LIST: Celebrity moms proving that it's never too late to have a baby in your 40s and beyond
It's no secret that when it comes to starting a family, women 35 years old and above have to fight against the ticking of the biological clock.
As women get older, their bodies start to conceive longer and the chances of getting pregnant reduce. In fact, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) said that a woman's fertility peaks during her teenage years to her 20s. It starts to decline by the time she reaches 30 and would decrease further by her mid-30s. According to ACOG, chances of getting pregnant when a woman reaches 45 are already unlikely.
Still and all, there are several women that continue to beat the odds by having children later in life, particularly those in local showbiz.
A number of Pinay celebrities have been serving major inspo since they introduced their newborns to the world over the past few years. Some welcomed their child via surrogacy, while others were just plain lucky to give birth themselves.
As the world celebrates Mother's Day this May 14, PhillSTAR L!fe has listed some of the local TV personalities who have been serving as perfect models for having a child in your 40s and beyond even when science and society make it seem impossible.
Iza Calzado
Iza Calzado received her "miracle" in the form of her daughter, Deia Amihan, when the actress turned 40. She told her Instagram followers the good news in a post on Aug. 12, 2022, the same day she welcomed the big 4-0.
In the caption of her post, Iza said that Deia came "unexpectedly" just as she was all set to welcome 'this new chapter" of her life, after marking her 20th anniversary in the showbiz industry and finishing the "exciting projects" lined up for her.
"You may not have been in my immediate plans but I instinctively knew that this was THE plan," Iza said, referring to the bundle of joy in her belly.
She concluded her post by saying, "They were right. Life does begin at 40. Simply put, your life begins as your mother turns forty. To know that life is growing inside me is great miracle. You are my miracle. You are my guiding light."
Iza and her non-showbiz partner, entrepreneur Ben Wintle, welcomed Deia on Jan. 26, 2023, five years after they got married in December 2018.
Since then, the actress has been consistent with updating her fans about motherhood and even described the experience as "napakasarap."
Phoemela Baranda
Model and TV host Phoemela Baranda has been proving that age is just a number when it comes to giving birth when she welcomed her second daughter Illya on March 5, 2021.
Phoemela was 40 years old when she first announced her pregnancy through a nude photoshoot with Preview.ph. Her pregnancy comes 21 years after she gave birth to her firstborn, Kim, whom the TV personality welcomed when she was 19 years old.
Phoemela told the outlet that she and her partner, businessman Jason Choachuy, planned her pregnancy with Illya. As part of her preparation, she made sure to boost her health with a proper diet and Pilates.
And while her body does not feel any different from when she was pregnant at 19, Phoemela said that being more mentally prepared at 40 did wonders with her second pregnancy.
"This time, the only difference is that I'm more mentally prepared, but the same amount of excitement and love, especially that my partner and Kim are beside me for support," she told the outlet.
Just last March, Phoemela and her family celebrated the second birthday of Illya with a groovy pastel-themed party. The TV personality said she couldn't be more grateful to see her daughter grow as "a happy, healthy & beautiful baby."
Miriam Quiambao
Miss Universe 1999 first runner-up Miriam Quiambao had yet another winning moment when she and her husband, Christian author Ardy Roberto, welcomed their second child when she was 46 years old.
The beauty queen gave birth to her "miracle baby" Ezekiel Isaiah on July 12, 2021, via cesarean section. This, along with her pregnancy that began in late 2020, was one she considers a "miracle."
“Being pregnant at 46 years old is an amazing experience for me. It's not only considered a miracle pregnancy (considering a previous diagnosis of almost infertility for my husband and I) but also this is my second pregnancy!!! As my husband @ardyroberto said, it's like lighting striking twice!!!” Miriam wrote in an Instagram post two days before her delivery.
It was an answered prayer for the couple whose first child, Elijah, was born prematurely on Feb. 17, 2019.
Apart from showing the world that it's never too late to have a child in your 40s, Miriam has previously proven that love is sweeter the second time around. Her marriage to Andy in March 2014 is the beauty queen's second following her first marriage with Italian businessman Claudio Rondinelli in 2004 which ended up in divorce two years later.
Korina Sanchez
Korina Sanchez and her husband, former senator Mar Roxas, welcomed their twins Pepe and Pilar in 2019.
The veteran journalist, who was 54 years old at that time, announced the news on Instagram on Feb. 21, 2019. Korina wrote, "I think if you believe hard enough, the miracle you most want can come true. Announcing the arrival of our little boy and little girl."
Apart from asking for name suggestions, Korina gave a little more inspiration to her followers when she wrote, "Did you think it could still happen for me? I never stopped believing."
In an interview with Philippine STAR in the same month, the Rated K host said that their twins were conceived via gestational surrogacy in the United States in 2016.
"We weren't married yet when we decided to freeze our embryos before my biological clock stopped ticking," she said. 2016 was the year they finally found time to start a family amid their busy schedules since they got married in October 2009.
During the interview, Korina described the birth of her twins as their "best life adventure."
Alice Dixson
Talk about ageless beauty and for some people, actress Alice Dixson would definitely be on the list. However, the 52-year-old star is not just proving that age is just a number when it comes to being sexy and stunning, but also in becoming a first-time mom.
On April 2, 2021, Alice surprised the online community when she announced that she is finally a mother to a baby girl after spending the past 10 years praying and wishing for a child.
"So with great patience, belief and trust - I am happy to announce my wish has finally come true," the actress wrote in her Facebook post. "Our newest little family member has arrived."
Alice welcomed Baby Aura via surrogate a day before the celebrity mom officially introduced her to the world. During her guesting in Eat Bulaga's "Bawal Judgmental" segment, Alice said that she was alone abroad when the surrogate gave birth.
She also revealed in a 2019 interview that she and her non-showbiz partner have been trying to have a baby, but "it didn't work out." It was then that the couple agreed to have a baby via surrogate.
Recently, Alice marked Aura's first year with a party and an Instagram post with the caption, "I celebrate you every day anak! And love you with every fiber of my being through out eternity."
Vicki Belo
Dr. Vicki Belo gave everyone a cute li'l surprise when she introduced her youngest daughter, Scarlet Snow, on May 15, 2015. The celebrity dermatologist welcomed her baby on March 3, 2015, when Vicki was 59 years old and her husband, Hayden Kho, was 36 years old.
In an interview with Good Housekeeping Philippines, the Dra. said that she and Hayden were planning to have a baby many years ago after getting married in September 2017.
"We have been together for quite some time already, and we could see that we are going to stay together for the long term, so we decided that it was time to have our baby," she said.
Scarlet was birthed by a Mexican-American surrogate mother in the U.S. Vicki and Hayden welcomed her a year before the long-term couple got married in September 2017 and a decade since they began dating in 2005.
In an interview with the late Philippine Star columnist Ricky Lo, Vicki referred to Scarlet as her own flesh and blood that "may not have come from my tummy but straight from my heart."
