How old is too old to be a first-time parent?

My latest piece is live at Allvoices.com! Today, I'm taking on the issue of post-menopausal pregnancy and asking whether it's fair to the child when people persue first-time parenthood in one's 50s and 60s. Here's an excerpt (click here to read the whole story and related news reports):

Too old to be a parent? Post-menopausal pregnancy triggers moral outrage

By Lylah M. Alphonse

BOSTON -- Some are seeking to add to their family after the loss of an older child. Others decide to act as a surrogate for a family member who can’t carry a child to term. Still others, years past natural child-bearing age, wish to experience pregnancy and parenthood first hand -- at any price.

Assisted reproductive technology -- including gestational surrogacy, donor egg and sperm, and in-vitro fertilization (IVF) -- have made it possible for women to postpone parenthood until their 50s or even later. Those who choose to go this route say that having a baby so much later in life is a fulfilling and life-affirming experience, adding that the numerous health risks involved are well worth it. But critics counter that it’s a selfish, immoral, and unnatural act -- and one that isn’t in the best interests of the child. ... [More]