65-Year-Old Woman Set To Become World’s Oldest Mother Of Quadruplets

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A 65-year-old schoolteacher is set to become the world’s oldest woman ever to give birth to quadruplets. German Annegret Raunigk, already has 13 children, and her remarkable story will be featured in a TV documentary. Daily Mail reports:

Her latest pregnancy was the result of artificial insemination using both donated sperm and eggs. Ms Raunigk, who is in the 21st week of her pregnancy, said she was ‘shocked’ when an ultrasound scan showed she was carrying quadruplets. Her gynaecologist initially mentioned the possibility of an abortion.

But the English and Russian teacher, who is due to retire this year, said she decided to have the babies as she was ‘still quite fit’ and capable of looking after them. She added: ‘I don’t think I will have any problems.’ Ms Raunigk, from Berlin, previously made headlines in Germany when she had her daughter Leila at the age of 55. Her 13 children – the oldest of whom is 44 – are by five different fathers.

She defended her decisions to get pregnant later in life, saying: ‘I think one needs to decide for oneself and not listen too much to the opinions of others.’ At present, the oldest woman to have given birth to quads is Merryl Fudel, who was 55 at the time. The oldest woman ever to give birth is Indian Omkari Panwar, who was believed to be 70.