Pregnant and 40...what to expect

[ProbablyEvil]

I'm 40 and am expecting #5. This is my first with my DP and I have 4 DS aged 11-17 with my exH. However, I feel like a first time mum again!!

What might I expect as an elderly gravida? Will I be immediately put under consultant led care? What tests can I expect? Things seems to have changed a bit in the last 11 1/2 years!! Also, my youngest son has a rare medical condition which led to oligohydramnios and induction at 35 weeks, should I expect extra monitoring because of this?

I'm currently terrified! I'm scared that I'll wake up and discover this is a dream. I would really welcome any advice that anyone can offer.

[kazza446]

I had my 4th child 10 months ago at 42. I had consultant led care but had to have a section. Tbh I felt no different to when I had my first 3. I was a little more tired but that was it. He was a complete shock but now is the best thing that ever happened to me. I had the triple test for downs but nothing else. Good luck with pregnancy!

[TinyMonkey]

Congratulations!

You probably will be put under consultant led care initially, but if you have no other complications they may well discharge you back to mw led, as I was (although later on I was diagnosed with GD, so back to consultant led). I don't know whether your son's condition will have a bearing on that though.

Other than that my care hasn't been any different to anyone else's as far as I can tell. No extra tests due to being 40, just the standard combined screening (scan at around 12 weeks where they measure the nuchal fold, plus blood test which combined come back with a 1 in whatever chance of Down Syndrome). We opted to have a Harmony test privately as well (for extra reassurance, even though my combined test came back as 1:1700, so not high risk).

The age thing is a bit of a red herring, plenty of women in their forties get pregnant and give birth with no complications. I'd try not to get to hung up on it.