worried about being pregnant at 48

[saraper]

hi, I am 48 years old and wound-up pregnant by accident.  I thought I was going through menopause and had unprotected sex.  My life was good until now. Any advice for me?

[simjan]

hello all i need a bit of help if possible, iam 47 and i have four boys to my x husband, we have been separated for 12 years now, and since then i meet my partner which we have been together for 9 years and very happy, we are thinking of having a baby he is only 29 years old, i am very healthy.
if anyone has any comments please write to me as i do need to talk to someone. the ages of my boys are 23,20,18,16
thanks
waiting to hear from anyone
regards jane  (simjan) this is my email address ***@****

[anxiousmomtobe?]

First of all, I am glad to no longer be the oldest preggo on here.....

Secondly, I can tell you are in shock.  Give yourself sometime to adjust to the idea, but while you are doing that, make sure you begin prenatal care.  Your risk of complication is very high due to your age.  Make sure your specialist is an expert on gravid maternal age.

My mother in law had a healthy baby at 45, her mother had a healthy baby at 47.

[RunningL8]

In April I got pregnant at 45 and 1/2, and was initially told the odds of a successful pregnancy at that age were 30%.  Once we saw a heart beat at 6 weeks, the odds of miscarrying dropped considerably (but sadly, we just lost the baby at 9 and 1/2 weeks).  If you want your baby to have a chance, you should insist on progesterone supplementation (crucial in the early stages, difficult for older women to produce in sufficient amounts) and weekly monitoring of your progesterone levels for the first trimester.  You will also need a Maternal Fetal Health Specialist that specializes in high-risk pregnancies, to protect your own health as well as the baby's.  Sorry to not be as positive as the other posters, but every year over 40 makes a big difference in terms of pregnancy risk factors.  God bless!

[myproblem]

You sound like you're not too happy about it. (Sorry if I've misread you.) My mom accidentally got pg and and my baby brother at 44. There were 4 of us already, and the youngest was 10. She did not want another baby, and did not want to stay with our dad anymore. They had been divorced for 7 years, and stupidly got back togehter just long enough for her to get pg. Anyhow, my brother was born healthy, and is now 16. She is 60 and can't handle him. They've always had a rough relationship, and I think she subconciously resents him. He lives with me now. If you want this baby, you can do it. Lots of women do it. If you are past the phase of your life of wanting a baby, consider adoption. It's not only for teen moms. Either way, do what is best for both of you, and good luck.

[AnnieBrooke]

A later-in-reproductive-life pregnancy is a great excuse to do all the things you should do anyway to take care of yourself, like eat a healthier diet, exercise wisely, quit smoking, stop drinking, get centered (meditate or whatever), get your finances in order, do some estate planning, etc. etc.   My pregnancy was a breeze as far as my body was concerned.  I had a "vanished twin" but that was nothing they attributed to age, and only at the end were there any hassles, mostly because the doctors were being very cautious (more cautious than I needed them to be, and it was annoying, with multiple monitorings and non-stress tests).  I hope your chromosomal testing turns out to show everything is fine.  Good luck!

[maryhe]

Wow, not sure if you want congratulations or not.  But if you're healthy, you should be ok.  

You do have a high chance of miscarrying and a greater chance of chromosomal abnormalities than women under 40, so be very cautious.  I've had 2 m/c already and just turned 40.

But saying all that, you may be just fine and have a perfectly uncomplicated pregnancy.  I wish the best for you.  Just keep up with appts during the 1st trimester, that way you can spot any problems early on.