Claudette Cook was 60 years old when she became pregnant with twins from IVF with two donor eggs. Her doctor was initially reluctant to carry out the procedure because she was convinced it would fail; Cook was far too old to become a mother.
In spite of the odds weighing against Cook, she never once doubted her pregnancy. She was confident that her body was “healthy and in shape,” which was what initially allowed her to conceive, and more recently, give birth to two healthy baby boys: Isaac and Isaiah.
Although Cook had to give birth to her sons through precautionary C-section, a month before their predicted due date, from the moment she held her sons in her arms, she knew, “Everything changed in that moment. Once they’re born, your life changes.”
Isaac and Isaiah only weighed five pounds each at birth and will both need to spend a few extra weeks at the hospital before they can return home, but they, alongside their mom, are defying the odds. All three members of the family are doing extremely well.
Records show that although Cook is considered quite old to become pregnant and have children, she’s not actually the oldest woman to have given birth. A woman in India gave birth to her son while she was 70, and it’s become more and more common for women in their 50s to have children, thanks to the advancement of IVF treatment.
Many doctors, however, are still hesitant about advising their patients to get pregnant and have children after their 50th birthday because higher health risks are still a concern. Diabetes, hypertension, and preeclampsia all become more likely to occur in older mothers.
Cook and her husband, however, are choosing to ignore the controversial opinions; their focus is completely on their new sons. Cook is still in awe that she’s become a mother this late in life, but “this is the way God was going to do it,” she stated. “It doesn’t matter how. His ways are not my ways.”
You can watch the news feature on Cook and her family here:
