'I Gave Birth to My Grandkids'
A grandmother acts as surrogate for her daughter's two children.
Aug. 8, 2007 — -- Caryn Chomsky was only 25 when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer and confronted with the news that she and her husband would not be able to have children the traditional way. So the newlywed and her husband were forced to find a solution.
"Giving up wasn't an option for us. You know, it was figuring out how to solve this problem," Caryn said.
It became clear to the couple that the solution that best suited them was a surrogate mother and one person jumped at the chance. Ann Stolper was the first person to volunteer.
Stolper is Caryn's mother.
"I didn't want her and her husband to miss out on this wonderful opportunity," Stolper said.
And in December, Stolper gave birth to twins, Itai and Maya, her grandchildren. For parents Caryn and Ayal Chomsky, their daughters' arrival was the sweetest possible event.
"Every day I look at them and think of them as the greatest miracles in the world," Ayal said.
But there were hurdles along the way that required help. The doctors' first concern: Caryn's cervical cancer.
Caryn had a hysterectomy and surgeons also performed an "ovarian transposition," carefully repositioning Caryn's ovaries out of her pelvic area and into her abdominal cavity. This way they could give her the radiation she needed for the cancer without damaging her ovaries.
Caryn's eggs were saved.
But then another medical hurdle presented itself: Stolper, Caryn's mom, is 58. If the embryo implant worked, she would become the oldest woman in America to give birth to her own grandchildren.
"Certainly the older someone is their risks are much higher and Ann was post-menopausal," said Rebecca Stern, Caryn's OB-GYN.
As of today, in the United States, there are no laws dictating an age limit for fertility treatments, but there are voluntary guidelines. Ideally, a candidate receiving the treatments has not yet gone through menopause, when bones weaken and muscle tone takes a big drop. Additionally, the stress on the vascular system is greater — risks like high blood pressure, which may lead to premature birth.
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