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Home / Lifestyle

65-year-old now mother of 17 with quads' birth

Observer
24 May, 2015 05:00 PM3 mins to read

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Annegret Raunigk, pictured with Lelia in 2005, has has quadruplets. Photo / EPA

Annegret Raunigk, pictured with Lelia in 2005, has has quadruplets. Photo / EPA

A 65-year-old German woman has given birth to quadruplets after undergoing an artificial insemination procedure in Ukraine.

The woman, Annegret Raunigk, already has 13 children.

The quadruplets - three boys and a girl - were born prematurely at 26 weeks in a Berlin hospital but have "good chances of surviving", according to the entertainment channel RTL, which has negotiated exclusive rights to the woman's story.

Raunigk lives in Berlin and is an English and Russian teacher who is close to retirement.

In addition to her children, she has seven grandchildren.

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RTL said the new arrivals make her the world's oldest mother of quadruplets. The boys have been named Dries, Bence and Fjonn and the girl Neeta.

Raunigk made headlines 10 years ago when she gave birth to her 13th child, Lelia, at the age of 55.

"At first, I only wanted one child," she said then. "Not all were planned. But then things happen. I'm not a planner but rather spontaneous. And children keep me young."

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Raunigk again made headlines in April when the German press reported that her latest artificial insemination attempt had resulted in a quadruple pregnancy.

At the time, she said she decided to try to have another child because her youngest daughter, who is 9, wanted a little brother or sister, according to RTL.

The tabloid Bild am Sonntag quoted Raunigk, whose oldest daughter is reportedly 44, recalling that it was "a shock" when the doctors first broke the news to her of a quadruple pregnancy.

Woman, 65, pregnant with quads http://t.co/5vmy2QgzHf pic.twitter.com/gGtRi4VDbC

— news.com.au (@newscomauHQ) April 12, 2015

"After the doctor discovered there were four, I had to give it some thought to begin with."

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Quadruplets for 65-yr-old

23 May 10:15 PM

But she did not consider reducing the number of embryos and said she had no reservations about the challenge facing her.

"I'm not actually afraid. I simply assume I'll remain healthy and fit. In matters of organisation I have enough experience, that's not new for me," she told Bild.

Asked about moral doubts, RTL quoted her as asking: "How does one have to be at 65? One must apparently always fit some cliches which I find rather tiring.

"I think one must decide that for oneself."

Join the conversation on the Herald Life Facebook page

- Observer, AFP

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