The oldest woman to give birth has died of the Big C three years after her twins were born. The obvious and telling argument, from the ethical side, is that the age of the mother leads to an lower life expectancy and a greater chance that the children will be orphaned: therefore, they should not be allowed to. This argument is based upon a possible outcome and equally applies to high-risk occupations such as soldiers.
In Spain, where family values are important, Ms Bousada’s case provoked fresh calls last night for a legal limit on the upper age for fertility treatment. There is none at present in Spain. Nuria Terribas, from the Borja Bioethics Institute, a think-tank in Barcelona, said: “We think a limit of 45 should be established in law. Cases like this not only create physical dangers for the mother but many family complications.”
Josep Torrence, of Iglesia Plural, a progressive Catholic group, said: “The most important thing is the children are left unprotected, which should not be allowed. What is needed are stricter controls to stop this happening again.”
The usual calls for control, prohibition and punishment are invoked. But, the woman lied about her age to gain treatment: a testament to the lengths that people will go to for their needs and desires. Sadly, families are required to pick up the slack, but it is for each to onclude what is desirable for them and their potential offspring. Only Maria Carmen del Bousada can say if it was worth it and she has gone to the grave.