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Should there be an age limit on IVF?

The “how old is too old to have a baby” debate has a new wrinkle from an unlikely critic.Susan Tollefsen, who became Britain’s oldest first-time mother three years ago when she gave birth at 57 through IVF, is now saying she was too old to have a child, the Daily Mail reports.Tollefsen tells the newspaper that while she doesn’t regret having daughter Freya, she is burdened with the feeling

The “how old is too old to have a baby” debate has a new wrinkle from an unlikely critic.

Susan Tollefsen, who became Britain’s oldest first-time mother three years ago when she gave birth at 57 through IVF, is now saying she was too old to have a child, the Daily Mail reports.

Tollefsen tells the newspaper that while she doesn’t regret having daughter Freya, she is burdened with the feeling that time’s running out and says she didn’t realize until she had her daughter how much she would wish for more time with her.

“If I could change just one thing, I would wish to be younger so I could enjoy watching Freya grow up, get married and have children of her own.”

Tollefsen, 61, adds:

“If I’m completely honest, my experience has taught me that 50 should probably be the cut-off limit for having children, but until you have them it’s almost impossible to appreciate that.”

Tollefsen’s decision to do IVF using sperm from her partner, Nick Mayer, who was 11 years younger than her, created quite a controversy. Critics mainly blamed Tollefsen, saying that it was irresponsible to have a child so late and that her advanced age – and eventual death – would leave the child abandoned later in life.

Since having their daughter, Tollefsen and Mayer, now 49, have split up. Tollefsen says the stress of parenting contributed to the demise of the couple’s relationship.

While some are applauding Tollefsen for being candid about her feelings, others say she should have known better.

One commenter on the Daily Mail story said:

“Very honest to admit she was wrong. What nobody planning a baby in later life seems to consider is the child themselves. To me it is very selfish to put your own needs ahead of the child.”

Another commenter posted on a story in the Telegraph:

"50 is already too old to think about babies, let alone 57.  What was this woman thinking about?  She only had to do the math to realize that even if she got her four score and ten, that her daughter would be only 23 - not an age to be left alone with no siblings or grandparents."

What do you think about Tollefsen’s admission? Do you think there should be an age limit for having babies, with or without medical help -- and if so, what should that age be?