Pregnant at 41 with bleeding and high blood pressure

[gemmaj66]

Hello all,

Found out in June that I was pregnant with number 4. My other 3 are 21, 19 and 18 and we weren't trying so it was a hell of a shock! We were just getting used to the idea when at 7 weeks I started to bleed heavily. Saw my GP and we decided to opt for natural management of the mc and I bled for 3 weeks. I was still feeling really sick though and 4 weeks post mc I did a test which was a strong positive! After a couple of weeks to-ing and fro-ing to my GP it's just been confirmed that I'm 13 weeks pregnant. smile I have had a couple of smaller bleeds since the big one but baby seems to be sitting tight. Can't quite believe it! GP spoiled it a bit by telling me I'm 'very high risk' due to my advanced age (!) and my high blood pressure (which I've had since my teens and is well controlled) so we're now worried sick!!! lol

Would love to chat about it all as we haven't told a soul yet but I'd be especially glad to hear from other older mums - did you have a negative reaction from your GP?

[duchesse]

FWIW I had number 4 at 41 and although my pregnancy was treated as high risk, it was anything but. However statistically the risks do rise as you get older. I hope the bleeding turns out to be nothing.

Here's to a healthy continuation of your pregnancy.

[gemmaj66]

Thanks Duchesse Glad number 4 was a happy pregnancy.

My age was the least of my worries until GP put the frighteners on me! Really don't know what to think about the bleeding. My first pregnancy (a 100 years ago!) turned out to be twins but we lost one in the first trimester. I'm wondering if the same thing could have happened again. GP was non-committal and just said - 'it happens.' Hoping the first scan will shed some light and I've got my first hospital appt next Friday.

When you say your pregnancy was treated as high risk - does this mean lots of extra appointments/scans? Things seem to have changed a lot since I had number 3 in 1995!

[Foxeym]

Hi I'm 42 and due DC3 in 9 weeks after a long gap between this and the first 2. I've been classed as high risk due to my age?? So I have to be consultant led care instead of midwife and I've had more appointments and had to have the GTT last week but overall I can honestly say I feel no different in this pregnancy than I did in my last 13 years ago. Good luck and enjoy, age is just a number :o)

[EagleRay]

Congratulations Gemma - there is a lovely thread here which is wonderfully supportive and has been running for quite a long time now (I'm a grad and pop back to say hello from time to time).

You will find lots of advice and wisdom on there - and as for GP reaction, I think this can vary a lot. My GP didn't bat an eyelid, and nor did the MWs but as I was 41 I then came under the hospital's induction policy for over 40's.

Wishing you a very happy and event-free pregnancy!

[Lagoonablue]

Congrats!

I was 47 when I had DC2' had DD at 43. You are a spring chicken in comparison.

Nobody said much about my age tbh. Was offered amnio but thats it.

Had extra scans but not for age related issues. Both my pregnancies and births were v straightforward.

Good luck!

[Xenadog]

I'm 40 and this is baby number 1 (and only!) and I had heavy bleeding at 7 weeks but now it's 21+4 and everything is fine. I wish you well with this pregnancy. x

[gillybeandramaqueen]

Hi Gemma.... I don't think it's right for your GP to have put the frighteners on you like that... hardly what you need!!

I am expecting my first in 4 weeks and have just turned 40 in June... apart from horrendous nausea n projectile vom til week 15... my pregnancy has been relatively straightforward and I have had to deal with anti-depressant wirhdrawal and iron deficiency! BUT I am feeling good and positive about the birth and ready to take it however it presents itself...

Above all else... take it easy, listen to YOUR body and DON'T listen to anyone else particularly the scaremongerers!! Xxx

[Ginformation]

My pregnancies are considered high risk due to essential hypertension, and now I am over the magic age of 35 . Over 35 is known as elderly in obstetric terms... I am on aspirin (have been since BFP, will be until term) and labetolol for my BP. I have consultant led care with extra appts and extra scans from 28 weeks to check growth.

If you have essential hypertension (rather than pregnancy induced hypertension) you might find your BP drops in the 2nd trimester meaning a drop in medication dose, which is a bonus as the side effects of the tablets safe to take in pg aren't great.

Take good care of yourself and try to get as much relaxation as poss good luck with it all.

[gemmaj66]

Thanks so much everybody for your replies and reassurance. Now feeling quite tearful! It's just nice to hear from others who are or have been in the same boat. Xenadog - did they find out what caused your bleeding?

I actually feel pretty well in myself now as the sickness is subsiding. Think I'm probably fitter than I was 20 years ago! It was just my GP who made me feel a tad anxious.

I usually take Atenolol 25mg for blood pressure. I was supposed to be coming off this when I first found out I was pregnant, but as they thought I'd mc they left me on it. When my GP realised I was still taking it and I was still pregnant she actually buried her head in her hands - which scared me half to death! I did a bit of research and have found several people who've taken a low dose of atenolol throughout pregnancy with no probs, but like you Ginformation, I have now been switched to Labetolol, but BP seems a bit erratic at the moment!

I would love a home birth but just playing it by ear at the moment and taking each day as it comes.

Lots of warm wishes to all you guys in pregnancy and beyond!

[Ginformation]

Gemma, don't worry about the atenolol in early pg. Bog all you can do about it now anyway ! The main thing is you weren't on an ACE inhibitor eg ramipril which can cause probs for kidney development in 1st trimester. labetolol is also a beta blocker so same family as atenolol. I think the main risk of atenolol is of low birth weight and slow heart rate in the newborn, but this only applies if taken late in pg. labetolol can cause similar though, hence growth scans!

I am a gp and I wouldn't have put my head in my hands at that.

[gemmaj66]

A big thank you Ginformation! Your reply has gone a long way towards reassuring me and DH. Neither of us could quite believe the GP head in her hands thing.

Hope it's all going well at your end and you're not suffering too many side effects from the Labetolol. How long have you got left to go?

[Shellywelly1973]

Hi gemma.

Your G.P sounds like a bit of drama lama!!

Im 40 pregnant with baby no6 & an underactive thyroid...

Im 15&3 now & doing fine. Consultant care up to 14 weeks but now midwife led care.

Take care. Hope everything goes well for you.

[Ginformation]

Thanks gemma, I'm 17w now. Feeling ok, just completely knackered...

Make sure you get yourself some pregnacare or similar vitamins, vit D is partic important, not to mention folic acid.

[gemmaj66]

Thanks Shelly I'm 13+4 with first appointment on Friday so don't know who'll be looking after me yet but hopefully the hospital will be a bit more relaxed than the GP! But take care of yourself. Our DS2 was born with underactive thyroid so have read up on the subject a fair bit. Hope you have an uneventful and relaxing pregnancy. Sending you lots of good wishes.

Ginformation by the time I've showered and had breakfast I'm ready for a nap! So totally appreciate how knackered you're feeling. Can't remember if I felt this tired all the other times but hardly seem to get anything done these days. Luckily I work from home or I'd have had the sack by now! Hoping you feel better soon. Thanks for the vits advice.