Positive and Negative Opinions please!!

[nin 1]

Oo, interesting post.

Oh noes, I'm half Norwegian...better freeze some eggs. (Though my mom had my brother on her 35th birthday and he seems ok... sort of. )

My mom had her last 2 at 42 and 44.3 respectively, and I have actually never heard that we scandinavians would have a harder time conveiving after age 30. We know that fertility goes down with age, like everywhere else in the world, but nothing like "you need to get pregnant before 30 or you'll have a hard time conceiving". I'd be interested in knowing where I can read more about this.

I do know that the average age for a woman to have her FIRST child in Sweden is around 29 years of age! The maternity & paternity leave system also encourage having kids spaced pretty closely together (within 3 years to get to keep the parental leave pay at the same level) and the average woman has 2.something kids.

[malego77 2]

My sister got pregnant at 42 years old, so I guess there is more time to get pregnant if you're healthy, you reduce the risk of have a kid on older age.

[Completely 3]

My mother is 44 when I was born. sounds fair enough??

[Welshcookie 17]

So Elaine.....since this thread has been resurrected...did you come to a decision?

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Am I too old at 44 to be considering becoming a mother.

All positive and negative thoughts and opinions greatly appreciated

Some famous late mothers (not necessarily first-time, restricted to 2 centuries history):

• Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861) had her only child in 1849, three years after marrying (younger) Robert in 1846.
• Sally Kellerman (born 1937) had twins in 1990
• Jane Seymour had twins in 1995 (aged 44--hello)
• Mariska Hargitay had her first child in 2006 at age 42
• Ursula Andress' (born 1936) son Dmitri was born in 1980 (again, 44)

[broma25 2]

So Elaine.....since this thread has been resurrected...did you come to a decision?

We decided to buy a house and then let nature take its course....

If it happens it happens if not then oh well....

[Dr. Obvious 49]

Good luck!

[jego ryu 0]

** Most women over age 35 have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. However older mothers have some risks. The risks of late pregnancies include conception difficulties due to falling fertility; a higher risk of deformation of the foetus and genetic diseases and difficulties during labour, especially for overweight or unfit women. All these risks can be diagnosed early and managed effectively.

The advances in medical care now help women in their late 30s and 40s to have safer pregnancies than in the past. However, women should be aware of the risks associated with later childbearing so that they can make informed decisions about their pregnancies.

* Women generally have some decrease in fertility starting in their early 30s. It is not unusual for a woman in her mid-30s or older to take longer time to conceive than a younger woman.

Age-related declines in fertility may be due, in part, to less frequent ovulation or to problems such as endometriosis. If conception has not taken place after six months of trying, a woman over age 35 should consult her gynecologist.

*At any age, a woman should consult her gynecologist before trying to conceive. A preconception visit helps ensure that she is in the best possible physical condition before conception. This visit is a good time to discuss any concerns a woman and her partner may have about the pregnancy. A preconception visit is especially important if a woman has a chronic health problem, such as diabetes or high blood pressure. These conditions are much more common in women in their late 30s and 40s than in younger women and can endanger the pregnant woman and her developing baby.

*Studies suggest that women over 35 are twice as likely as women in their 20s to develop high blood pressure and diabetes for the first time during pregnancy. Similarly women at the age of 40 and older were almost three times as likely to develop diabetes, and almost twice as likely to develop high blood pressure as women in their 20s during pregnancy. This makes it especially important that older mothers get early and regular prenatal care. With early diagnosis and proper treatment, these disorders usually do not pose a major risk to mother or baby.

* The mothers over 35 are more likely than women in their 20s to have difficulties in labor if it is their first pregnancy. Studies suggest that fetal distress and a prolonged second stage of labor are more common in older mothers. This may account, in part, for the increased rate of cesarean sections among women over 35.

* The risk of bearing a child with certain chromosomal disorders increases as a woman ages. The most common of these disorders is Down syndrome, a combination of mental retardation and physical abnormalities. It is recommended that women with singleton pregnancies who will be 35 or older at the time of delivery should be offered prenatal testing (with amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling) to diagnose or, more likely, rule out Down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities. About 95 percent of women who undergo prenatal testing receive the reassuring news that their baby does not have one of these disorders.

Once you are aware of possible risks of late pregnancies you will be able to take more precautions during pregnancy and delivery. Pregnant women who are 35 or older face some special risks, but many of these risks can be managed effectively with good prenatal care. It is important to keep in mind that the increased risk, even for the oldest women, is modest.

[Imua 0]

Interesting. I just turned 41 and have never been pregnant, just got married last year. We had many discussions and I told Govi that at my age, by the time he gets here and gets settled in a job, we get our own apartment, etc. that it is unlikely I will be able to get pregnant. To be honest I had never had any strong urges to be a mom before, travel and education came first, but getting married, especially to someone from such a family-centered culture, has made me consider it more. I am sad that I did not meet Govi until now but if it is meant to be, it is meant to be. If we are unable to have a baby when we are financially ready we have talked about adopting a Nepali child.

Edited May 21, 2008 by Pattu Rani