Woman Slammed for Giving Birth to First Child at 52 after Years of Trying

A woman who waited years to bear a child gave birth to a miracle baby at 52. Instead of being happy for her, people slammed her for her decision to have a child at her age.

Some people stop at nothing to get what they want, and for a woman in Massachusetts, the thing she wanted most in the world was to become a mother. After trying to conceive a child for six years, she finally became a mom at the age of 52 when she gave birth to a son.

People on the internet were torn on how they felt about the pregnancy. While others were happy that she finally fulfilled her wish, there were many others who slammed her for her decision to have a child at an advanced age.

Struggling to Conceive

Luise Hoehn of Lowell, Massachussets, went through six years of fertility treatments in hopes of having a child with her 47-year-old husband, Dean Biele. They went through six failed IVF cycles and donor egg transplants before they were given the best gift ever: a son.

On Christmas Day, the proud parents welcomed their son Stellan. Before finally embracing her first-born, Luise spent a fortune trying to get pregnant. She spent a total of $75,000 on donor eggs, and an upward of $100,000 on six cycles of IVF.

Because of the circumstances of how Luise and Dean met, they weren't able to try for a child any sooner. She met her then-boyfriend when she was nearing 40 and didn't choose to start undergoing fertility treatments until nine years later at 46.

Challenges Because of Her Advanced Age

By that time, not a lot of fertility clinics were willing to help people her age have children. When they found someone who would, they needed to find other means to finance the treatments. Luise and Dean were told that insurance wasn't going to cover the costs because of the implications of Luise's age.

Luise had always wanted children, having worked with kids for a long time before meeting her match. However, it was only when she fell in love with Dean that she realized he was the one she was willing to start a family with. She admitted:

"I had a fulfilling job as a nanny, helping to raise other people's children and simply thought I would meet the right person and one day have my own."

Starting a Family Together

When they bought a property together in 2012, the couple started to try conceiving naturally. It never dawned on Luise that as she aged, her chances of getting pregnant were getting slimmer.

At the age of 42, she even refused a doctor's suggestion to try IVF because she believed she would still be able to conceive naturally. But when she reached the age of 46 and her periods started to become irregular, she opened up to the idea.

A year later, Dean and Luise got married, and a month later, Luise underwent her first IVF cycle. Unfortunately, after several rounds between March 2017 to June 2018, she still wasn't pregnant.

Choosing to Get a Donor

Refusing to give up the dream, Dean and Luise finally decided to look for a donor egg in 2019. It took them two years to be at ease with their decision on which donor to choose.

Dean wanted to keep searching, but Luise already knew she had found the perfect match. She claimed she and the donor were so alike not just in looks but in personality and characteristics as well. "It was important I found someone who represented me," she admitted.

They went through the embryo transfer in May 2022, and after just eight days, Luise and Dean had a positive pregnancy test in their hands. The couple kept the pregnancy private, fearing how other people would react. Ultimately, Luise gave birth to her son at 35 weeks on Christmas Day.

Luise is positive she'll be able to get pregnant again. However, for now, she'd like for her body to recover and for her and her husband to adjust to having baby Stellan around.

People's Comments on Her Pregnancy

Despite the joy Luise and Dean felt, others weren't as happy. People on the internet judged Luise for her choices, writing:

"I’m sorry I need to be that person . Because I was a late mum 37. I am now 58 and my son is 21. I am struggling with health issues. My son is wonderful but he should t have to be looking after me at his age. When her son is 8 she is going to be 60. It’s not fair in the kids to have to be carers to elderly parents." – Linda Whitaker (February 16, 2023).

"And when the kid is about to graduate college mom and dad will be in the nursing home. How fun for that kid" – Kathleen Coleman (February 14, 2023).

"sorry to say, I think that is really sad especially at age 52, they aren't thinking about the future of the child" – Doreen Kubiak (February 15, 2023).

Despite what's been said, Luise and Dean are focused on raising Stellan the best way they can. Not only do they give their son hands-on care, but Luise breastfeeds her child as well.

Luise hopes to inspire older moms who are still trying to get pregnant despite their advanced age. She also credits these mom groups for giving her the encouragement she needed whenever she lost hope during the process.

In another miracle birth story, a woman gave birth to her first child at the age of 48 after suffering 18 painful miscarriages. Click here to read all about it.