Texan woman makes headlines at 51: She says pregnancy was planned after she met her husband later in life (exclusive)

Grace Collins says in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE that she was pregnant for the third time at the age of 50 – and it was very planned

A woman from South Texas is making waves because she tells the story of being pregnant at 50 and giving birth at 51.

Grace Collins says in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE that she began her third pregnancy with “mindfulness,” making sure she was healthy enough before undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment.

“I wouldn’t say [I entered into pregnancy with] Hesitation – but mindfulness,” says the mother of three children, who has a six-year-old, a four-year-old and now a one-month-old.

She continues, “I made sure I had a healthy baseline by getting things like mammograms, colonoscopy, pap smear, echocardiogram, blood work, etc. I also made sure I was at a healthy weight and was active. I have two more children and all of my pregnancies have had their challenges – but overall I can honestly say that it has gotten easier with each pregnancy.”

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“Maybe my body just figured out how to cope, or maybe having kids keeps me young,” Collins adds. “I felt more tired when I was pregnant at 44 than I did at 50.”

On TikTok, Collins has shared the details of her third pregnancy and frequently answers questions about becoming pregnant later in life.

In a video, Collins says she often gets comments of “sheer horror” from women who are “afraid this could happen to them.”

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“I want to tell you that this was not a spontaneous conception,” she adds. “I tried to get pregnant for a very long time. At my age, it is very difficult to get pregnant.”

Collins adds in the video that all of her pregnancies were the result of artificial insemination and were planned in advance.

“I didn't meet my husband until I was 40, so I started pretty late. Since I had never been pregnant before, I knew I might have fertility issues,” she says in the video. “Plus, I was old. So we jumped right into IVF.”

At 44 she had her first child – a daughter – and another at 46. At 50 she became pregnant again.

Speaking to PEOPLE, she admits: “I know it's not exactly common to have children this late in life, but I wanted to give hope to women of all ages who may be struggling to start a family.”

Collins adds that while celebrities often make headlines for having children in their 40s and 50s, she is “just a regular woman who happened to have children later than most.”

By sharing the details of her pregnancy on TikTok, she was able to “show that there are many positives to having children later in life,” she says.

And although she has received some “downright mean” comments, Collins says she tries to ignore the negativity.

“Most people were very supportive and just curious… Many women thanked me for giving them hope.”

Collins offers some advice to other women who, like her, have decided to delay having children: “If possible, freeze your eggs before the age of 35. That really makes things easier later.”

“And also, find a reputable fertility clinic where you feel comfortable,” she adds. “Do your research – not all fertility clinics are the same. And of course, take care of yourself physically.”

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