To not take any conception now I’m 40

[68days]

I’m 40 in late July and have been talking about with dh not using condoms or any other form of conception anymore

Another one here in the same club! Best thing that ever happened to me. And actually I was 43 when I had him so he’ll only be in sixth form when I’m SIXTY.

I’m 46 and still on the pill as hubs and I definitely don’t want kids! You do realise women can fall pregnant into their 50’s???? If you’re still having periods you can get pregnant! 🤦🏻‍♀️

My father[s exgirlfriend had twins aged 42. Also, I worked as a physio in obstetrics/gynae - we had two women who had babies at 53 and 52 and another had her first after 27 years of mariage so....😊 your body, your choice.

Well I had a baby when I was 40. I’m 52 now and the doctor said I have to stay on the pill until i’m 55

You are seriously misinformed. As a child of a parent who had me unwanted at 43 plus a sister aged 7, I would suggest you do your research on the impact on any other children you have. When my Mother died my 42 year old sister told me in no uncertain terms how much she had hated me all my life.

Because abortion shouldn’t be used as a form of contraception…

I mean, you do you, but I'm 51 and still using contraception.

You'd be mad to do it, unless you're actively planning a pregnancy.

Are you trying to conceive?
I got pregnant at 43 after trying for 2 months.

I stopped taking the pill aged 41. We used an app to track my fertile periods and used condoms when I was. My son was born when I was 42
Edited to add we were avoiding the fertile times!! We were not trying to conceive

Absolutely not am 46 and I still have to take contraception and still get periods

My 4th baby was born 2 months before my 43rd birthday. He's the most delightful boy

It actually is.

Just because you had YOUR last baby at 41, the average age is still 33-34. And just because your twin cousins had their first at 43 and 44, the average for a first time mum is still 30. It may be a bit more common now to have a baby in your 40s, but women who do are still the exception rather than the rule.

Same message to @Meadowfinch You can come out with all the anecdata you like, but it doesn't change the factual national statistics.

Second (very welcome) baby at 39 many years ago.

Good idea if you are happy with another pregnancy. No guarantee either way, but still good chance of pregnancy.

It never ceases to amaze me how many women on Mumsnet have multiple babies in their 40s, because I can count on the fingers of one hand the amount of women I know who have had a baby in their 40s in the past 30 years. And I move in several social circles and mix with various social classes.

Professional and non professional people, people educated to university/masters level, people educated to GSCE level, teachers, solicitors, CEOs, nurses, doctors, consultants, vicars, reverends, surgeons, psychiatrists, radiologists, dentists, checkout operators, nannies, secretaries, admin workers ... people from all walks of life, and having babies in their 40s is something I rarely see. As I said, I could count all the women I know on the fingers of one hand who have had babies in their 40s... Yet on here there are hundreds! And all of these hundreds know hundreds more!!!

Parallel Universe of Mumsnet strikes again!

But why are you going on about average ages. That has very little to do with fertility, given that we have such a thing as contraception. There is choice involved in when women have children.

The posters talking anecdotally about older mothers are in fact more relevant to the subject of the thread, which is about a woman stopping contraception at 40. So posters are talking about how fertile she may or may not be. Of what relevance are average ages of childbirth to that question?

And?

People are talking about it on this thread as, as far as I can tell, a sort of warning to the OP, who seems to have suggested it’s safe to come off contraception (not entirely clear because she seems to have gone, but that appears to be the best guess at what she meant).

What’s the relevance of all the women who don’t have babies in their 40s? They might all be on really good contraception. Which doesn’t shed any light whatsoever on the question of fertility in one’s 40s.

Exactly. It's common.

My doctor when I asked said they recommend using contraceptives until the age of 55.

I'm sure you mean CONTRACEPTION - CONCEPTION has only ever happened once about about 2026 yrs ago..!😂

My friend had her second set of twins at 47! Her first set were 17.

Well any sibling could say that. Having you at 43 made no difference. Sounds like she is a spoilt brat.

Well I am 41 in August, currently and unexpectedly 8 weeks pregnant, my other 2 children are almost 22 and 21, so yes unless you actually want a baby, don't give up contraception.

My mum also had my little sister at 43, 22 year age gap between us.

Congratulations

I have 3 friends who had children at or over 40 who didn't mean to- what do you think?