is also very caring and helps me as much as he can.”

Her real age cannot be confirmed as she does not have her birth certificate, which is common in India, but Mrs Kaur said she is between five and seven years younger than her husband, who was born in 1937.

Anurag Bishnoi, who runs the IVF clinic, told the Guardian Mrs Kaur could be as old as 72. He told the Guardian the couple had suffered stigmatism for not having children and that “a person who is infertile is not given a piece of land or property by his father”.

Mr Gill had taken his father to court to win the right to inherit land from his father and as a result had been able to afford the IVF treatment.

Mr Bishnoi, whose clinic claims to have helped several couples in their 60s and 70s conceive, said he had been worried for Mrs Kaur’s health as she appeared frail, though after rigorous testing the new mother appeared to be fit and healthy and would be at no more risk than had she become pregnant when middle aged.

The oldest woman to give birth naturally recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records is Maria del Carmen Bousada Lara, who, after being refused IVF treatment in Spain, lied about her age to a clinic in America. She gave birth to twin boys at the age of 66.