British woman becomes first-time mother at 66, reports say

May 28, 2009, 14:34 GMT

London - A 66-year-old businesswoman was Thursday reported to have become Britain's oldest mother after giving birth to her first child, a healthy baby boy.

Media reports said Elizabeth Adeney, who travelled to Ukraine to have fertility treatment, delivered the baby by Cesarian section at Addenbrooke's hospital in Cambridge on Tuesday.

Adeney, who is going to be 67 in July, was due to give birth next month, but brought the procedure forward, the Daily Mirror said. She had earlier made clear that she had wanted to keep her pregnancy and birth secret.

A hospital spokesman said Thursday: 'She has told us that she wants no publicity.'

Adeney, a wealthy businesswoman and divorcee, was earlier reported to have received IVF treatment using a donor egg at a clinic in Ukraine.

In Britain, Adeney would take the title of 'oldest mother' from Patricia Rashbrook, who had a son, at the age of 62 in 2006, following treatment from Italian fertility doctor Severino Antinori.

However, Antinori told a British newspaper earlier this month that he was 'shocked' at the prospect of Adeney having a child.

'I respect the choice medically but I think anything over 63 is risky because you cannot guarantee the child will have a loving mother or family,' he said.

But Adeney is on record as saying that she is 'fitter' than most of the younger women working for her in her plastics and textiles company.

'I don't have to defend what I've done. It's between me, my baby and no-one else,' she said.

In 2006, Carmela Bousada of Spain was believed to have become the oldest mother of twins at 66. The oldest mother in the world is believed to be an Indian woman, Omkari Panwar, who gave birth at the age of 70 in 2008.