# Advanced maternal age?



## mymary (Apr 15, 2007)

How much do you guys think being older has a bearing on how you can handle a pregnancy?

You hear all the statistics and such, but is it true? Can u have a healthy baby after age 35, or what exactly is the rate of miscarriage after age 35? Why is 35 the cut off?


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## rnra (Dec 15, 2011)

Yes, it is very possible to have a healthy baby after age 35. Here are some resources with information...

http://www.acog.org/~/media/For%20Patients/faq060.pdf?dmc=1&ts=20120722T1837563951

http://www.marchofdimes.com/pregnancy/trying_after35.html


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## mymary (Apr 15, 2007)

Thanks for some more statistics, but I'm looking more for personal stories of experience in having miscarriages as you get older....

Anyone have any personal opinions on this? Since I had three normal pg in my early thirties and then a miscarriage after just turning 37.

Wondering if anyone else has had more miscarriage as they get older?

Wondering how you decide to have another baby or call it quits for good. Like to hear other stories.


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## jgallagher66 (Jun 7, 2011)

I have had three out of my five children after the age of 35. I had my oldest dwughter at 26. Then I had a miscarriage at 8 weeks when I was 28. My oldest son was born when I was 29. Then I took a long break and thought I had completed my family. At 37 I had a planned pregnancy that went great and I had another healthy son. I had another early miscarriage when I was 39. Then at 40 I had another healthy baby girl. She was born 8 weeks early but did well after a couple of weeks in the nicu. Then came our big surprise. I found out I was pregnant with number 5 when I was 45. I had a rough pregnancy with premature labor and a shortened cervix and spent 5 weeks in the antepartum unit of the hospital on total bedrest. He stayed put though until 36 weeks and was born healthy 6 lbs. 4 oz. with no nicu necessary. He's 6 months old and doing great.

Since I have had 2 miscarriages and one was at 28 years old and one at 39 I can't say that the statistics of increased chance of miscarriage held true in my personal situation. The one thing I did experience after sge 40 was premature labor starting around 24 weeks gestation. Is this because of my advanced maternal age? Possibly. It could be from that or something else. Would I do it all again? Absolutely. I sm so grateful to have 5 healthy children and they are my biggest joy.

Of course everyone's experiences are different. I don't think there is a magic cutoff age where it bevomes too dangerous for women to become pregnant and I'm positive that age is not 35 which is relatively young. As everyone knows statistically risks start to rise around that age but some women are high risk at 25 and others remain relatively low risk in their 40's.


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## MGBoutique (Jun 29, 2005)

I had a baby when I was 28, no problems getting or staying pregnant. I had another with no problems when I was 36. I started trying to get pregnant again when I was 38, and that is when everything changed. I didn't get pregnant at all for 2 1/2 years, then had 3 miscarriages. I started seeing a reproductive endocrinologist and finally was able to get and stay pregnant with my third child, born when I was 42.

During my years of trying for baby 3, I met many women on support boards in similar situations. While 35 is not an automatic cutoff for all women, statistically it is when a woman's eggs have reached the point where viability is reduced. Honestly, we all had lots of miscarriages, and also "chemical pregnancies". Some of us couldn't handle the miscarriages and stopped trying, others kept at it. I think it's a very personal decision to make, whether you can handle losses while you try for a sticky bean. I started taking the attitude that I was going to ovulate every month anyhow, and if I didn't get pregnant that little eggie was going to die anyhow. If I did get pregnant, at least that egg had a shot at becoming a baby, and if it didn't, at least we'd tried, kwim? It was still hard, but I look at my son and I know that without the other losses, I wouldn't have HIM, and that has helped me to heal from my losses quite a bit.

Only you can decide what is right for your family. You can most definitely have many more healthy babies. You might, perhaps even probably, have some losses along the way, especially once you pass 40. But AMA mamas give birth every day to healthy babies, and you can too. The chances of certain problems (Down Syndrome etc....) is higher, but the chances of no problems is still higher than those. 

Good luck with whatever you decide. I know the losses can be very tough, but that pain wasworth it in the end for me. Everyone is different, though.


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## Shiloh (Apr 15, 2005)

I had four children under 35, one at 19, 28, 31, 35.

I had a BO at 38.

Looking back I think I have had more than a few chemical pregnancies.

I went through a time where I was always spotting on the week 3 mark for a day or two, and getting my period week 4.

I have known a friend who had a mc at 38, and 4 healthy pregnancies after well into her 40's.

The problem with statistics is they are not helpful, they may tell you what's likely to happen but.

I was also dx with Factor2/Prothrobin which we clot easier as we age, and I am heavier.

I am now on blood thinners and have my specialist appointment tomorrow.

Statistically most pregnancies don't end in a baby - either end as chemical pregnancies or early mc (or intentional terminations)

I think we are also keeping more records since women are choosing later so they are more studies on them because of assisted reproduction. I think if you don't have children its easier to keep trying through repeated mc but when you have happy healthy ones already I am sure other people would question it. But if you want another commit to it and go for it, there never are guarentees!

My mc sucked and blowed, but it has made me appreciate the gifts I have and if I am ever blessed again I will treasure the opportunity to be pregnant even if it is only a few weeks. I am not sure I could go through repeated losses though.


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## mymary (Apr 15, 2007)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *MGBoutique*
> 
> I started taking the attitude that I was going to ovulate every month anyhow, and if I didn't get pregnant that little eggie was going to die anyhow. If I did get pregnant, at least that egg had a shot at becoming a baby, and if it didn't, at least we'd tried, kwim?


This is such a great point..... I heard someone say a long time ago, that every month u have ur period is a miscarriage of sorts because that egg dies as it is not fertilized. Maybe we go thru mini miscarriages every month and that is why periods can be so painful emotionally and physically....haha.

It's just the mental part of starting to accept you really are pregnant and then it's over, so u feel like your chance has been taken away and that is the hurt, the what could have been, right?


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