67-Year-Old Retired Doctor Gives Birth After Conceiving Naturally

Make way for the oldest new mother in China. A 67-year-old woman from East China’s Shandong Province gave birth to a baby girl last week.

The woman, only identified by her surname Tian, gave birth on Oct. 25, Friday at Zaozhuang Maternity and Child Health Hospital. Tian was a retired doctor at the same hospital.

Tian underwent a cesarean section to deliver the baby which weighed 5.6 pounds at birth. According to Liu Chengwen, a chief physician with the hospital, Tian's ovaries were similar to that of a woman in her 40s, and not withered as one would expect in a 60-year-old.

"That's probably one of the reasons she was able to conceive naturally," Liu told CCTV.

Tian had self-administered traditional Chinese fertility treatments using her medical knowledge to conceive naturally, a hospital spokeswoman informed CNN.

During a routine checkup in May, doctors found that Tian had a history of cerebral infarction, high blood pressure, and diabetes, which could lead to a high-risk pregnancy. Tian received round-the-clock surveillance by a team of doctors from internal medicine, surgical, obstetrics, nutritional and other departments.

The pregnancy also had its fair share of complexities. Tian experienced heart failure, preeclampsia, and abnormal liver and kidney function, which led to doctors deciding on a cesarean section.

Tian's child was transferred to the premature infants unit at once after the delivery.

Ever since the one-child policy was lifted in 2016 in China, many older women have aspired to conceive, boosting the demand for fertility treatments.

Tian and her 68-year-old husband surnamed Huang, already have two grown children, a son and a daughter, and many grandchildren. The elderly couple has decided to name their newborn Tianci, which means "gift sent from heaven."