After Giving Birth At 66, Woman Opens Up About Raising Her Daughter — It’s ‘A Wonderful Thing’

Jan 26, 2022

On Jan. 16, 2005, one woman’s life changed forever as she finally became a mother at the age of 66. Adriana Iliescu, was born on May 31, 1938, making her 83 years old. While most people around her age would probably be enjoying a simpler life in retirement or spending quality time with their grandchildren, Iliescu is raising her now-teenage daughter.

Iliescu, who is a Romanian university teacher, philologist and children’s books author, made history back in January 2005 when she gave birth to her daughter Eliza at the age of 66. Eliza was delivered at Giulesti Maternity Hospital in Bucharest, Romania. She is Iliescu’s biological child, but not her genetic child, as Eliza was gestated in Iliescu’s womb by conceived by a donated ovum and sperm. Through in-vitro fertilization, Iliescu was finally able to live out her dream of becoming a mother.

At the time she gave birth to Eliza, Iliescu was the oldest birth mother in the world, and even earned herself a Guinness World Record. Although the record was broken the following year by Maria Del Carmen Bousada de Lara, Iliescu’s story has gone on to receive widespread media attention as she has continued to share bits and pieces of her life as an older mother.

Nowadays, Iliescu and her daughter are living a happy life and have talked about how to prepare for the future ahead as Iliescu continues to age. Read on to find out more about this mother and daughter’s remarkable story, and what their life looks like today.

According to a Daily Mail article from 2008, Iliescu and Eliza were supporting themselves on a pension that’s just over $280 a month, as well as some extra money Iliescu made from working part-time as a university professor. Although Iliescu doesn’t have family or close friends to help her raise Eliza, she has the support of Eliza’s godfather – the IVF doctor who helped bring her into the world.

As someone who gave birth at the age of 66, Iliescu was prepared for motherhood in her older years. “I’m fit and healthy and I’ve never had any illnesses,” she said. “I don’t smoke and I don’t drink. If I live as long as my parents did, Eliza will be 20 by the time I pass away.” However, Iliescu said that she thinks she still has “a lot to give her.”

Although Iliescu sometimes gets called “granny” by strangers while out and about with her daughter, she says she has “never suffered any prejudice.” The mom added, “In Romania, people who have children are very admired.”

Iliescu admitted that it’s not easy being a mom, but is happy to finally live out her dream. “I always wanted a child, but I was so busy, I never had a partner,” Iliescu explained. She also has planned for the future, saying that Eliza will have the right to work before she dies, and will be able to care for herself.

For Iliescu, now 83, motherhood has been rewarding. She said, “Having a child is a wonderful thing. To think that you haven’t lived for nothing.” According to Bright Side, Eliza, now 17, hopes to go to college one day. 

What do you think about this woman’s story about her journey to motherhood? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family members and friends, too.