A 67-year-old Chinese woman who is pregnant with twins has opted to defy doctors' orders to have an abortion over fears for her health.
The woman, identified only as Mrs Zhang, her surname, would be one of the oldest women in the world to give birth. Mrs Zhang said she was determined to go ahead with the pregnancy after losing her only son, who was 34, in a car accident four years ago, reported the South China Morning Post.
"I couldn't fall asleep without sleeping pills for years. I used to dream about educating my son's children, but it came to nothing," she told the Beijing News. Mrs Zhang and her husband were unable to conceive naturally, or to adopt because of their age.
A hospital in Taiwan offered her a course of IVF treatment in June. However, since returning, Mrs Zhang said that several doctors had refused to treat her after warning that her high blood pressure and age would make the pregnancy risky.
Hospitals have reportedly been advised by the authorities not to treat her without first seeking guidance.
