Chinese Woman Calls IVF Baby As Return Of Late Son, Sparks Debate

A 62-year-old woman in China, who has been pregnant for six months, has gained attention on social media after saying she sees the baby as the return of her only child who passed away. Her story has sparked widespread discussion online, reported the South China Morning Post.

A woman from Songyuan in northeast China's Jilin province has been the focus of attention on a major social media platform thanks to her younger sister. Her sister regularly shares updates on her pregnancy, as reported by Dahe News. 

This is her second pregnancy. She lost her only son in January 2025. The age of her son and the cause of his death are unclear. In the middle of the year, the woman conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF). 

In late December, the woman mentioned in a video that she felt her baby might be born prematurely. She also shared that the baby liked to kick in her womb and became more active when she ate sweets. Doctors in China are not allowed to reveal the sex of a baby in the womb, as some families traditionally prefer sons and might therefore abort a female fetus. The woman said that many people had told her that since she had recently been craving sweets, her baby would be a boy, which she referred to as "the return of my son."

The woman undergoes prenatal checkups more frequently than other younger pregnant women. Each time, her younger sister accompanies her and posts videos online under the name ‘Xiao Wei'. For some essential checkups, she has to travel to larger medical centers in Changchun, the capital of Jilin province, about 170 km from her home.

Dr. Chen Min, a senior gynecologist at Harbin No. 1 Hospital in Heilongjiang Province, told the media that they generally does not recommend pregnancy at old age because of the many risks involved. She explained that older women face a much higher risk of complications during pregnancy and often require a cesarean section, which itself carries risks. She also advised that if a woman wishes to have a child later in life, she should undergo a thorough medical examination before conception, strictly follow her doctor's advice, and give birth at a large hospital equipped with emergency facilities.