Hilary Swank is preparing to join a group that — while less exclusive than that of the Hollywood elite — is highly sought-after by many: parenthood. Swank posted on Instagram and gave an interview the day she announced her pregnancy, adding that she was expecting two babies rather than just one. And unlike many celebrities, she is carrying the twins herself, versus hiring a surrogate.The news is heartwarming, but it also drew the attention of fans and critics who aren't quite okay with the fact that celebrities parade their "advanced maternal age" pregnancies around like it's an easy feat to accomplish. Here's why Hilary's announcement isn't quite the joyful one she seemed to hope it would be.
Hilary Swank Announced She's Expecting Twins (At Age 48)
At the time of her pregnancy announcement, Hilary Swank was 48. She shared during an interview that her babies' due date is her father's birthday, which is on April 16th, 2023. Hilary will turn 49 in July 2023, while her husband Philip Schneider's age is harder to pin down.
Some sources suggest Philip was 49 at the time of the pregnancy announcement, while others say he's 45.
At the time of publishing, Hilary hadn't yet said how her twins were conceived (or whether she planned to share the story).
But fans are sort of assuming that she underwent fertility treatment of some sort to fall pregnant, especially given the fact that she is carrying twins (though Swank did say twins run in her hubby's family).
Medical Professionals Caution Women Against Pregnancy After 44
Though fans are thrilled for Hilary — and she shared that she's elated to be becoming a mom — news sites everywhere are not happy.
While Hilary seems to realize that she's super lucky to have gotten pregnant at 48, health experts are suggesting she's giving other would-be parents false hope.
In fact, some headlines say exactly that; News.com.au literally stated, "Hilary Swank’s twin pregnancy at 48 gives women false hope." Of course, that piece was an opinion from journalist Mary Madigan, who wrote that they think "the trend of older, famous women having babies is misleading for most women."
Another headline from Washington Examiner followed suit, announcing, "Unrealistic celebrity fertility standards harm just as much as their unrealistic body standards."
The thing is, the publications might have a point.
Naming famous women who had children late (like Halle Berry — 47 at her second child's birth and Janet Jackson — 50 when she had her son), Madigan writes, "Realistically, having children from your mid-40s to your late 40s is reserved for the rich, famous, and the very lucky."
Statistically speaking, News and Washington Examiner have the right idea; everyone knows how common IVF is, and how financially unattainable it is for most people.
It's also true that many celebrities appear ageless, simply because they have the means (and the time) to eat super-healthy, exercise all the time, and pay for skin and other treatments to look good longer.
Celebrity Pregnancies Aren't The Same As Non-Famous People's Experiences
Examiner's commentary writer Tiana Lowe wrote of the issue, "unrealistic celebrity fertility standards have taken the place of unrealistic celebrity body standards."
Further, they elaborated, "It's wonderful that Swank, with all of the medical specialists and nutritionists her wealth can afford, managed to become pregnant for the first time while pushing 50."
And yet they caution: "But it is dishonest for the media to present this as something 'natural,' when in reality it is the product of one woman's privilege."
Examiner quoted an OB-GYN who pointed out that by age 44, the chances of getting pregnant naturally will "approach zero." On top of that, statistics suggest that donor eggs or previously frozen eggs from the biological mother provide the best odds of conceiving.
Miscarriage rates are also high at advanced maternal age, says Examiner's expert, and that's harder to predict. Fans might recall that Britney Spears announced a miscarriage in May 2022, shortly after sharing news of her third pregnancy, at age 40.
Everyone is, of course, hoping for a healthy pregnancy and delivery for Hilary Swank, and two healthy babies at the end of it all.
It's just that it may not be as simple for any other hopeful parent to do what she has.