Chances of a healthy baby at 40?

[babyat40]

I'm 39 this year. I have 2 children but wouldn't rule out a 3rd as I still have that nagging feeling that I'm not quite "done" yet.

My question is... what are my chances of conceiving a healthy baby at 39/40? Anyone got experience of this, or older? Any positive or negatives equally welcome!

Thank you.

Had 1st 36, 2nd just before 42nd birthday. Both fine. Both conceived 2nd month of trying. Husband nearly 2 years older .

My grandmother had her last (of 12) at 41. Her husband 1 year 2 months younger than her.
My aunt had 3 - at 39, 40, 42. Husband 10 years younger than her.
My mother had 2 at 37 and 40. Husband 5 1/2 years younger than her.

All fine. Did the fact that the last 3 husbands were younger make a difference? Maybe.

I had my first baby at 40, conceived within about 3 months, straightforward pregnancy and labour, healthy baby. Just before I turned 42 I had a miscarriage and decided not to try again.

Despite being ticked and categorised as an elderly mother on paperwork, the midwife only referred me to an obstetrician due to a history of back procedures and a concern that an epidural might not work. The midwives when I was in labour said they see 40yo women quite a lot and they “Preferred it to yet another teenager.”

It varies so much by individual fertility, you’re not really going to get meaningful information from a mn post. But I’m going to give you mine anyway 😁

In SE London, at 34 I was the youngest mother in my NCT group. Most of the others were close to 40 (we were all having our first). Most of us have gone on to have more and as far as I know, I’m the only one currently seeking an SEN diagnosis for my 6-year-old.

My parents were both 47 when my perfectly healthy youngest sister was born, but it did take them 5 years and more than one miscarriage to get there. Physically I guess it was harder, but in every other way I think it was SO much easier for them having her in their 40s than in their broke, stressed 20s (in terms of life outcomes for children, 20s is actually the worst age to have them - children of teenagers do better! Albeit probably because teenage parents get more support).

1st at 34, 2nd at 41. Healthy baby, better pregnancy than the first apart from bad nausea in the first trimester which I didn't have first time round. Birth wasn't as good as the first because I was induced due to age and some other factors, but she arrived safely in the end.
Now a 17 month old who is running rings around us :)

No there isn't. There is no cliff edge as previously thought.

I had a beautiful boy at 42. No problems at all.

I had a healthy baby at 40, although it was a difficult pregnancy. DS is now a healthy 19yr old who will be going to uni later this year.
A lot of DS’s friend have older mums who were 35-40 when they were born. In fact all DS’s cousins are of a similar age, I think my SIL was the youngest mum at 30, the rest of us were 35-40. All of them are healthy, although one cousin has ADHD and another has some mental health problems. It’s unlikely this has anything to do with the age of their DM ( both 35 when DC born).

This. After 2 miscarriages I was told at 39 (after tests) that I had a 2% chance of a successful pregnancy. I did manage to. But I was very worried about the increased chance of birth defects, so paid for private tests

I wouldn’t risk it at 40. Statistically the chances of a disabled child are higher. What impact would that have on your existing children? Age of father also impacts on chances of autism.

With two children already, I wouldn’t risk it at 40. Statistically the chances of a disabled child are higher. What impact would that have on your existing children? Age of father also impacts on chances of autism.

Had babies at 33, 35, 39 and 42. 42 was a happy surprise. All kids are grand. I'm tired.

Father is one year older than me, he turns 40 this year, I'm 39 this year.

@RheaRend oh is there not? I always thought fertility drops off rapidly after 35, am I wrong?

From friends I’d say 50-50. I’m the parent to two children - one is autistic, who I had in my late 20s. Relatively speaking he is easy peasy compared parenting with some children with needs but the challenges of his autism plus the extreme battle of getting the right school support etc has still been life changing and I’ve almost broken from it. I personally wouldn’t have another child in my late 30s/early 40s. It wouldnt be fair to my current two or the new child if they had additional needs too. However that is my particular genetic situation and might not be yours.
I should add I love my two equally and immeasurably but I just know I couldn’t parent another child with additional needs on top of my two.

It's merely anecdata but I know several women in the early 40s who had easy pregnancies and healthy babies. My friend had her first at 46!
Fertility statistics are based on broad trends, so don't feel hopeless.

I'll bet you are😆

I had my two at 41 and 45. Both straightforward pregnancies and births. Two healthy babies.

Totally this, you've asked what your chances are. Statistics will be available at a population level but wont be able to tell you what your chance is

What are you hoping to find out?

I conceived my third at 39 (accidentally) which resulted in a nasty missed miscarriage at 10 weeks, but by then we had got used to the idea of a third and I fell pregnant again pretty much immediately after minimal trying. Perfectly straightforward pregnancy, c section due to breech but perfectly healthy. I also unfortunately fell pregnant last month (at 43) and while deciding what to do I miscarried at 5 weeks. Being very careful now!!! I have PCOS.

I can give you my personal experience of the concept. We're about the same age and I just couldn't face another child. I feel like I'd never physically recover at this age, not like I did in my twenties.

Not to mention that I am far too tired and set in my ways for having a baby now.

I wasn't keen on having another anyway, but when I hit 40 something psychologically in me just said no, it's completely beyond me now.

That said, my sister isn't much younger than me and she just had a great big boy. So I think I could get pregnant if I put my mind to it. When I have been pregnant before, it's happened within weeks so I'm unscientifically thinking I could manage to get pregnant if I really went hell for leather at it at 40.

Healthy first baby, conceived naturally 38, born when I was 39. Two cycles.

Healthy second baby, conceived naturally and born when I was 42. This one took 11 months of trying including a mc at 8 weeks after cycle 4.

I know lots of women who had healthy pregnancies leading to healthy babies at 48-40+.

In contrast I had a healthy pregnancy at 30, then a TFMR for spina bifida (despite taking folic acid) at 33 and another at 34 (with higher dose folic acid). And a chemical pregnancy and MMC in between. DC is being assessed for autism.

I'm almost 38 and DH 45 and we won't try again.

Someone I know had healthy babies at 45 and 47

None of our experiences really matter that much. Am sure you know the stats. I was very lucky to have healthy kids: first one at 41 and second at 43. My mum had one at 46 and her last at 48. Both healthy. But this is pure luck if one goes by the stats

Oh wow!

I had my last baby at 42 and he is very healthy!

But I did have two mc aged 40 before my healthy son. Mc risk I am sorry to say is much higher after 40.

I was treated as high risk so lots of extra scans after week 25 which was great