Having a baby after you turn 35 years old? Does age really matter?

[Ayita]

I'm 36 and plan on starting in Nov 09 - I will be 37. My sister in law had two wonderful children that are now 4 and 6 at age 36 and 38. Risks increase, and fertility decrease, but there's no rush really. My FI's mother was 42 when FI was born and he's great (he's cooking right now haha)

[Soon To Be Mrs. Gomez]

I like this topic because I will also conceive next year @ age 37. I am trying to be healthy and taking my folic acid daily so my body is prepared, but I trust in my doctor that she will care for me well. I agree that many women these days are having children at an older age so I'm trying to think positive.

[tylersgirl]

My SIL had my niece when she was 36 years old. It was very hard for her to get pregnant and they ended up using Invitro Fertilization. It worked but she had lots of complications with her pregnancy, but now my niece is very happy and healthy. I also know people who had perfectly normal pregnancies at an "older" age. Good luck with everything!

[nylalany]

One thing to think about is how old do you want to be when your children are having children. For example, my friend's mom and dad had her when they were 39 and 47 respectively, which means they are now 73 and 81, and she just started getting serious with a guy she met in the spring, so she unlikely to have kids any time soon. On the positive side, she will hopefully take after her mom, fertility wise. On the negative side, her father isn't doing so well.

 

My cousin just had her first baby at age 42. She never married, but wanted a child, so she did invitro and had a healthy baby girl. Another cousin who married at 37 is now 39 may give up soon and adopt instead. You don't know about complications until you try I guess.

 

However, no sense in having a baby when you don't want it yet, right?

[stefnicole]

Quote:

Originally Posted by FoxyBride It's not just talk that having a baby over 35 carries more complications than it does for a younger woman. We produce eggs when we start menstruating and we have those same eggs until we go through menopause. The doctors just want you to be aware of the increased risks for complications as you age since, although society is waiting to have babies at a later age, our bodies are not. It is also harder for a woman to conceive at a later age. My mom had children at 23, 32, & 34 and miscarriages at 35 & 37. It's not a scare tactic. It's the doctor's job to make sure you are aware of the increased risks that waiting causes. Not to say that you won't have a healthy baby (I think there was a 60 year old who delivered recently) but you have to take all that into account. Another thing you can do is freeze your eggs now so that when you start trying, you are using the younger eggs.

Actually, our egg count is highest prior to birth, so we have the same eggs all of our lives, not just since menstruation. I'm a soon-to-be-pharmacist (graduate in May) and I just saw a lecture given by an ob-gyn about this. He described TTC after age 35 as "scraping the bottom of the egg barrel." Another thing that could happen later is that your hormones could get jacked up making it harder to get pregnant (perimenopause). The lecturer suggested getting salivary hormone levels tested if infertility occurs.

[blkladylaw]

We just married in Sept. and started trying in January. Jan was a no go but thusfar this month it looks like we scored. We tried on my high peak day right after ovulation per the ClearBlue easy monitor and thusfar per most of the home tests I have taken it looks like a go. I'm 37 husband is 33 (and smokes unfortunately) and all my friends my age or older can't anymore or have had various GYN issues/surgeries in their 20s and 30s that have made the odds highly impossible or high risk so I have been nervous. I am a lawyer and it is very typical for us to wait until later in life considering how long we go to school. Most of my female colleagues successfully have had multiple kids (some after fertility treatments but most without) btwn 37 and 42 with no issues. I haven't believe all the hype though. Live healthy, avoid chemicals/smoking/caffeine/cooking on old teflon/artificial sweetners/diet coke and anything else toxic in your environment (that goes for both the future mom and dad) and I think most women 35 to early 40s should be just fine.

[Hartyt509]

When we get married FI will be 37 and i'll be 37 3 months later and i've had to agree to wait a year before we even try!! It does worry me but i've spoken to my cousin who is a midwife and she reckons the pill i'm on stops me producing eggs so they will be backed up lmao any luck i'll hit straight away. I was going to try and convince him to start on the honeymoon but he'll be going to Afganistan straight after and we'll be paying off the wedding so it might not be the best idea.

 

I always joked and said if I couldn't get preg with FI by best mate is very fertile and gorgeous and v brainey lmao that went down like a lead balloon lmao

[nylalany]

It doesn't matter how healthy you are and if you don't smoke, etc., you still have increased risk for random genetic related problems with the fetus as you age.

[sdnative222]

I recently confirmed with my doctor that women that have become pregant and carried the live birth to term before the age of 30 are more likely to have a healthy pregnancy after the age of 35 because their bodies are familiar with the hormonal and physiological changes. After age 35, reproductive potential wanes rapidly, and by age 44, the chances of conceiving and bearing a child are slim.

 

I'm 37 years old and I've been married for 3 months and 2 weeks. A little part of me is worried that I'm not knocked up yet. However, 37 is pretty far from 44. I know that I'm eating more folic acid and taking my pre-natal vitamins. I exercise 3 days a week and I sleep great. The only stress I have is in my head. Wish me luck, ladies.

[samanthag]

Thanks ladies for all of your support!

Now one more question, what do you think about birth control?

I went off BC last year because I thought we would be trying to conceive this year but I think it was Hardy who said that being on BC is better than not?

I may have not read it correctly but regardless I was just wondering what

are your thoughts?

We are still taking other precautions but I'm wondering if maybe I ought to get back on the pill.

Honestly my periods have been hellish since I stopped taking BC!

However, if not being on the pill helps my body to be "baby ready" then I'll just deal with all the menstrual crap!

 

DiD I make any sense?