How easy / hard did you find it to conceive age 35+?

I'm new to the site, I just turned 38 and went off the pill in May after 13 years, I had 3 children 20,17,13, no MC or any problem, it did take 7 mos. to concieve number 3 at the age of 25! I go for my 3rd day cycle FSH and LH/ doctor says it will tell quantity and quality of eggs? I have new partner of 3 years now and he has never had children, he wants one, I want another one SOOOOOOOOO bad, I don't drink much caffiene anymore, I take vitamins every day, I eat healthy, exercise, I took OV pred kit and ovulate early like day 10 so we try 2 days and 1 day before and the day of, not happening though. If I could buy stock in EPT we'd be really rich because I can never wait to test and BFN is soooooooooo depressing, ruins my mood for days This month is weird though, I had spotting on day of ovulation and then 11dpo I spotted on and off nothing to even wear pantyliner for a day and a half, no usual pms headaches and I have suffered with them for 25 years, I am in the 2WW and no pms symptoms except for spotting the other day, hope it's not just messed up hormones, anyone have any other advice? Herbs? Tea? Is drinking one tea in the morning too much caffiene?

I conceived my DS when I was 38 in the first month of half-heartedly trying (had sex twice!). Great pregancy, had him when I'd just turned 39. Am now 40 and have been trying seriously for a few months; just had my progesterone levels etc checked and the news is not very good. I would advise anyone not to wait, if by not having a child/ another child you feel your life wouldn't be how you want it. I might well have left it too late for a second child.

Hi Nicola

I gave birth to my daughter at the age of 45.

She was concieved naturally after three months of trying. I had been on the pill for over 25 years. All the best for the future.

wishing you all the best nicola63 and anyone else trying!

With dd I was 33 when I concieved. Took 7 months.

With ds I was 36 when I concieved. Took 2 months.

I am now 39 and got pg accidently at beginning of year. Unfortunately had mc.

You also have higher risks for Downs the older you get but everyone has some risk of this anyway.

Fertility is a totally individual thing though. You can be 25 and have rubbish eggs or be 40 and have top quality!

Nearly everyone I know and meet in baby classes is 35+ .

You can get your eggs counted I believe if you are worried.

Of course, another HUGE factor is the fertility of the Dad!

I conceived for the first time at 39. It was a complete accident as well.

We have decided to go ahead and I have been as healthy as an ox so far. Knocks on wood

Took us four months of trying (two months of really going at it ) this time around, I'm 35 and dh is 34, I'm due in January. This was exactly the same as when I had ds at 32... I'm hopeful I'll be able to have 3, but who knows if I'll want to...!

i WAS READING IN ONE OF THE PAPERS TODAY ABOUT A COUPLE'S FERTILITY PROBLEMS. tHE WOMAN HAS NOW WRITTEN A BOOK, "pINK FOR GIRL", iSLA mCsOMETHING. Sorry for caps.

Man I could write a book about what people dispprove of - single parent, overseas adoption, over 40, have a job...

The irony to me is almost invariably the people who feel the urge to share their opinion with me about my adoption are those who have not adopted!

Even my GP when doing my medical for my adoption and looked at me slightly pityingly and said "now how are you going to manage a child when you go back to work?"

"Same way as you do" - stupid cow - she has children herself! Actually I'll be working part time and my mother will be looking after junior for 2 days so still a damn sight better than leaving him in an institution!

Sorry hijacking your thread there FrannyandZooey

ds1 conceived age 33. It took 6 months
ds2 conceived age 34. It took 1 month
ds3 conceived age 36. It took 1 month

Do people disapprove? Silly sods. Good luck with it all, keep us posted in Sept

I conceived DTS when I was 38yo, took 3 weeks.

Good luck, even if the statistics aren't promising someone is getting pregnant - why shouldn't it be you?

And I think the issue of how difficult it is to get pg over 40 is an entirely different one to whether you should or why you didn't do it before. No need to justify yourself at all - we all do things for a variety of reasons, and not everyone will approve.

I know that many people will not approve that I am adopting from overseas, but its right for me and the only people I listen to are the ones who will be getting up to my screaming child at 2am (ie me!). Everyone else can pontificate all they like about the theory and I take not one blind bit of notice - except occassionally to fight my corner.

Again goof luck - if you ever want to talk to someone who's been through it - plase CAT me, I'm not all doom and gloom about getting PG over 40!

I comnceived within two months of starting to try for the first time in my life at age 41, but unfortunately miscarried. That left me with some scarring and possible tube blockage, but five months later, the month after I had an HSG test (dye forced thru the tubes) I conceived again. That too miscarried. I am now continuing to try. No medical cause has been found for the m/c's after extensive investigation.

My close friend had her first baby at 41 and is now pg again at 42 after trying for one month.

I am trying to keep my hopes up. I am not yet ready to accept that I will never have a baby. And yes, I am one of those "nasty career women", but my reason for starting so late was actually a first marriage in which I had no intention of ever having a baby (it would have been totally wrong in the circumstances). Remarried at 41 and suddenly realised that I could in fact be a mother, and really wanted to be (after long-term denigration by previous hb had got me believeing I would be a totally inadequate mother, and overt continual financial pressure from first hb anyway made the idea of taking time off from career impossible).

Naturally I regret leaving it so late. It's just one of a long long list of things I regret in my life.

I am keeping hoping for now.

JanH - yes it is hard to be philosophical sometimes but my last IVF attempt was over two years ago and I personally found the adoption process very cathartic as it makes you confont many issues head on.

Yes I'm in the proces of adopting - have been approved for a child 0-2 yrs from Kazakhstan, hoping to travel Sept/Oct this year.

I am now 36 and have been ttc for no 3 for one year.
It has come as a major shock as I conceived DS1 and DS2 immediately.
Beginning to think it's just never going to happen again, which is sad.

at 36 I conceived first month. At 39 it took 7 months then a miscarriage. Now its 5 more months with nothing. Giving up hope very soon.

I conceived ds1 at 35 the first month we tried and ds2 at 36 while I was bf ds1 (completely unplanned...)

I conceived ds1 at 35 the first month we tried and ds2 at 36 while I was bf ds1 (completely unplanned...)

Definitely best to be philosophical if poss, but pretty hard, especially in the face of well-meaning encouragement like that .

So sorry about your mum as well.

Are you adopting? (Or have you adopted?) [nosy]

i conceived after 2 months of trying at 41 and by surprise at 42. while bf!!!

you bring up many valid points, sue.

anthea turner had IVF many times and had no success.