Celebrities Who Had Babies Over 50

The average age that women in the U.S. give birth is now 27.3 years old. Depending on where you live, and who you hang out with, that might sound really young. People living in metropolitan cities, like NYC and LA, tend to have children later in life. And for most highly educated women, motherhood doesn’t start until the 30s.

But we’re starting to hear more and more from families that are being started well into someone's 40s, and even 50s. In fact, in 2022, 10,553 women aged 45-54 had babies. Advancements in medical technology like donor egg IVF and surrogacy, changing societal norms, and a desire to build a family later in life are all contributing to this trend.

From Janet Jackson to Naomi Campbell, many high-profile celebrities have made headlines for becoming mothers after 50. In this article, we'll look at these inspiring stories, explore the medical realities of having children later in life, and discuss the various paths—including egg donation, surrogacy, and adoption—that make later parenthood possible. We'll also examine both the advantages and challenges of being an older parent, helping you understand what to consider if you're thinking about starting or expanding your family in your 50s.

Celebrities who had children over 50

Here’s a list of some of the high-profile parents who expanded their families after 50. 

• Da Brat (49): The rapper was almost 50 when she gave birth to her first child with wife Jesseca Harris-Dupart. 
• Janet Jackson (50): The pop icon surprised fans in 2017 when she welcomed her first child, son Eissa Al Mana, at the age of 50.
• Michelle Pfeiffer (50): The ageless beauty adopted her son John Henry with her husband David E. Kelley in 1993 when she was 50.
• Diane Keaton (50): The iconic actress chose adoption to build her family, welcoming daughter Dexter in 1996 and son Duke in 2001, both over the age of 50.
• Naomi Campbell (50): The supermodel surprised the world in 2021 with the announcement of her daughter's birth.
• Sophie B. Hawkins (50): The singer Hawkins conceived her second child using an embryo she froze when she was 31.
• Tammy Duckworth (50): Senator Tammy Duckworth gave birth to her second child at the age of 50, after IVF treatment. 
• Sophie B. Hawkins (50): The singer of the iconic hit "Damn, I Wish I Was Your Lover" became a first-time mom when she welcomed daughter Esther Ballantine Hawkins in 2015.
• Helen Morris (52): The TV producer and her husband Martin Scorsese gave birth to a baby girl when she was 52 and he was 56. 
• Annie Leibovitz (52): The famous photographer gave birth to her first child Sarah Cameron Leibovitz at 52 years old, and had twin girls via surrogacy four years later.‍
• Hoda Kotb (52 & 56): The beloved 'Today Show' host adopted her daughters Haley Joy and Hope Catherine after turning 50, inspiring countless people with her journey to motherhood.‍
• Kristin Davis (53): The Sex and the City actress adopted her son Wilson at age 53. She has said that she doesn't regret waiting until later to have children.‍
• Brigitte Nielsen (54): The Danish model and actress had her fifth child, daughter Frida, in 2018.‍
• George Clooney (56): The once-perennial bachelor surprised many when he and wife Amal Clooney welcomed twins Ella and Alexander in 2017.‍
• Mick Jagger (73): The Rolling Stones frontman has an impressive brood of eight children, his youngest born in 2016 when he was 73.‍
• Steve Martin (64): The comedian and actor became a first-time father at 67 when his wife, Anne Stringfield, gave birth to their daughter (she was 41).

These celebrities remind us that there's no single "right" timeline for family building. Some, like Hoda Kotb, Kristin Davis, Michelle Pfeiffer, chose the path of adoption. Others, like Halle Berry and Nicole Kidman, had a child through surrogacy. What remains constant is the underlying principle that parenthood flourishes from love and commitment, regardless of the path chosen to fulfill that desire.

Having a child in your 50s

The biological reality of getting pregnant in your 50s is tricky. An unassisted pregnancy after age 45 is extremely rare, and even with IVF, the chances of getting pregnant with your own eggs at 45 is just 5% (it's 1% at age 50). Getting pregnant after 45 generally means someone used frozen eggs (either from their younger self or from an egg donor).

Why natural conception becomes unlikely:

• By the end of your 40s, most women have very few remaining eggs
• The quality of remaining eggs decreases significantly with age
• Natural ovulation becomes more irregular and eventually stops
• The uterine lining may be less receptive to implantation
• Higher risk of chromosomal abnormalities in any remaining eggs

There are other options for becoming a parent (or growing your family) in your 50s:

1. IVF with previously frozen eggs 

If you froze your eggs when you were younger, these eggs maintain the quality they had at the time of freezing. Success rates depend on:

• Your age when you froze the eggs
• How many eggs were frozen
• The quality of the freezing process
• The expertise of the fertility clinic

2. IVF with donor eggs 

Most women who become pregnant in their 50s use donor eggs. This option offers:

• Higher success rates since eggs come from younger donors
• Lower risk of chromosomal abnormalities
• More predictable outcomes
• Fresh or frozen egg options

3. Surrogacy 

Working with a gestational carrier can be an option for women in their 50s. You can use your previously frozen eggs or donor eggs. Benefits of surrogacy include:

• Removes age-related pregnancy risks for intended mother
• Can be combined with any egg source
• Allows women with medical conditions to have a child

4. Adoption 

Adoption remains a meaningful path to parenthood that:

• Offers multiple paths (domestic, international, foster-to-adopt)
• Provides opportunities to help existing children

Is there an age limit for IVF with donor eggs?

Technically, there is no age limit (legal or otherwise) in the United States for pursuing IVF with or without donor eggs. But ASRM discourages IVF for women older than 55, and some clinics set their own age limits for patients they will treat. 

For women over 45 years old, ASRM advises:

• “Comprehensive” medical testing for cardiovascular and metabolic fitness to ensure the safety of the mother and baby during pregnancy 
• Psychosocial evaluation to determine if support is in place to raise a child to adulthood
• Counseling patients on potential increased medical risks related to pregnancy

For families using donor eggs and a surrogate, ASRM would advise that the family undergo psychological evaluation to ensure the parents are equipped to raise the child at an older-than-average age. 

Supporting mothers of all ages

There is no age limit for men having children and there is no maximum age for US domestic adoption – so why is there an age restriction put on mothers via egg donation? Generally, these restrictions are for her own health during pregnancy. 

All pregnancies have risks, and pregnancy after 50 is no exception. One small study followed 45 healthy mothers ages 50-63 who used donor eggs, and found that 35% experienced pregnancy-related hypertension (high blood pressure), 20% experienced gestational diabetes, and 78% had a cesarean section. These numbers are higher than the general population. 

But what if a gestational carrier (surrogate) carries the donor egg pregnancy? Then the argument turns to the ability to parent. 

ASRM lays out some compelling arguments in favor of donor egg IVF for women over 45:

• Older people (grandparents) raise children all the time in our society, and successfully at that. So there’s no reason to think older parents wouldn’t have the physical and psychological stamina for raising children.
• Older men often have children, and there is no set age limit for males in IVF. So why create limits for women?
• Our society respects the rights of individuals to make reproductive choices regardless of age or life expectancy. For example, we don’t ban someone with a terminal illness from becoming a parent. So why stop someone else because of their age?

Read more in Am I Too Old to Become a Parent?

The bottom line

While the stories of celebrities having children in their 50s can be inspiring, we should acknowledge the realities that come with later-in-life parenthood. Advanced fertility treatments, surrogacy, and adoption often come with significant costs, making this path less accessible for those without substantial financial resources. Additionally, raising a child at an older age requires careful consideration of one's energy levels, long-term planning, and support systems.

The growing trend of celebrities having children in their 50s sheds light on the evolving possibilities of modern family building. While these stories can be heartwarming, they also highlight the challenges and complexities that may accompany later-in-life parenthood, particularly regarding financial resources and physical well-being. It's a reminder that while the desire for parenthood is powerful, the path to achieving that dream can take many different forms.

Find an amazing egg donor at Cofertility

At Cofertility, our program is unique. After meeting with hundreds of intended parents, egg donors, and donor-conceived people, we decided on an egg donation model that we think best serves everyone involved: egg sharing.

Here’s how it works: our unique model empowers women to take control of their own reproductive health while giving you the gift of a lifetime. Our donors aren’t doing it for cash – they keep half the eggs retrieved for their own future use, and donate half to your family.

We aim to be the best egg-sharing program, providing an experience that honors, respects, and uplifts everyone involved. Here’s what sets us apart:

• Human-centered. We didn’t like the status quo in egg donation. So we’re doing things differently, starting with our human-centered matching platform.
• Donor empowerment. Our model empowers donors to preserve their own fertility, while lifting you up on your own journey. It’s a win-win.
• Diversity: We’re proud of the fact that the donors on our platform are as diverse as the intended parents seeking to match with them. We work with intended parents to understand their own cultural values — including regional nuances — in hopes of finding them the perfect match.
• Baby guarantee. We truly want to help you bring your baby home, and we will re-match you for free until that happens.
• Lifetime support: Historically, other egg donation options have treated egg donor matching as a one-and-done experience. Beyond matching, beyond a pregnancy, beyond a birth…we believe in supporting the donor-conceived family for life. Our resources and education provide intended parents with the guidance they need to raise happy, healthy kids and celebrate their origin stories.

We are obsessed with improving the family-building journey — today or in the future — and are in an endless pursuit to make these experiences more positive. Create a free account to get started today!

Read more:

• What You Should Know About Getting Pregnant with Donor Eggs in Your 40s and 50s
• Is There a Maximum Age for Donor Egg IVF?
• How Common is Donor Egg IVF?
• What Matters More: The Age of My Egg Donor, or of Who is Carrying The Pregnancy?
• Celebrities Who Used Donor Eggs