56-year-old gives birth to twins

A newborn brother and sister were nestled in a New York hospital bed with their 56-year-old mother today, a day after their history-making arrival.

“They have each found their little spot under an arm,” said Art Cohan, a close friend who was in the delivery room at Mount Sinai Medical Centre yesterday when Aleta St James gave birth to the twins by Caesarean section.

St James, 57 on Friday, is believed to be the oldest American woman to give birth to twins. Little Francesca and Gian were conceived through in vitro fertilisation using donor eggs.

“The girl came out first, kicking and screaming,” Cohan said. Her brother “is all boy, but obviously a gentleman – saying, ’Ladies first.”’

St James is a motivational speaker who helped her brother, radio talk show host Curtis Sliwa, found the street vigilante group Guardian Angels in the 1970s.

“When I look into my children’s eyes, I feel such love, gratitude and appreciation for having been given these miraculous gifts,” St James said.

The oldest American to give birth is Arceli Keh, of California, who had a daughter in 1996 when she was 63.

Statistics show that 263 children were born in the US to women aged between 50 and 54 in 2002.