Women gives birth at 60

[Rapunzel]

I think there is a good reason that women, overall, hit menopause in their 50's!

[houseelf]

While I'm totally with y'all on the "Holy crap that's just whack!" bandwagon, I'm going to have to play devil's advocate here.
What if at 60 years old, this woman decided to adopt some impoverished older child with special needs from a third world nation? Compare with adopting perfectly healthy white baby girl via a domestic adoption?

(Damn, I should have been a college professor...but I digress).

My point in all of this is that there is a continuum between "whack" and a kindhearted, loving decision to parent just one more child. I'm always fearful of external legal restraints on these type of decisions.

Kelly

What if at 60 years old, this woman decided to adopt some impoverished older child with special needs from a third world nation? Compare with adopting perfectly healthy white baby girl via a domestic adoption?

For me the difference lies in providing a home for a child who otherwise wouldn't have one and would be coming from a situation more dire than the one that would be created by the overwhelming likelihood of the very early loss of a parent.

[DCJenn]

I'd actually argue very strongly against the adoption as well- (which is why most countries limit the high end of the parents age for adoption- along w/ income and other expectations)

IS it better to be adopted out of an orphanage which CAN be horrific to a situation where both of your parents die while you are still young- which forces said child into a situation that no one agreed to at the onset.

There are no guarantees and lots of adopted kids experience loss but odds are greater with an older parent.

Jenn

PS- I think most countries have 50 as the oldest age one can adopt.