Zlatija Jovic, from Gornje Birijanje village in the Leskovac county, is expecting her first baby in mid-July, according to local news reports.

The current record is held by Adriana Iliescu, of Bucharest, who had a girl in January at the age of 66, after years of fertility treatment.

It is not yet clear whether Mrs Jovic conceived naturally or not.

Physicians following the pregnancy at the hospital in nearby Leskovac city said it was an "extraordinary event for the region".

Mrs Jovic and her husband, Miodrag, 53, told local 4S TV how they were hoping for a son.

"We would prefer a son to inherit the land, someone no one would order around through life," Mrs Jovic was quoted as saying.

She said she had prayed that God would grant her a child.

The overriding concern is the age of the mother and her ability to bring up the baby


Mr Peter Bowen-Simpkins of the UK Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Despite being seven months pregnant, she said she was keeping up with house work and farm duties.

The couple first married 30 years ago, but then divorced.

Miodrag Jovic had two other marriages, and fathered a daughter, who has two children herself.

Zlatija Jovic remained single until remarrying Miodrag nine years ago, according to reports.

Mr Peter Bowen-Simpkins of the UK Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said Mrs Jovic must have had fertility treatment to become pregnant.

Ethics

"She would have to have had ovum donation - been given an egg from a willing, younger woman."

He said this donated egg would be fertilised in the laboratory using Mr Jovic's sperm and transferred into Mrs Jovic's womb.

"It's possible from a technical point of view, but from an ethical point of view I think there are huge problems," said Mr Bowen-Simpkins.

He said older mothers risked pregnancy complications such as problems with blood pressure and poor circulation.

This, in turn, can mean the developing baby does not grow as well as it should.

"But the overriding concern is the age of the mother and her ability to bring up the baby," he said.