Questions on Pregnancy after 40.

[umtalal]

Just sought the advice from the OB Gyn. wanted to know if anyone here had their second or even first after 40 years old. I have many questions if you don't mind me talking your ears off, then please respond.

[fortyfeetunder]

1. 40 yrs 7 months old

when I popped out the kid. Actually a very pleasant pregnancy but the kid was a couple weeks late, I got induced with Pitocin...wouldn't wish that on an enemy.

The pregnancy went fine. I exercised up to 2 days before my first induction attempt. I felt really good. The only problem I had was some borderline hypertension, which I controlled by diet and drinking lots of water, and exercising. But then I was getting stressed out because my MIL was tryin to control my pregnancy and childbirth and the spouse wouldn't tell her to STFU.

Only wanted one so I didn't try for more

[umtalal]

2. thanks, fortyfeetunder. Now, I get your nick.

I want another. I hope I will be able to. My first I had at 40 years as I am a late mother. Never had it in me to be a mother. But I figured the years will catch me by and I might regret it. Now, I regret not having a kid earlier. However, I would not have been in a good mental place to have a kid.

[fortyfeetunder]

3. I have absolutely no regrets having baby at 40

My nick actually is related to scuba...something I used to do frequently before I got pregnant. But you did pick up on something else ;-)

When I was pg, I had been in a stable marriage, my career was established enough so taking a longer leave was not a big deal (I was out about 5 months), and I had accomplished most of my lifetime goals. And I had traveled a bit.

I would not have been a happy camper had I been a mom before 30. Thanks to my numerous childhood friends having babies in teens and early 20's was more than enough incentive for me not to look for an unplanned pregnancy. I was supportive of them but I knew I could not live like that.

[umtalal]

5. I share the same reasons as you do. I also did scuba before preg. LOL

[Chalco]

4. I had my one and only at 44--ask me anything!!

[umtalal]

6. Did you have IVF?

[Chalco]

7. Yes, I did IVF

[umtalal]

8. How was your experience with it? Did you wait to have it or just did it?

[Chalco]

10. I don't understand the question.

I couldn't get pregnant the normal way and so the doc suggested IVF. Two trials at the first clinic were not successful. I went to a different clinic. Successful on first trial.

[umtalal]

11. The OB almost immediatly told me about IVF w/out saying anything else.

I wanted to do it without IVF and thought if your OB told you to do it before you attempted to be pregnant the normal way.

[Chalco]

13. At age 40 you don't have time. You have to go immediately to

IVF. Don't question that. You don't have time. Your eggs are old. Don't waste time. This is very important. He is not scamming you. You don't have time.

[fortyfeetunder]

15. IVF at age 40? Ain't necessarily so

IVF, IIRC is considered a last resort because of the expense and the associated stress in its success rate.

The fertility clinic I worked with looked at every possible alternative before pursuing IVF. Ended up with an experimental HSG to unblock a tube and voila! I got pg within 2 months. Had I not conceived, I wasn't interested in undergoing the stress of IVF and would have quit trying.

A few months later a friend in her early 40's went to the same clinic, and she was given a fertility drug, and voila she got pregnant too.

[Chalco]

16. Whatever..I went through all of the above and then several trials

of clomid and then more of whatever and then finally got to IVF at one clinic then went to another because first clinic gave up on me saying I was 40 and the likelihood of getting pregnant through any means including IVF was nearly impossible. So I said baloney and went to another clinic.

Odds of getting pregnant go down exponentially with each year.

There is worse stress than IVF.

[MrsMatt]

19. Agree - I'm 42, and 12 weeks pregnant

with my second.

Due to the expense, IVF was never an option for us.

I had an HSG last summer, and after consulting my doctor, had a laparoscopy in November in preparation for a three month treatment with clomid in conjunction with IUI, and then a three month regemin with injectable fertility drugs and IUI. After that, we would have stopped all fertility treatments and looked at adoption.

As it happens, I got pregnant right before the laparoscopy so I didn't have to use the fertility drugs (and so the procedure turned out to be completely unnecessary). This after four years of trying naturally.

[latebloomer]

9. Had my first child 6 weeks shy of my 40th birthday

and my second at 42. Very easy conceptions-- in fact, the first was an accident!!-- we wanted a baby but were gonna wait another 6 months since we had just gotten married-- but the condom fell off!

Uneventful pregnancies-- did have to have a C-section the first time but then had a drug-free VBAC.

[umtalal]

12. I had a C-section also. I think I want to have another one. I hope I can

do it without resorting to IVF. I think I will not go through IVF or anything else if the pregancy does not come normal. I can't take the stress nor my family should endure it.

[Chalco]

14. Sorry, just read this note. At 40, is you want to get pregnant you have

to go all the way. If you only want to do it the normal way that's ok. IVF is somewhat stressful, but so is the normal way if it's on demand.

[LibertyLover]

17. Pregnancy after 40

My mother was 44 when I was conceived and 45 when I was born. I am 51 now (and a recent mom thanks to adoption). She did it without drugs, IVF or anything else and had a healthy pregnancy, continuing to commute into New York City from New Jersey for work until shortly before I was born. Although I do know that fertility goes down dramatically after 40 and with each year, you can have a successful pregnancy after 40.

[MediumBrownDog]

18. Had my first at 40 ....

he is now 4 mos old and I believe that the best thing I ever did was wait. I am a different person now, more centered, more patient, less wigged out. My child is mellow, happy, and not 'brittle' like some babies I see. I go with the flow with him. I couldn't have done that in my 20's or 30's.

[Ilsa]

20. First at age 38, second at age 41.

The second pregnancy went better, but I was more tired. I had two C-sections, but breastfeeding went very well each time.

Ask anything you want, if time hasn't expired.

[blondeatlast]

21. I had my first and only at 37 and was a very high-risk.

My perinatolgy practice called me the triple threat; insulin dependent, Rh negative, and over 35.

My wonderful son is going to be 8 healthy, happy years next month!

[OnionPatch]

22. I had my first and only at 41

and I didn't have a problem that a younger woman might not have.

I did have trouble getting pregnant, though. They did tests and told me my eggs were too old. The hormone called FHS, was way up, (like 55!) indicating that I was going into menopause. They told me donor eggs were my only real chance, that I had about 1% chance naturally. We were just getting used to the idea of being childless and two months later I was pregnant! My doctor uses me as the miracle, give-hope story because she's never known a woman to get pregnant with my FSH levels. But I guess I was still able to spit out at least one more good egg and luckily there was a sperm there to find it!