61yo surrogate mum reportedly gives birth
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A 61-year-old Japanese woman has given birth to a surrogate child, an obstetrician in central Japan said.
She is believed to be the oldest surrogate mother yet recorded in Japan.
The woman became pregnant with an embryo created from the egg of her daughter, who has no uterus, and sperm from the daughter's husband, the maternity clinic involved said in a statement.
The clinic is run by Yahiro Netsu, who has defied longstanding opposition to surrogate births from Japanese obstetricians.
The clinic declined to confirm when the woman gave birth or to give her name, citing privacy concerns.
"The clinic hopes that Japan will hold forward-looking discussions on surrogate births and that it will take place in Japan without abuses," the clinic said.
Prior to this case, the oldest surrogate motherhood case known in Japan was a 60-year-old woman who became pregnant in the United States last year with an embryo created from donated egg and sperm.
- Reuters
