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Pregnancy and you
With Mayo Clinic certified nurse-midwife Mary Murry, R.N., C.N.M.
How old is too old to have a baby?
When I had my first child I was 32 years old and considered an "elderly primip." I felt I was in the prime of life, certainly not elderly.
About 14 percent of births in the United States are to women 35 and older. Now they are considered advanced maternal age. What does that mean exactly?
I thought I would tackle the issues of advanced maternal age in two parts. Today I will talk about conception and early pregnancy. I will cover more of the possible issues of late pregnancy in women over 35 if you are interested. My goal is not to make light of the potential issues but rather put them in perspective.
Women over 35 may take longer to be able to conceive. This is related to those eggs we have had since birth. We don't make new eggs as men make new sperm. Our eggs are with us almost from conception. They don't always age well. They can lose quality and there can be fewer of them. This is one reason to seek help from your health care provider if you have been unable to achieve pregnancy after trying for 6 months.
There is an increase in spontaneous miscarriage with an approximate risk of 25 percent in women age 35-39 and 51 percent in women 40-44. If you look at this another way, women 35-39 have a 75 percent chance of not having a miscarriage.
The concern many women over 35 hear about most often is Down Syndrome or other chromosomal abnormalities. At 35 a woman's risk of any clinically significant chromosome abnormalities is about 1 in 200. Her risk of a baby with Down Syndrome is about 1 in 365. In other words, the odds of having an absolutely normal baby would be about 99.34 percent.
I haven't answered the question of how old is too old because I don't think there is one answer. There are so many positive things about having children when we are older and yet the increased risks are real. Learn as much as possible and if and when you get pregnant, rejoice!
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Great comments!
I had my daughter at 38 yrs and was very happy to do so! I'm so happy to be a mother. At 41 I had a miscarriage. I was scared to try again, but later on I regretted not trying again.
thank you all for some possitive word's of Hope!!
I am 47 almost 48 and have felt very embarrased about having a child at my age.(sitting at obgyn with pregant young girls)
I've had 5 doctor's say i have 0 to 1% of getting pregant at my age even tho every test has said my chances are better than they thought.. i left one doctor's office in tear's after him laughing at me because of my age.....I had a tubal reversal even tho all told me about the negetive thing's in having a baby that can happen even death...
i belive that God is the one who forms us in our womb and every child is his gift to us....after long prayer's and no possitive word's from anyone, we decided to put my tubes back the way God had them and let him do the work from there!!
as i read everyone's posting's i began to cry as i finally heard that it's not as uncomon as all the doctor's said it was and im not alone!!
I Just want to thank every one that has spoke out to us older women and gave possitive encouragement to our dream of having children.
i know of lot's of people who have raised there grandchildren in there old age and many people who care for foster children and adopt...so i really could'nt understand why i was being persecuted for wanting to have my own child at 47??
God Bless...what is impossible with man..is possible with God!!
I had my daughter at 39, and my son when I was 41. Both pregnancies took a bit of a toll on my body (don’t they all?), but I didn’t enter into them in the best possible shape. Now, seven months after the birth of my son, I have lost all of the baby weight plus another 20 pounds – while nursing!! I’m still a little sleep deprived, but I feel better than I have in years. Despite my fears regarding the potential challenge of becoming and staying pregnant at my advanced age, I conceived both of my children within two months of trying. I feel so very fortunate. I had no idea how much joy, love, laughter, and just plain fun my children would bring. Had I known, I might have tried sooner. But had I done so, then the different egg/sperm combo would have brought different kids, and I wouldn’t have known my little loves. They were most definitely worth waiting for!
On another note, my mom was 27 when she had my sisters, and 38 when she had me. She was my best friend for the 30 years we had each other. I would never have traded my “old” mom for a “newer” one. For there never was a person with a younger, more loving heart.
I just turned 44 and have an 8 year old and a 3 year old. I feel I am a more relaxed, patient, and happy person in my 40's than I was in my 20's. Being an older mom has fantastic advantages and I wouldn't change a thing. However, it's good to keep a sense of humor when you're changing diapers and having a hot flash at the same time!
I had my one and only child 3 months before I turned 40. His father was 62. Our child is almost 13, His father is 75 and I'm almost 53. Poor child has old parents, BUT he always has someone to come home to and parents who love him very much. We are both active in his life. His dad coached his football and basketball teams at age 74 and has taught him to play golf. We homeschooled for 6 years. He is the delight of our life. However, adolescense, senility and menopause make for an interesting combination. Not too many dull moments! It's the best thing that ever happened to me - didn't expect or plan it - but welcomed it as truly a "Gift from God". My background pre-child was politics and law - post-child I'm a childbirth educator and Board Certified Lactation Consultant. My life changed in so many ways - for the better.
Wow, finally some hope! I read this article thinking I was just going to have another person tell me to give up. When I was 17, I became pregnant. Due to many factors, I gave my daughter up for adoption. It wasn't something I really wanted to do even though I , myself, am adopted. I struggled every day with that decision and it has actually become harder. I thought someday I could have children of my own but it hasn't happened. The reality that I may have given up the only child I will ever have is suffocating to say the least. I am now 37 and have literally been going through a grieving process the last few years. Believe it or not, it was brought on by my birthdaughter finding me. Seeing what I missed out on and then watching her have a child of her own has been overwhelming. I have been trying desperately to accept the fact that I will never have children. Everything I have read until now tells me all the reasons I shouldn't have a baby at my age. It's not like I wanted to be an "older mom" but it would be better for me than facing a life without children. Thank you so much for posting a positive article. Thank you so much for all that posted. Finally, I have hope and inspiration!
As long as an infant is born healthy – with no genetic defects, any age is OK to have a child.
The comment posted by HB (a few line up) is totally outmoded in this day and age with so many ‘Baby Boomers’ hitting 60 years of age, and thousands of centenarians – even ‘super-centenarians’ (those over 106 years of age) alive in the U.S. These people are not all mentally incapacitated and bound to wheelchairs – many are physically very active, and some are still running businesses.
Theoretically, if a woman were physically fit to have a ‘medically assisted’ pregnancy at age 80, it is very very possible that she would have at least 20 more years to enjoy that new person.
We in the 21st Century need to re-shape our concept of what is ‘Too Old’ for a person to do.
I had 3 children within four years , the last when I was 26. In the next 13 years I had several miscarriages. I became pregnant at 39 (with the smae husband) but thought I would again miscarry. I didn't! Another surprise arrived 15 months later-a very healthy baby. I brought my last child home on my 45th birthday. Another very healthy baby. All 6 are thriving, healthy as am I at a ripe old age.
Please do your research and keep this in perspective! There are exceptions to most rules. My mother had my brother at 37 and gave birth to me at 45 and that was 47 years ago. Just think of the advances in medicine since then. I also have a friend who had a baby in her early 30s. The baby had genetic concerns and died a few years later. Even so, the mother had two children after 35 and they are healthy and rambunctious. Some women in their 20s are less healthy than some older women. Factor in diet, environment, stress--there are just too many variables to make a blanket statement. Do what works for you, the father and the baby.
I had both of my children when I was over the age of 40. I had my son at 40 and my daughter 15 months later at age 41. They are both perfect, wonderful kids that keep me young. I think that being an older Mom has many advantages. I think younger and feel younger! They are a true blessing.
Thank you so much for the information you have started in this blog. I would be interested to hear your comments on the use of Prometrium to boost the sometimes low progesterone levels in the older expectant mom.
Also, in the future, could you talk about how to avoid hypoglycemic-like episodes in early pregnancy in a non-diabetic. Our 37-year-old daughter is trying to control her weight, but gets terribly hungry during the day with a job that she cannot leave at will. Today, she had a terrible, almost fainting, episode.
I had a daughter with Down syndrome 8 years ago (I was 36) and she has been the greatest addition to our family. She spreads sunshine everywhere she goes. She reads, writes , signs (is more verbal now but signs along with speaking)tells time, can identify money and so much more. She has taught us so much more than we teach her.......truly a gift from God.... Many parents and family members will tell you of the joy a Down's child is. Our daughter has gotten more positive attention from complete strangers than all my other (5) children combined. Please don't let Down's be a negative factor.....we could all learn something from their positive nature!
Another thing to keep in mind is the experience a child will have with an older mother. My mom was in her late 40s when I was born, and it was extremely difficult growing up with someone who was so much older than the parents of my friends. She couldn't relate to me at all and we were never close, not even now that I'm an adult. Of course there are always generational differences between mother and child, but those differences are even more difficult to manage with an older mother.
I will be 39 in June and I am 5 (gestational)weeks with my first. I feel great although I am apprehensive about my age and complications that could arise because of it. Life was just not at the right place to have a baby at age 29 and most definately not at 19. Not only do you have to think about the pregnancy but the remaining 18 years that your child is in your direct care and your ability to provide your child with the proper skills to live life and begin his or her own family. Your responsibility doesn't stop with birth.
there was this old lady. it was on cnn. that an 80 or older lady had a child. i think thats just too far. i mean how are you going to raise and support the child when you are no longer living.
Wow,seems like lots of misinformation. I had a perfectly healthy pregnancy and birth of my baby girl at age 40. One of my friends just had a little boy last week at age 37 and another friend at age 41. My mother in law had my husbands sister at age 42. and that was 42 years ago.
Good Luck to everyone enjoy your pregnancies and babies1
Just a little encouragement; I gave birth to a healthy baby when I was 21, and another at 41 (natural conception after just a few months of trying). The pregnancy at 41 was definitely harder on my body. I had to go to bed for the last two months due to early contractions, but it was all worth it. I found that sleep deprivation from caring for an infant did not affect me as much this time around, and I am more patient with this child. I'm also more confident, as I know my older son turned out well! When I was pregnant with my youngest, I worried about Downs, etc. but refused amnio so as not to risk miscarriage. One day when I was 5 mos. along, I saw a little girl at the store with Downs who was about 6 or 7 years old, and she smiled like an angel when I spoke to her. She made me realize that I was prepared for whoever my child would be, and I stopped worrying so much. As it turns out, my youngest has an IQ of 153, is relatively healthy, and lots of fun to be around. My boys are 20 years apart, and love and enjoy each other very much. So I say if you do have a later pregnancy, relax and enjoy as much as you can.
I am 39 yrs old and I was told by a MD on 3/6/08 I was 6 wks pregnant. On3/20/08 I was told I was 6 wks pregnant by another MD.On 3/28/08 I was told by another MD I was 6 wks pregnant but the fetus did not have a heart beat. I should have been 9 weeks and 4 days pregnant as of 2/28/08. None of the MDs did there homework from the previous MD; or listen to the patient,when I explainte that the previous MD stated I was 6 wks. Now I'm carrieng a deceased fetuse. If things would have been taken care of like they should have been; the death of the fetuse would have saved me the aganoy of morning. AT this point,the MD's do not know what casused the death of the fetus. Down Syndrome and a miscarriages were my biggest concerns. I say all of that to say, age do play a big part of one's pregnacy.
I did not give you all any references for the statistics I quoted in this last blog. I would like to give you the titles of the studies. The perinatal effects of delayed childbearing, Obstetrics and gynecology(105)2005 and Advanced maternal age and adverse perinatal outcome. Obstetrics and gynecology (104)2004
I also wanted to thank Les for the contribution. According to UpToDate® spermatogenesis continues even in elderly men. Since the adult male's germ cells have passed through more mitotic replications than the adult female's germ cells, there is a greater opportunity for error.
I wanted to let anonymous know that I spoke with 2 perinatologist regarding your question and both felt that having successful pregnancies prior to a pregnancy over the age of 35 would have a positive effect. I am looking for research regarding this so I can speak with more confidence.
I had my first baby at age 39 after trying for almost 2 years. If you're trying to get pregnant, time goes by fast so never feel apprehensive about continuing your efforts to get pregnant. It may feel that time is not on your side - it doesn't diminish your desire to have a child. I have a wonderful 9 month old who is such a joy - good luck!
Thank you for sharing this information. I'm 37 and planning to try soon. I've read a lot of the statistics about chromosomal problems and I was really concerned. It puts my mind at ease to hear that it actually translates to a very low chance of a problem. It's tough as a woman- you don't always have control over when the things in your life fall into place. Thanks again!
You are wrong about sperm being new all the time. Sperm come from progenitor cells and collect mutations which cause miscarriages, autism, schizophrenia, etc. etc. The sperm go through divisions every 16 days, mistakes are made and genetic defects that are not in the father but in his sperm are passed to offspring. The older the father the higher the risk. Ovum are much less prone to mutation.
This blog contains some research paper on the subject of the male biological clock: http://themalebiologicalclock.blogspot.com/
I'm on my first and will deliver around my 32nd birthday. I am 25 weeks gestation and have never felt better in my LIFE! The reason this article caught my eye is because I would like to possibly have another, but don't see myself having a 2nd right away. Thanks for putting things in perspective!
I'm terrified at the idea of having a baby at 35+. I'm 25 now and currently pregnant and it's pretty hard on my body. I can only imagine what its like when your older. I had my first child at 21 (not so bad) and at 25 this pregnancy is taking a lot more out of me. After 32 I'm calling it quits.
I think about all the things that could go wrong and how my body would take it if I was in my mid to late 30's. I also want to be as young as possible for my kids. I don't want my 10 year (for example) to have a 50 year old mother. I want to do it while I'm young. A lot of women are waiting later to have babies and to each there own (god bless you). I think both sides have there ups and down, financially and emotinoally.
Does it make a difference if you've already had two healthy babies and you're trying for a third at age 36?
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