Oscar-winning actress Hilary Swank has announced her pregnancy with her third child at age 52. Swank, who previously gave birth to twins at 48, revealed the news through a social media video featuring her family. The video, posted on Instagram, showed the family participating in a TikTok dance trend with glowsticks, which illuminated Swank’s baby bump as part of the surprise announcement. The caption read: 'A lot of people have been asking what project I'm doing next, this one releases in December.'
Swank and her husband, Philip Schneider, welcomed twins—a son and a daughter—in April 2023. The twins were born when Swank was 50 and Schneider was 45. The family shared the news of their twins’ birth on Easter Sunday with a photo of Swank holding the newborns during sunset, accompanied by the caption: 'It wasn’t easy. But boy (and girl!) was it worth it. Happy Easter! Posting from pure Heaven.'
The announcement of Swank’s current pregnancy follows the release of an ultrasound image in February 2024, captioned: 'Baby A flexing for the camera at their ultrasound. #TheRealMillionDollarBaby #Prizefighter.' Swank has previously discussed her journey to motherhood later in life, telling CBS Sunday Morning in 2022 that her age allowed her to fully embrace both her career and parenting. 'I think for me being a parent who is on the older side, the beauty in it for me has been that I had the opportunity to dive deep into this dream of being an actor and now I can dive deep into this dream of being a mom because I’m not pulled in any other direction,' she said.
Medical Context and Considerations
Dr. Kameelah Phillips, an OB-GYN, noted that pregnancies at Swank’s age are extremely rare and come with significant medical considerations. Phillips explained that while most women in their early 50s are entering menopause, in vitro fertilization (IVF) can enable the uterus to carry a pregnancy. She added that Swank is likely being monitored by a high-risk medical team due to increased risks such as gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and a higher likelihood of a C-section delivery.
Swank’s announcement has drawn widespread support from her social media followers and celebrities, including Sharon Stone, who wrote: 'God bless honey This is the most extraordinary journey ever ❣️ so happy for you all,' and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, who simply commented: 'Congrats!!!!'