Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not know if I can get pregnant at 49?

495 replies

Holyguacamollie · 14/02/2023 13:57

I stopped using contraception a few months ago because quite frankly I'm sick of it and when I googled getting pregnant at 49.6 it said it was 0-1% chance.

It felt like v good odds.

However. I now 'feel' pregnant and I'm a bit panicked. Period due in a few days.

Surely I couldn't be could I?

OP posts:
Iusedtobedontcall · 14/02/2023 15:50

I got accidentally pregnant at 42 and had a MMC and then a few months later got pregnant again but sadly have to have a TMFR. Appreciate I’m earlier in my 40s, but it’s possible. In my experience that hasn’t resulted in a baby though.

MintJulia · 14/02/2023 15:53

A few years ago I looked it up (when I was 50) and at the time, the oldest new mum with unassisted conception, according to NHS records, conceived age 51 and bore healthy baby aged 52.

My pregnancy was at 45, and was most definitely mine since he is my only dc. 😀

Phrenologistsfinger · 14/02/2023 15:55

I’m 40 and will never bother with contraception again (my eggs are past it), it’s quite liberating!

CecilyP · 14/02/2023 15:56

If you look at the huge families like the radfords and that big American family, the ones who never use contraception and just let it happen if it happens, the final baby seems to come around age 44/45ish then no more.

Yes, I’d agree with that. Looking at my own family tree from the days before reliable contraception, 44/45 seems to have been the cut off.

adriftabroad · 14/02/2023 15:57

No way you are pregnant at 49.

Itsagrandoldteam · 14/02/2023 15:58

My mom had me when she was 49 and a half.

ExistenceOptional · 14/02/2023 15:59

CecilyP · 14/02/2023 15:37

Before IVF using donor eggs, around 50 women over 50 had babies each year in the U.K. While it is possible you could be one of them, it is also pretty unlikely!

Yes its carrying to term that is the hard part.

DiddyHeck · 14/02/2023 16:04

Wife2b · 14/02/2023 15:48

Test today OP, no point putting it off. Good luck!

If the thread dies I'm sure she will.

IncompleteSenten · 14/02/2023 16:05

If you are having periods then yes, it's possible to get pregnant although there are small increases in risks with age.

My mum in law was in her late 40s when she had her last child (she had 10 altogether over 20 odd years)

It sounds like a pregnancy is not what you want so the sooner you test the sooner you can consider your options if it does turn out to be positive.

Hopefully it's negative and you can get sorted with contraception.

CecilyP · 14/02/2023 16:08

adriftabroad · 14/02/2023 15:57

No way you are pregnant at 49.

Yes way , it’s possible! But definitely not probable!

IncompleteSenten · 14/02/2023 16:09

I was curious so I had a google and it seems pregnancy resulting in a live birth at 50 is about 1%.

Soakitup37 · 14/02/2023 16:09

Op you know what they say, if you have symptoms you have enough to get a positive test. Really no need to wait a few days to find out. Frer will tell you with almost 100% accuracy even this early.

Freddiefan · 14/02/2023 16:10

One of my friends had an unplanned baby when she was 50. One of her daughters had a baby round about the same time so she ended up looking after two babies when her daughter went back to work!

Hazelnup · 14/02/2023 16:10

Hope you’re ok OP.

I suspect the statistic you read was about the chances of a “successful pregnancy” ie the chance of a live healthy child. That is quite unlikely at 49 but the chances of getting pregnant will be much higher.

SpringCalling · 14/02/2023 16:11

i've just turned 53 but got a stern talking to by the gynae last week when said I wasn't using contraception.

Fifi00 · 14/02/2023 16:11

There's a chance of getting pregnant staying pregnant is different. I'm pretty sure the miscarriage rate is insanely high.

Ridingfree · 14/02/2023 16:12

Yup totally possible

Hazelnup · 14/02/2023 16:13

On the bright side you’re clearly super healthy to have conceived that fast at that age, so that’s nice 🤷‍♀️ I’ve been having unprotected sex for ten years and haven’t conceived in that time and it looks extremely unlikely that I will ever again. Not helpful I know but I genuinely mean is great your body is so healthy at 49.

adriftabroad · 14/02/2023 16:14

She is menopausal FFS

MadeOfSteel · 14/02/2023 16:15

I research my family tree as a hobby and many of my female ancestors were having babies well into their late 40s; one even had twins at 47!

Hope you get the right result for you, OP.

DoorstoManual · 14/02/2023 16:18

My Grandmother conceived my Godmother at 49.

Fifi00 · 14/02/2023 16:18

Hazelnup · 14/02/2023 16:13

On the bright side you’re clearly super healthy to have conceived that fast at that age, so that’s nice 🤷‍♀️ I’ve been having unprotected sex for ten years and haven’t conceived in that time and it looks extremely unlikely that I will ever again. Not helpful I know but I genuinely mean is great your body is so healthy at 49.

Not all women actively want to get pregnant and it would be upsetting for them. Why does everyone on MN assume a late age pregnancy would be wanted and a good thing? OP said herself she's a grandma. She probably wants the relief from not worrying about it anymore.

Fifi00 · 14/02/2023 16:19

Most of these miraculous late age babies mentioned in the olden days are actually their grandchildren who they are passing off as their own.

adriftabroad · 14/02/2023 16:20

Her period IS NOT EVEN LATE
She is 49
Any outcome will be sad.
Stop talking about great auntie Betsy in that oh so fertile time, of 1930.

GloomyDarkness · 14/02/2023 16:22

I would imagine that it would have created a lot of interest, medically in those days. No doubt her case notes were of significant interest.

I checked with DH she was 51 - from what FIL said it was considered extremely high risk and very lucky both twins and mother survived - so much so family GP was mentioning it in FIL hearing till their retirement and still mentioned in family now - plus there just wasn't any near relatives about right ages for pg and they are spitting image of siblings.

There are always some outliers in any population - and her family had babies late 40s fairly commonly - it's visible in the genealogy records that line traceable back longest, oddly enough, though it's possibly it a history of teen pg being covered up I suppose.

The reasons I know about it at all is it talked about so much which is an indication it's probably out the ordinary.

I do agree though the OP would be exceptionally unlucky if she is with her age its just not impossible.