If you were 44 and found out you were pregnant?

[HillsHaveEyez]

Would you have it?

I’m not asking for advice for myself. Just interested in whether you personally would go ahead with a surprise pregnancy at such an advanced age.

Caused great amusement each week at our village post office when for 18 months I went in each week to collect old age pension AND child benefit!

Looking back at the family tree I actually think many would be grandmothers in their forties, but equally possibly have their youngest in their forties too. They just seemed to start as soon as married and continue having children until nature stopped it. A friends mother had two sets of two. So children aged 18, 16, 2, and 0, and first grandchild three months later!

Yes

I had my first at 38 and 2nd at 39, so that would leave a nice age gap, get the older ones into school and time for me and baby 🙂. So, yes I would.

Yes - had my DS at 21 and then Dd 2nd marriage at 35. I’m now 49 so Dd is nearly 14 but my brother who is 20 months younger than me has a 2 year old and 4 year old and I’d be happy if I had 2 that age now.

I wouldn't choose to try to conceive at that age but if I fell pregnant anyway would seriously consider going ahead. I had my first at 29, second at 30 and at 34 am expecting my third and last. My dh is 8 years older than me and would not be keen to have any at 52, if I was 44.

No, I had my last child before I was 35 and found that tiring enough. Has clips put on my tubes, great relief to know I wouldn't have another pregnancy. There's no doubt that pregnancies get more exhausting as you get older, and then you have the sleepless nights!

Risk of autism is now known to increase with parental age. No screening test can detect it.

Personally I would cry (a lot), then think actually, " it's pretty amazing!" and keep it.

I wouldn't because my eldest will be 22 by then

But if I'd have wanted kids and it hadn't worked out before then, I absolutely would

As someone who had a career but a bad marriage so didn’t get the opportunity to have children until I met the right person, I’m 46 and had my lockdown baby girl back in April. I wouldn’t change a thin!

I'm divorced at 34 with a 3 year old. No way would I want another one in 10 years. I would worry about my parents being in their late 70s then and possibly being unable to help and/or needing care themselves at that age.
I'm single and think even if I met someone tomorrow by the time it got serious I'd be too old for more in my eyes

@Beautiful3

Personally I would cry (a lot), then think actually, " it's pretty amazing!" and keep it.

Yep! That’s exactly how I felt. 🥲

I did. I had my first child at 37 and second at 39. It came as a total shock to find I was pregnant at 44. The only problem with the pregnancy was that I had gestational diabetes and had to inject insulin. As it turned out, she was a very easy baby and I think I was a lot more relaxed than I was with her siblings - she is now a happy and healthy 16 year old.

I would never abort for reasons of age or lifestyle etc so if I felt that strongly I'd make sure I didn't get pregnant but if I did I'd manage somehow. When my youngest was 3 and I was 42 we got a puppy and I was surprised how tired the night wakings made me, so I'd say mid forties with a newborn is probably quite shattering!

Yes why not :0)

Being older and having parents on both sides who weren’t massively young parents either, we aren’t expecting any hands on help from grandparents. That is a factor worth considering but not a decisive one for us. We don’t live near anyway. Siblings who had children younger have never relied on grandparents for more than the odd few hours a couple of times a year anyway, because they didn’t live near either.

Had mine at 39, 40 and 43. Would happily have a last one at 44 😀

Have never wanted children, so definitely not. If I wanted children maybe: my mum was in her forties when she had me, and I don’t seem to have suffered any effects.

*ill effects

Had I not had kids it would be a definite yes. I really don't know what I'd do now. I would feel massively guilty not going through with it. I got pregnant with my two at 34 and 36. I had complications with both during pregnancy and difficult births. I actually ended up back in hospital when I had my youngest with near sepsis. It would really scare me to go through it again especially as I would be older so risks higher. My two are 5 and nearly 3 and they can be hard work. I always thought I might have 3, but the reality is it's not a good idea.

Yes I would. I'm 46 now and have the mirena coil and 4 kids at home so it would be an immaculate conception tbh but I'd struggle with looking at my other kids and wondering what the other one would have been like had I made the decision to not go through with the pregnancy. That said, if I was advised I'd be putting myself at risk by continuing, I'd have to really think hard as I wouldn't want to leave my kids without Mummy

‘Such an advanced age’??!!! I know 44 is on the older side in terms of fertility but I think that is a very rude and hurtful way of phrasing what you meant to say. Not everyone’s lives are sunshine and rainbows and being in a position to conceive doesn’t happen until a lot later for some people.

Personally, I had my daughter at 35 after a few years of fertility struggles and a miscarriage at 39. Now 40. So whilst another baby at 44 wouldn’t be ideal from an age point of view, I would be overjoyed if it happened.

I'd bloody love to! I have a two year old and a six month old and I am 43. It's not as tiring as a lot of people make out!
My husband wants to stop at two though, so I doubt it'll happen.

I was and baby due when 45. GP advised an abortion due to precancerous cells and having treatment along with age. So no from me.