Pregnancy over Age 40 - Bedford,TX

J.,
I had my first child at 40. A beautiful girl. My second at 42. A beautiful boy. They are now 18 and 20. Smart and fantastic. If you are in good shape go for it.
J.

Who can really know with the statstics, but my mother-in-law had two children in her forties, and I had two aunts that did. They were all healthy.

If you had yoru first daughter over 35, you should have been treated as a "high risk" pregnancy with all of the extra testing they do. They'll do the same this time around as well. I'm sure you will be fine. The doctor's monitor this very closely!

-L.

Hi J.,
I say go for it!! I have a cousin in law that had a third at the age of 45. Both mom and son were just healthy. I know of lots of women that wait until their late 30's and 40's to have children. Good Luck!!!

I'm 40 and 6 weeks pregnant, I'll be 41 when the baby is born. There are lots of success stories out there! A lady I work with had a surprise baby at 43 (surprise because she was on birth control when he was conceived). I am on an over 40 board on babycenter and there are quite a few of us. Several of the ladies have already had a successful over 40 pregnancy. We even have a lady who is in her 50's and 26 weeks pregnant (I wouldn't recommend it because it is h*** o* her, but the baby is in perfect shape!)

I say go for it!

Good luck!

Hi J.!

I had my last baby at 38. You are right about those stats being scary. I am happy to tell you though that I have a happy, healthy 2 year old DD as a result and the icing on the cake was that it was my easiest labor of all-go figure. I will however say that chasing her around isn't as easy as it was w/my younger 2 at 27. But hey, that's ok, I love every minute of it.

Good luck!
N.

One of my fathers co-workers had a baby when she was 40/41. She had a good pregnancy and her daughter is very bright. She's now in Jr. High. I was the girls nanny for a while when she was a baby. If you feel it's the right thing for your family, go for it! THere's no reason why it can't happen.

Hi, I am 45, and I have a beautiful, normal healthy almost 4 yr old and I will tell you that the only difference I could tell after 40 was the amount of negative input by others. I had an easier pregnancy, much easier delivery, due to my age I had an amnio, but only because the blood test showed slight abnormalities. It did not hurt, and I was not in pain after either. As a mature mom I feel like I am a more relaxed mom now too. I wish you the best, and hope you are able to make a decision based on want of life and not on negative feedback. I would do it again at 45 if my hubby would say yes! (we have one boy, one girl, he says why mess with a perfect pair?) Best wishes! I just read your feedback, I too married late to a younger man, and had my first at 36. You go girl!!

I was 40 when my son was born. If I didn't have to take heparin shots twice a day and have sonograms once a week, I would have loved to have had another. I refused to have an amnio with both children (daughter born in 1999 when I was 36). I knew no matter what I would never abort, so it was pointless for me. It took 12 years to carry a pregnancy and I had 5 miscarriages before my sweet angel(s) were born.

My advice is, before you decide to get pregnant, make sure your husband is completely supportive. Address any concerns he has and make your decision together. Then, don't let the stats take away the joy of your pregnancy. Don't dwell on them. Surround yourself with positive people and trust God completely.

Blessings to you and yours!
L.

J.,

I think that if you are healthy now and take care of yourself during your pregnancy you are going to be just fine. I just turned 40 a week ago today and am 11 weeks into my second pregnancy. I met with my doctor yesterday. He is one of those that errs on the side of caution and considers me a high risk pregnancy. I don't. My old gyno (who I consulted with during my first pregnancy 3 years ago) said he wouldn't consider me high risk according to my age alone until I was at least 47. I was 37 when I got pregnant with my first and loved being pregnant. My doc did say yesterday that one thing he recommends is a high-resolution sonogram and we are going to schedule that at 16-18 weeks. That can give some indicators if there is any concern about the baby. That is about all I am willing to do. I am prepared to be blessed with the baby that God has chosen for me and am not willing to do an amnio or CVS test to find out if there may be a problem. I had a friend that had some extensive testing done with her first pregnancy and was told that her child would have Down's Syndrome or spina bifida based on those tests. What the doctor didn't tell her was that the same results could mean club feet (which both of her daughters had) and she spent months as an emotional wreck for nothing. My child will be what my child will be and we will love it now matter what. If this is right for you and your family, then go for it. It is a personal decision and if you loved being pregnant as much as I do, then you will know if it is right for you and your body. Good luck and God bless!

L.

Hi J.,

I had my last (surprise) baby when I was 36, and was considered high risk. Since I hadn't exactly made the decision to have another child, I just went with it. I did what I was told, and prepared myself for things maybe not being 'perfect'. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes one week before moving from Alaska to New Mexico (at 6 months), which was hard. But, I managed, and I am no supermom! Downe's Syndrome runs in my family, so I knew the risk was higher, plus I had lost a daughter to SIDS, so I had things tio be scared of. I just felt like this baby ws meant to be, God wanted me to have him. I had the genetic screening - basically a high-reolution ultrasound, and some counselling. It only showed that the baby was a boy (which made my daughter cry - she couldn't bear the thought of another brother!). I did not have amnio.

Anyway, my son was born, 4 days late, big and healthy. I made it through a pregnancy that everyone referred to as a mistake, and I had never felt happier. I wouldn't change a thing, and even having the diabetes was a blessing, because I had to eat more healthily, and it has stuck!

If you feel prepared in yourself, then do it.

Good luck!

S.

i'll be the naysayer! don't do it! i have a cousin who it has turned out badly for. she had a chance to have babies in her 30s, choose not to, and now wants to have a second past the age of 40 (after having the first one with complications in late 30s). our bodies are not meant to have babies forever. respect that!

I'm 41 now and will be 42 when my 2nd baby will be born in November - healthy pregnancy so far - no problems. I was 38 when my first one was born - some high blood pressure but a very healthy baby - and smart as a whip. Be aware but don't be afraid of all the "advanced maternal age" risks everyone is shoving down your throat. If it is God's plan it will happen. The only thing is being older the energy is not really there - that's the only drawback for me. But I've heard who has energy anyway when they're pregnant. I say go for it!!

God has blessed a second child. That one of best blessings you can have no matter how old you are

I've had a GREAT pregnancy so far and due anyday...I turn 40 in November...Go for it!!!!

My aunt had her third baby when she was 48, uncle was 50. Their first two kids were already married. Everything turned our great for her. Of course she had to take it extra easy, but there were no complications and mom and baby were both healthy. Good luck to you!

My sister had her first child in February. She's 42. Perfectly healthy little boy - born a month early, but not a problem. If I could have more children, I would - I'm 45. My husband doesn't have any children of his own and that's something we would like to do, so we're considering adoption or surrogacy - but, if I could do it myself, I would. If you want a second child and your husband/partner is on board, then go for it! Remember, God is in control and He will choose the child you have - he or she will be the perfect child for you!

Good Luck & God Bless,
Frances

As long as you go in with your eyes open (it might not be easy, the risks are elevated, etc) . . . I say go for it.

I was a slow starter - marrying late and had my son at 44. I had no complications (hardly even any symptoms)and have a wonderful, healthy son.

I had my first child at 40 and she is absolutely perfect. I had one miscarriage at 39, but it was early and there were no problems. However, I was blessed with another pregnancy at 41. I had a CVS and found out it was a boy and there were no detectable problems. Tragically, at my 16 week check up I found out there was a problem with the placenta and lost the baby. This problem is more common in pregnancies with "advanced maternal age." I had started taking the "high risk" thing too lightly. I still took very good care of my self and never missed an OB or songram appointment. I was having monthly sonograms, but I really thought they were routine and that everything would be fine, so I didn't even take my husband to my routine appointments. You can certainly have a beautiful, healthy baby after 40, but keep in mind it is not a given. There is nothing I could have done to prevent the particular problem that I had, but it is still worth some extra diligence to take care of yourself.

As far as the comment earlier that you are not meant to have children over 40, the truth is that you are not meant to have children past menopause. 40 has nothing to do with it. If God gives us eggs and the ability, of course we were meant to have children over 40. Anyone that could see my beautiful daughter asleep right now on my husband's lap would know she was meant to be.

I am having my 5th baby at 37 ...due in Oct. There are some books out there for"older" mothers :o) Shiela Kitsinger worte 2...Birth over 35 and I cant remember thte title of the other. If you are healthy odds are you will have a healthy pregnancy. Are there concerns...sure, but make sure you go into each appointment armed with info that you need. Be sure to check out the pros and cons of all prenatal testing. I highly recommend Henci Goers book The Thinking Womans Guide to a Better Birth. I would also really search your heart for they type of caregiver that will be most supportive and less invasive with your care in order to ahve a happy preganncy and not a doom and gloom experience. Check our Birthcenters and homebirth midwives as well as OB's or at least do some serious interviewing before you hire an OB. Check out Childbirth Connection www.childbirthconnection.org for some great interview questions for caregivers.

Happy Pregnancy!!

K.
Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator
DONA Certified Birth Doula

I am 44 and will be 45 when I have my son next month.
Every pregnancy is different.
I have mean heartburn.