Texas woman gives birth to own granddaughter in surrogacy
A 53-year-old North Texas grandmother has given birth to her own grandchild.
Tracey Thompson was a surrogate for her daughter and delivered a healthy baby girl Wednesday at The Medical Center of Plano, CBS DFW reports.
Thompson offered to carry the child for her daughter, Kelley McKissack, 28, who had struggled with infertility for years. McKissack and her husband Aaron had undergone multiple infertility treatments and experienced three miscarriages.
The hospital said Thompson was able to be a surrogate using the remaining embryos from the couple's previous attempt at in vitro fertilization.
Even though Thompson was already seven years past menopause, "medical advances in assisted reproductive technology can allow for late-in life surrogacy, under exacting supervision," the hospital said. The embryo was successfully implanted in a procedure in April.
Thompson said the pregnancy was more difficult than she'd experienced in the past. "When I was in my 20s and pregnant with [Kelley] and her brother it was easy," she told CBS News correspondent Omar Villafranca. This time around, "It was difficult. It was just exhausting."
The proud grandmother gave birth to her granddaughter just after 3:00 p.m. on January 6. The baby girl weighed in at 6 pounds, 11 ounces. Her parents named her Kelcey, a name created by combining Tracey and Kelley.
"This is such a blessing that I can do this for my daughter," Thompson said.
It's a story they can't wait to tell Kelcey when she gets older. "We will make sure that she, literally, growing up, knows every step of it. It will be part of her story," McKissack said.
