A 61-Year-Old Woman Gave Birth to her own Granddaughter

Matthew Eledge and his husband Elliot Dougherty desperately wanted to start their own family. When Matthew’s mother, Cecile Eledge offered to be their surrogate, they thought at first it was a joke because she was post-menopausal and over 60. But she definitely was not kidding.

Dr. Carolyn Maud Doherty was willing to explore that option, and after a series of tests and exams, Cecile was approved to be a surrogate. The woman had to start on estrogen to restart her menstrual cycle. “It’s important for people to note that not every 60-year-old is in good enough health to be a surrogate,” Dr. Doherty says. After just one try of invitro fertilization, an embryo consisting of a donated egg of Elliot’s and Matthew’s sperm was successfully implanted. 9 months later, Uma Louise Dougherty-Eledge was born, weighing 5 pounds and 13 ounces.

However, Uma’s birth certificate is quite awkward at the moment. Matthew says that, “Nebraska requires the sperm donor to be the father and the person who delivers the baby to be the ‘mother,’ even if she’s not biologically related to the child.” So Matthew is the father on the document, and his mother is Uma’s legal mother. That is, until Elliot goes through the formal adoption process and gains all the rights as the other parent.

See Susanna Heller, A 61-Year-Old Woman Gave Birth to her own Granddaughter, MSN, March 29, 2019.