Is it possible to have a successful pregnancy at 43?

I had my 5th at 41.5 and my 6th a month before I turned 45. They are both perfect. Exhausting but perfect ! The toddler is a joy and has kept me going through lockdown with his innocent enthusiasm for the smaller things in life!(Row, Row your boat, anyone?)
I had 3 miscarriages between them but just had to be realistic and believe that if I could still conceive I could still be lucky with a healthy pregnancy.
Good luck to you :)

I've just got a positive today and I'm 43, ive had 2 miscarriages in 2 years but no one can say if that's my age or just bad luck, if ta what you want go for it!

My mum was 39 when she had my younger sister and 42 when she had my baby brother - normal straightforward pregnancies, they're now 14 and 10 and perfectly healthy children.

@Toodoo - I work for the NHS and I've seen lots of ladies 40+ having babies. I'm 42 and I'm currently 3rd cycle TTC. I have one daughter who's in her early 20s 🙈. My periods are bang on 28 days every month and gynae issues or health problems that I'm aware of. Also have a younger husband so I'm hopeful. Best of luck to you.

Anecdata, obviously, but I know two people who had babies at 43 (one after fertility treatment, the other a natural/surprise conception). And didn't Cherie Blair have a baby at 45?

A friend had a baby at 42. It can happen. I'm sorry for your previous loss. X

Egg / hormone / sperm tests would give you more info.

I know it's a slim chance but it's a chance right? I'm going to keep trying.
Yes that's a good attitude - you'll know when it's time to stop trying, but until you hit menopause there is a chance no matter how slim. Good luck!

I had my 4th at 42! Was a complete surprise and the best thing ever!

And to clarify, I understood those stats to mean that two in five women who try to conceive during the year when they are 40, succeed in having a baby. (Not that 2/5 individual attempts at conception are successful, obviously - that would be a very, very fertile person, able to get pregnant within an average of 2.5 months!).

I'm guessing slightly that the outcome being discussed with that statistic is a baby, rather than a pregnancy.

My mum’s mum had her completely unexpectedly at 43, this was 1960 so quite different in terms of care. Yes it happens, though it may be harder. Miscarriage, whilst upsetting, is also very normal at any age and not necessarily an indication of fertility. If you still want another baby there’s no harm in trying

It's certainly true that stats can be a bit misleading, also because many people who are struggling to conceive in their late 30s and 40s, have already been struggling for a long time. People who TTC for the first time in their late 30s but who were always fertile, can often conceive quite quickly. Even they drop off fast in their 40s though.

I've read (no source, sorry) that only 2 in 5 attempts to become pregnant at the age of 40 succeed. By 42 that's much lower, and so on.

Sorry for your loss . Some people (but statistically, not many) do get lucky. Money would open up testing/intervention possibilities, and, if you'd contemplate it, egg donation lowers the miscarriage rate/risk of abnormalities that accompanies age-related decline in egg quality. Counselling can be helpful - it's partly about deciding what you're prepared to endure?

I had my second the week before I was 43. Had first at 37. But had two MC in between. Can be done, but the odds aren't so great. Also you get described as a geriatric mother!

Oh, and money, as the tests etc won’t be available on NHS.

My grandmother had twins (her 10th and 11th children) in her forties. My mum had me in her late 40's (her first dc was by then 21). My aunt who had never been pregnant suddenly found herself pregnant at 48. She was already six months pregnant and hadn't realised, thought she was going through menopause. Her very healthy son is now a super intelligent, high flying, sporty adult so was definitely not affected by his mother's lack of pregnancy care!

Stats aren’t good, but possible.

An important factor could be your thoughts/feelings about invasive fertility treatments like IVF, and miscarriage, since the risk of mc is high. Eg you and dh may be willing to keep ttc after 4/5 mcs (I was, was younger but had recurrent mc), or not.

Have you / DH had any fertility tests?

I had my first at 41, a loss at 42 and am now 38 weeks pregnant at 44.
It took us a year to conceive this time and I'd about given up. I did go and chat to the gp, who wasn't concerned about my age as I'd had a healthy baby recently. It seemed like as soon as I'd accepted that our DD would be any only child, I relaxed and fell pregnant!
So yes, it's entirely possible. Best of luck.

I know plenty of women who have had babies in their 40s. Good luck OP!

If age of partner matter then mine was 45 last baby. We did have a loss miscarriage at 10 weeks the year before, but as hard as it was it could of been any reason.

I sort of had a mental cut of 42, but if I had got to 42 and still felt I wanted another I would continue to try. I may indeed do this and try for number 3 probably won't once DC2 gets to one I'll of come to my senses

Best of luck, sometimes I thinks it's just bad timing not getting a bfp , try earlier in your cycle as you get older.

Yes, I had a straightforward pregnancy at 42, my first pregnancy & natural conception.

Stats may be slightly misleading at society level in that most women over 40 don't want to conceive, so take precautions against it.