Is 38 and 42 too old to have a healthy pregnancy?

[SisterAct123]

I'm second guessing myself and thinking he's too old and so am I. Would be a first for me and he's got three grown up children.
I'm nervous.

Nope. You must not have been on MN with long... tons of first time mums in their 40s around here!!

No. Why?

Are you the 38 year old? I was 37 when I had my second child and it was fine so I really don’t think 38 would be too old. If you’re the 42 year old I still don’t think it rules you out - lots of people have perfectly healthy pregnancies in their 40s.

In my experience, no. I had DD1 at 37 and DD2 at 42, almost 43.

However, I had two miscarriages in between.

Our kids are 15 and 10 now. We're both in our 50s but are active and healthy.

My OH is about to turn 52 and we're ttc just now...it will be my first at 32 but he already has 2 DCs. I say each to their own, if you otherwise are in a good position to raise a child and it's something you want to do then go for it.

No, go for it x

Not to minimise - the risk of problems does go up the older you both are, but plenty of women in their late 30s and 40s have healthy successful pregnancies. In my social circle that's the normal time to start having babies to be honest! Best of luck with it OP.

Are you 38 or 42?

No. I had a very easy healthy pregnancy at 41. My first and only. I wasn't the oldest in my mum group (no one help to fall pregnant apart from a friend who was 35) everyone is different though so you could have a healthy pregnancy or not at 25 and the same at 35 or 38 or 42... Do you want children? I'd you do great if you don't great. What your other half think. He been through this before

Hope not we’re sakes ages as you and OH and currently 11 weeks also have a 18 month old
if you want to do it go for it

*same ages not sake! 🤦🏻‍♀️

I've 2 beautiful healthy children, had them at 39 and 42 (DH a year older) so no, definitely not too old

It’s an individual situation. If you mean morally then I would say no. Those ages are fine. If you mean physically and chromosomally then my body said 42 was too old. I managed one pregnancy at that age which resulted in a TFMR and then after that had one chemical and no pregnancies thereafter.

I should have said …. morally then I would say no - it’s not a problem!!

You must have led a very sheltered life if you don’t know, or know of, people who have had healthy babies at those sort of ages!

I know it’s a meaningless thing to compare but my pregnancy at 40 was far healthier, easier and came with fewer complications than my pregnancy at 22.

My Ds was born when I was 38, no-one batted an eyelid. You get extra scans being older but that's not such a bad thing. Go for it if you want to.

I had my youngest at 38, dad was 45. It's fine but I can understand it being a bit daunting if it is your first. If it's what you want then go for it.

My friend had a healthy baby at 38 (her first) I worked with a lady who had healthy babies (her 3rd and 4th baby) at 40 and 46. Her partner is of similar age.

No I don't think you are too old at either of those ages. I would just make sure that you are both as keen as each other to ttc and not him just trying to please you. It isn't easy going back to the baby stage when you have grown up children. I'd also set up clear expectations of what raising a baby will look like. If he has grown up children then he was presumably a very young dad, was he hands on or not and are you likely to want it to be different?

I'm 39 and pregnant with my first, so I bloody well hope not! And not to get ahead of myself, but I hope I'll have another one at some stage.

Plenty of women have healthy and straightforward pregnancies in their late 30s/early 40s. If you want it, go for it.

Answering your question directly OP: NO!!!

My great gran had 6 children AFTER 38

I've an aunt who had her 7th at 50!

Go for it OP, and best of luck.

THIS