Woman Has Test-Tube Triplets at 50

At an age when many couples are slowing down, planning for retirement and enjoying grandchildren, Milagros Olarve and her husband Florante--both 50 years old--up and had triplets.

After 14 1/2 hours of labor, and thanks to the wonders of test-tube conception, Olarve gave birth Thursday to 2-pound, 7-ounce Alexander, 2-pound, 2-ounce Veronica and 2-pound Stephanie. Although they were born two months prematurely, all three and their mother were healthy and resting Friday at Glendale Adventist Medical Center.

“Most of the time at this age, they’re having menopause, not having babies,” said Olarve’s obstetrician, Dr. Ronald Wu.

Millie Olarve, as she is called, said she used no birth control during the Eagle Rock couple’s 22 years of marriage, figuring that if she got pregnant, that would be fine and if not, that would be OK, too.

But about 10 years ago, she and her husband became determined to have a child. After surgery to remove scar tissue from her abdomen and unblock her Fallopian tubes, she still had no luck.

Two years ago, the Olarves turned to in-vitro fertilization--Latin for “in glass,” the technical term for conceiving a test-tube baby. Milagros’ eggs and Florante’s sperm were combined in a test tube and then implanted in Milagros’ womb.

It took two tries, at about $18,000 each. In the first, doctors implanted five fertilized eggs, but none took.

Five more were implanted last May--the large number increases the odds that at least one will survive.

This time, three did.

And although most in-vitro pregnancies are delivered by Cesarean section because of the babies’ small size and tendency to arrive prematurely, doctors said Olarve had no need for the surgery.

Olarve said she pays no attention to debates about some women being too old to have children.

She and her husband are in excellent health, the former marathon runner said. “Now I don’t have to run those races,” she said. “I’ll have to run after my kids.”

Most importantly, Millie Olarve said, she and her husband can love their children as much as any younger parents.

“I don’t think it’s unfair” to the children, she said. “It’s going to make me feel younger, don’t you think?”

Wu expects the premature babies to be ready to go home soon after the first of the year. Until then, the Olarves are counting their blessings.

“Milagros in Spanish means ‘miracles,’ ” Olarve said. “Now I have three miracles.”