Giving birth at 79 – new world record or fake?

A Russian woman claims to be both the world's oldest person and the oldest-ever mother. Her passport shows that she’s 125, and she says she last gave birth a mere 46 years ago, at the tender age of 79.

If true, she has beaten the previous record holder by almost a decade. Some critics, however, have thrown doubts on her story, suggesting her documents possibly don’t offer the whole truth.

Possible in theory

Ulya Margusheva is an ethnic Kabardin from the Russian republic of Kabardino-Balkaria in the North Caucasus. Long-lifer Ulya says she doesn’t eat anything sweet or salty and that she hates bananas.

Her story becomes all the more fascinating with the revelation that the woman gave birth to her only child when she was 79.

“I explain it by the fact that she lives in an ecologically-safe environment. She's a healthy woman herself,” said Maria Tembotova, the republic's chief obstetrician.

“And despite the fact she got married in her late she had a healthy lifestyle. So it is possible in theory”.

Journalists investigate

So far a Japanese woman lays claim to the record as the oldest mother to give birth. If Ulya really is the true world record holder, why is she enjoying so little publicity?

Two documents, her passport and her child’s birth certificate, make it quite clear: Ulya was born in 1884 and her child was born 79 years later. Ulya explains:

“Yes, I gave birth to my child naturally. No caesarean section. A nurse at the hospital told me when I was checking out with a child: ‘Oh! What a poor woman!’”

Read more: http://www.russiatoday.com/Top_News/2009-04-17/Giving_birth_at_79___new_world_record_or_fake.html

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