Baby at 38 - too old???

[Jujubiyo]

I am 37 yrs old and have two healthy boys age 6 & 4.  I have been wanting to have 1 more baby but hesitated because of financial and obligations concern.  I went to my doctor in July 2010 for the yearly check up and bring up the possibility on trying to become pregnant next year.  Wow....she immediately brought up all the concerns on "OLD AGE" pregnancy - higher risks on down syndrome, miscarriage....etc.  She even said that if in the case that the 3rd baby has some medical issues, that would change the dynamic between me and the boys!!! I was kinda discouraged as I didn't really thought that 38 was that old - well, before I walked in the doc's office anyway.  Has anyone have similar experiences?  How big of a risk really of having baby at this age?  Feel big difference during the pregnancy between a younger and older age?  Any suggestions would help!  Thanks!!

[Allip77]

I don't think it is considered a "high risk" pregnancy.  I asked my old OB/GYN when I was 39 and pregnant and my new OB/GYN now that I'm 42 and pregnant and BOTH doctors said it's not high risk.  It's what adgal says - you're advised to do more screening for chromosomal abnormalities but everything else is the same.  The only other thing that might be different is that they don't love you to go too much past your due date...I was 10 days past my due date when I had my dd but my doctor had said she wouldn't have wanted me to go more than 2 weeks past.  When I was a week or so overdue, she had me go in for stress tests to make sure the baby was fine still (but this could be the same as with younger women).

[April162010]

Hi,  having a kid "sometimes" is not about an age but what it really concerm me is your post when you say "  hesitated because of financial and obligations concern"...

You need to talk to your husband first and agreed and plan it. it your financial situation has change and you dont mind taking care of 2 youngers and a baby and then you have a chance.

I do understand the doctors when they ask you questions about your age and how they are concern when you are older than 35 because is called hi risk pregancy.


at first i felt insulted , I see all these hollywood artist like celine dion, madona,travoltas wife getting pregnant after 40 and i though.." oH they look like 20's  they look so young and having kids..I can do it too!

I have been trying since 39y/o and I did agreed with my DH to TTC until I was 42y/o ( no more than that!) and when i when to my doctor to get back on the anticonceptive pill...surprise!

Now  i just turned 42y/ and pregnant with my first child ( married for 6 years)
and all the meeting and appoinments and the genetic problems you can encounter really freak me out.

I didnt know anything about this, its my first pregnancy so can i know? i always though kids with genetic problems or down syndrome comes to the world because it runs in the family( ?)   I was very wrong!

I try to post some of my concerns about it and many people are younger so i went to other forums where mothers are different age and have kids with problems and started reading, many of them had good testing and hi numbers and they got a child with problems.
I think the amnio test is accurate in some genetic problems but not for others.

I advice/reccomend to all 35y/o + to get all the blood test and a genetic consulting meeting to understand a little bit better what is so called" hi risk pregnancy" before getting pregnant.

Good luck to everybody!

[Jujubiyo]

Great info!!!  Good luck on your upcoming baby #2 and hope I will have a definitely answer within the next couple months and have good news too!!  Really...!!?? that's how they called us:  "advanced maternal age" ??? What an ungracious name that is...... Lord, I never thought this day would come.....well,  at least none of my kid's friend thinks that I'm their grandmother!!!!!  LOL

Come on, 40s is the new 30s, right?  

[adgal]

There isn't actually a whole lot of extra testing for those of us of "advanced maternal age" (don't you hate that title?  I do..lol).  At the end of first trimester, they will do a test involving both bloodwork and ultrasound (here it's called first trimester screen, but I have heard it referred to as other names as well).  In the ultrasound they are measuring the nucheal fold at the back of the neck. The bloodwork is looking for a ratio between certain hormones.  They will compile that info and give you your "odds' for having a baby with either trisonomy 13, 18 or 21.  In my case I came back with odds of 1:13 that my baby would have Downs Sydndrome.  The important thing to remember about this test is that it is not diagnostic, it is simply to help you determine whether further testing is recommended.  In my case I opted for Amnio, which is 99% accurate in detecting chromosonal abnormalities.

Some women choose to forgo this and have CVS, which is also very accurate in detecting a chromosonal abnormality, but is done earlier (I believe around 12 or 13 weeks.  Amnio is done around 16 weeks).  Both CVS and Amnio to have a slight risk of miscarriage associated, so it's important to do your homework and know if you are comfortable with that risk.  

In my case the Amnio results showed my son did not have DS and was typical.

Other then that, I can't think of any tests that are different.  You have your glucose test for gestational diabetes, anatomy scan at 20 weeks, but I think those are the same no matter what age you are.

It's really not that much higher of a risk.  Don't let negativity frighten you...if you want another baby, go for it, and good luck!!!

[Jujubiyo]

@ Everybody!!!  Thanks for the support!  I would love to thank you all individually but cannot quite get to every single one, but THANK YOU!!!  and glad to hear an overwhelming POSITIVE note on this topic.   I have not thought on changing my doctor before I got on this forum, I had my previous two with this office, had good experiences with them but never feel very personal with any of the doctors.  It's a group practice and I always end up seeing the Practitioner anyway.  I am definitely going to "shop" around and get the feel of different doctors.  

Picking you guys brains again - what kind of prenatal testing are recommended for ages over 35, and what is really necessary??

@Allip77 - Good luck on your second one!  

@Kathy421 - thanks for all the statistics, always great to have numbers to support the theory and to throw it into my doc's face....

@Nola0805 - thanks for the comments too!  

@mama2fivekids - good luck!!

[Super_sally888]

Hi,

your doctor is ageist.  Find another. :)

I had my first baby at 38.  I had lots of medical issues.  But she is perfect.  My doctors were never anything but encouraging.

I am trying for my second at 40.  My doctors are concerned about my other medical issues, but have never brought up the age as an issue (except as a reason why we're having trouble getting pregnant).... but they are totally supportive and have never even hinted I shouldn't be trying! :)

I have a friend who is 45 and trying for her 4th now.  Age is only a number and as long as you're ovulating you have prospects to have a healthy child.