🌟 Miraculous or Controversial? The Story of a 66‑Year‑Old Indian Woman Who Became a Mother of Triplets 👶👶👶

At 66 years old, after nearly 44 years of marriage and years of quiet longing, one Indian woman shattered not just biological odds—but perhaps ethical ones too.

Meet Bhateri Devi, from the village of Satrod in Haryana state, who in May 2010 gave birth to triplets—two boys and a girl—following assisted reproductive treatment.

The event catapulted her into global headlines as possibly the world’s oldest mother of triplets.

But behind the sensational headlines lies a tangled tapestry of human desire, medical risk, social stigma, and ethical debate.

The Long Wait for a Family

For Bhateri, and her husband Deva Singh (age 64 when the babies were born), the dream of parenthood had been deferred for decades.

Married for around 44 years with no children, their lives passed under the social shadow of childlessness—especially in a rural Indian context where motherhood is often entwined with a woman’s identity.

In an interview, Deva Singh expressed the depth of that longing: “Bhateri has fulfilled my dream of having a child and giving my family an heir.”.

The couple sought treatment at the National Fertility Centre in Hisar (Haryana) where they were undertaking in‑vitro fertilisation (IVF) over successive cycles.

The IVF Breakthrough—Triplets Arrive

After two failed attempts where two embryos were transferred each time, the third cycle at the clinic transferred three embryos, resulting in the successful pregnancy of triplets.

On May 29, 2010, at the age of 66, Bhateri gave birth via caesarean section to two boys and one girl—potentially making her the oldest known woman to deliver triplets.

However, this triumph came with immediate medical concern: one of the infants was born extremely low‑birth‑weight—about 800 g—while the others weighed 1.2 kg and 1.1 kg respectively.

All three were placed in neonatal intensive care.

Tragically, according to later reports, one of the triplets did not survive; the other two grew into childhood under unusual circumstances.

The Joy, the Risk, the Ethics

On the surface, this story reads like a miracle: the long‑barren wife finally becomes mother, the husband becomes father in his sixties, and a family is completed.

Yet beneath that lies a storm of medical, social and ethical issues.

Medical Risks

Pregnancy at age 66—especially multiple pregnancy—carries far higher risks: maternal complications (cardiovascular strain, gestational diabetes, hypertension), risks of premature delivery and low‑birth‑weight infants, and concerns about long‑term health of both mother and children.

Experts compare such late pregnancies to “elderly persons climbing Mount Everest”.

Bhateri herself acknowledged that after the delivery she was “very weak” and dedicated herself to the round‑the‑clock care of her fragile babies, fighting infections, sleepless nights and the anxiety of survival.

Social and Cultural Factors
In many parts of rural India, childlessness is not merely a personal loss—it often carries social stigma.

Women without children may face isolation, taunts, and a sense of incompletion.

Bhateri and her husband’s struggle must be seen in this broader social context.

By becoming a mother—albeit at extreme age—Bhateri changed her social status, but also entered a public spotlight and intense scrutiny, media frenzy and ethical questioning.

Ethical and Regulatory Questions

This case reopened debates over the ethics of IVF for older women.

At the time of Bhateri’s birth, India lacked clearly enforced upper‑age limits for assisted reproductive technologies (ART).

Critics asked: Is it responsible to implant embryos in a woman whose life expectancy may be limited, and whose ability to raise children long term may be compromised?

Regulatory bodies such as the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) later responded by issuing guidelines limiting IVF to younger age groups—but enforcement remains uneven.

Life After the Headlines

In the years following the birth, Bhateri’s life—and those of her surviving children—played out quietly in her village home.

According to a 2019 profile, nine years after the delivery of the triplets (one of whom died), Bhateri at age 75 was living with her two children, now in school, while her husband had passed away.

She described parenting at such an age as “hard work,” but said as long as the children fight, play and argue at home, she is “fine.”

Despite the extraordinary nature of her case, she faced suspicions, questions and sometimes derision from neighbours: “People said I was old, unfit… but none of it mattered.”

Her story remains a potent symbol of both human resilience and the complexity of modern reproductive medicine.

Global Records and Comparisons

According to documented records, Bhateri Devi’s case—66 years old and delivering triplets—is listed among the oldest maternal ages globally for childbirth.

Yet she is not alone in the extremes of late motherhood: for example, a woman in Uganda gave birth at age 70 in 2023.

Still, triplets at age 66 remains exceptionally rare and medically fraught.

Why This Case Still Resonates

Technology vs. Tradition. Her story forces us to ask: When does reproductive technology cross the bound of biological age and social responsibility?

The Meaning of Motherhood. For Bhateri, motherhood was not just a personal desire but a social imperative—the “missing piece” in a life of longing and societal expectations.

Healthcare Equity. Such high‑risk births raise questions of resource allocation, neonatal care needs, and long‑term welfare for children born into significantly older families.

Ethics of ART. What regulations should govern IVF—especially for women past menopause? Who bears responsibility when things are risky or uncertain?

Final Reflections: A Miracle Story With Many Layers

When Bhateri Devi held her newborn triplets in her arms, the cameras clicked, the world gasped—and a once‑childless family experienced unimaginable joy.

But as the initial awe fades, what remains are deeper questions: about age, choice, medical responsibility, family structure, and social expectation.

Her journey presents both triumph and tension—a reminder that miracles often come accompanied by shadows.

Is she a pioneer redefining motherhood? Or a cautionary tale about the limits of reproductive science?

The answer, like the story itself, is far more nuanced than headlines allow.

As she once put it simply: “I was blessed with them after a long struggle.”.

That struggle echoes beyond one village in Haryana—it reverberates in every corner of our modern world where biology, desire and ethics intersect.