Risks of having a baby at an older age

[JoJourno]

Hi everyone,

I'm really interested in women having babies later and how it's a growing trend in current times.

I'd really like to create a conversation about the kinds of tests carried out when you reach an age older than 35 (? correct me if I'm wrong!) and what the risks involved are? Before researching this topic I didn't really know much about this. My mother had me at nearly 40 and tells me some of the tests she had to undertake, but explains how these risks were not widely known about before this, and she had to deal with them when they happened kind of thing.

Just wondering if this is still the case now? Seems much time has been given to educating teenagers about sex and the demands of a child, but where is the transition from this into adulthood? Where is the information given to young adults of the risks involved in leaving childbearing to a later age.

All thoughts welcome, and would be greatly appreciated, I want to know the opinions of real women not some generalised statistics .
Thanks!

 

[babyem]

I'm not familiar with the risks sorry..

The only thing I do know is that twins are more common in older mums

 

[BevG]

they dont do more tests really, just tell u there is more risk with age

 

[BumbleTumble]

apparently the risk for downs syndrome goes up the older you get.

 

[TeeUK]

I'm 39 the only thing they were more concerned with was downs...I've only been put on high risk because of weight and health problems but nothing to do with age

 

[Lettie]

My sister is older and due in may and due to her age and other factors her triple test (bloods nuchal ultrasound etc) gave her a higher risk so she had an amniocentisis. As did my mum who had me at 41. But all fine but the risk rises significantly with age x

 

[JJ Mum]

I was 37 when I was pregnant with my son and 38 when I had him, I have the nuchal screening , with the bloods at same time, and my risk which would have included a weighty 37 came back as 1 in 9 risk of a chromozone problem, (it's not just downs , also pascal and Edwards syndromes), so I think it made a difference. I had a cvs and all was fine in the end.

My first midwife when I had my other kids , I was 24 at the time when I started and I remember her showing me a chart of the risks, mine at 24 was nothing, and as an example she showed me her at 35, and the jump was huge. It just sticks in my mind , as two years after that, I found out that she had had a baby of her own and the baby had downs, you think what are the chances of that..

I think it is much harder on the body tho to have kids much later, I am really active still, but have notticed the difference, and my recovery for C-section was slower and more painful this time, (I have had 4 sections tho, so could take it's toll in the end!!)

 

[babyem]

I think as long as you are physically healthy, it should reduce the risks that are associated with age

 

[Katkin72]

Hi, I will be 40 this year and we are going to start trying for a baby next month. I am very apprehensive about being an older mum as I've heard the risks are a lot higher, particularly I know there is a higher chance of downs and Edwards syndrome. Fingers crossed we will be ok.

 

[VikkiR]

I'm 41 and baby is happy and bouncing about inside me for all she's worth. I've had 5 scans so far and a cvs, baby has fared better than me. I've had prolonged really bad sickness, I'm anaemic, have pg induced carpal tunnel, I'm now the size of a house and have felt like a geriatric since week 14 no more babies for me i think

 

[Katkin72]

I'm 41 and baby is happy and bouncing about inside me for all she's worth. I've had 5 scans so far and a cvs, baby has fared better than me. I've had prolonged really bad sickness, I'm anaemic, have pg induced carpal tunnel, I'm now the size of a house and have felt like a geriatric since week 14 no more babies for me i think

Lol, oh bless you VikkiR - sorry you're having a tough time, but really happy your baby is happy and healthy Thanks for your post, it helps me stay positive hearing about other women of a similar age to me being successful conceiving. I hope the rest of your pregnancy goes smoothly K xx

 

[mishi]

I am 39 and aware that my risk of having a child with a chromosome disorder is higher. I will have the triple test - bloods and Nuchal Scan and if my risk is high (which is likely) I will opt to have CVS which will give us a definitive answer about any chromosome abnormality. There is a 1-2% risk of mc with this procedure (depending on the experience of your Dr and where it's done) and we are worried about that.

My previous pregnancy was 20 years ago and I don't remember it being this hard or being this ill! However I'm very lucky to be where I am and just hoping all is well with baby and I'll happily put up with the hard bits!

 

[Cazza]

Another older first time mum here - I'm 41.

Yes there are increases for Downs, Edwards etc but my monitoring has been more for high BMI and the fact I have Lupus SLE too which increases the chance of MC.

Like VikkiR I've found pregnancy to be quite hard on my body and I very much doubt I would go through it again!!

 

[bute69]

I was 42 in December, so looks like the oldest Mum to be here!! It's my first too! I refused the Downs syndrome test, as what will be, will be. Would never have terminated, so makes no difference! I'm tired, but not coping too bad at the mo!! Baby been wriggling about most of the day today!!

 

[Butterflykisses]

I'm 40 and pregnant with 1st baby. No one has mentioned age to me at all. I am being sent to consultant led clinic at next hospital appointment which isn't until I'm 30 weeks gone but that's only because of a lung condition that I have and to see if he thinks I will be high risk due to it.

I have 20 week scan on 7 February.

 

[suem68]

Hi
I am 43 and having my first ( and only!) baby. I have been told i am a high risk pregnancy, due to age, and will have scan at 20,28 and 34 weeks plus they wont let me go further than 40wks, they will induce if i haven't gone into labour naturally by then.
All seems a bit daunting and a little scary but they seem to be covering all bases!
I had a nuchal scan last week, though didnt really think through to much what i would do if the risk was high...came back today as 1 in 3100, which apparently is low risk but i dont knowmuc about the stats side of it. Mind you the consultant said that the risk based solely on my age was 1 in 40 but the nuchal measurement and blood test pushed it to the 1 in 3100, what have other peoples risk been?

sorry that turned into a rather long post!
Sue

 

[JJ Mum]

Hi
I am 43 and having my first ( and only!) baby. I have been told i am a high risk pregnancy, due to age, and will have scan at 20,28 and 34 weeks plus they wont let me go further than 40wks, they will induce if i haven't gone into labour naturally by then.
All seems a bit daunting and a little scary but they seem to be covering all bases!
I had a nuchal scan last week, though didnt really think through to much what i would do if the risk was high...came back today as 1 in 3100, which apparently is low risk but i dont knowmuc about the stats side of it. Mind you the consultant said that the risk based solely on my age was 1 in 40 but the nuchal measurement and blood test pushed it to the 1 in 3100, what have other peoples risk been?

sorry that turned into a rather long post!
Sue

Oh well done Sue, that's a great low risk! I got 1 in 9 at 37 (all was fine after cvs)

 

[Nic36]

I'm 37 and expecting our first baby. I am not classed as high risk due to age and have just had standard tests and scans at 12 and 20 weeks. X

 

[michaelsmum]

I'm 38 and having my second. I had my first when I was 30 and I remember then I was very low risk (I can't remember the numbers). I have my booking in appt next week where I'm thinking the MW will tell me about the different tests for us "mature ladies" lol

 

[Sarah13]

I'm 36 and had no extra testing but I suffered terribly with morning sickness and lost a lot of weight plus I had my baby at 36+0 weeks which they think was due to my placenta not being great which they said is more common after 35, nothing was picked up at scans about the placenta though. I was really surprised as my first was 10 days late but I was 21 when I had her so much younger although I'm still very fit and healthy and went to the gym right up until the day I gave birth.