A 66-year-old woman from Germany has welcomed her 10th child, claiming to have conceived naturally without the use of in vitro fertilization.
Alexandra Hildebrandt, a museum director in Berlin, gave birth to a healthy baby boy named Philipp via cesarean section on March 19 at Charité Hospital.
He weighed 7 pounds, 13 ounces. In an email to TODAY.com, Hildebrandt shared, “A big family is not only something wonderful, but above all, it is important for raising children properly.”
Hildebrandt, who is a mother of 10, emphasized that she did not use IVF or fertility drugs. In an interview with the German newspaper Bild, she revealed that she has never used contraceptives and leads an active lifestyle, saying, “I eat very healthily, swim regularly for an hour, walk for two hours,” according to PEOPLE’s report.
Her obstetrician, Dr. Wolfgang Henrich, confirmed that the pregnancy was “largely uncomplicated.”
Dr. Henrich, who has worked with over a dozen patients pregnant over the age of 50 since 1990, noted that while pregnancies at this age are rare, they are not unheard of.
However, he pointed out that older mothers, particularly those with multiple previous cesarean deliveries like Hildebrandt, face increased risks such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular issues, and premature birth.
“These complications are more likely in women who have had multiple cesarean sections, as Alexandra has,” Dr. Henrich told PEOPLE.
Dr. Brian Levine, a reproductive endocrinologist and founding partner at CCRM New York, expressed skepticism about a natural conception at Hildebrandt’s age.
“The biological likelihood of a 66-year-old conceiving without medical intervention is incredibly low,” he said in an interview with TODAY.com.
He added that the risks for both the mother and baby such as gestational diabetes, chromosomal abnormalities, and preterm labor are significantly higher with advanced maternal age.
Despite these medical concerns, Hildebrandt maintains that she did not undergo IVF. “I have only received positive feedback,” she told TODAY.com when asked how friends and family reacted to her news.
Hildebrandt’s 10 children span a wide range of ages, from Svitlana, 46, and Artiom, 36, to Katharina, 2.
The family also includes a set of 12-year-old twins, Elisabeth and Maximilian. In addition to raising her large family, Hildebrandt manages the Wall Museum at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin, maintaining a busy schedule.
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