Broody at 43--am I bonkers?

[Arabica]

I had DS when I was 39 (no problems conceiving--got pregnant second month we tried). Until recently, I've felt ambivalent about a second child. But right now am feeling mega-broody!

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Go on, oops, start a thread!

Yes, do start one, I mean there's no point me telling everyone I'm broody now, is there--I'm up the duff!

Where is it? Am v keen to join

I am still waiting to see my consultant re no.2 as I have other health issues apart from age although had no probs with last pregnancy.(10 years ago)Could someone please tell me what tests I would need to have this time round and what the implications are?I am 39 BTW

Hi noddy, hard to say without knowing your overall health picture, but otherwise I don't think you necessarily need anything. You may want to have your rubella status checked, and of course you should be taking folic acid. You could also ask your doctor for referral for:

• blood test to check your progesterone level (i.e. if you are ovulating) and maybe also to check your LH levels (for ovarian reserve - though I think you may be still too young for this as a first line test)
• possibly scan if anything in your history suggests scar tissue/blockage may be an issue
• for your partner, sperm test to check numbers, motility, abnormality

You will probably need to tell a little white lie to get these, by saying you have been trying to get pregnant for at least six months.

Otherwise, there are no particular health issues around getting pregnant at your/our age; it can just take a while longer (Arabica notwithstanding!). So, have a lot of sex, particularly over your fertile period, quit smoking and excessive drinking if you haven't already, and be prepared that it may take longer than your first did.

The ttc thread is really supportive and has a lot of collective wisdom, so you could join us there. Though I'd still like to get an 'old duffers' thread going. Oops, are you there? If not, why don't you start it Arabica?

Are you already pregnant NoddyHolder? How pregnant? You will probably be offered the nuchal fold scan for Down Syndrome, and if you want a CVS or amnio then you could go for one of those. Otherwise pregant is pregnant, really, and though the chance of your baby having DS is a bit higher there are no specific risks to having a baby later on. I had my first at 38 and am due my second, at 41, on 7 Feb, and have been fine. Hopefully my daughter will be as lovely and perfect and gorgeous as my son (which isn't to say that only 'perfect' babies are lovely and gorgeous, of course - and I'm sure she will be perfect to me.)

my dp's main concern is all the hoo haa about abnormality in older mothers.I hadn't really given this too much thought tbh and now that we are seriously considering another he wants to know all the facts and I don't have them!

crossed posts!No we have been thinking about it over xmas and are seeing my cardiac doctor this month my heart was no prob last time though and is not really the issue Aloha I think you are on the right trackas far as dp is concerned!

Honestly, Down Syndrome is the only condition which is more likely the older you get. And if that really worries you, you can have the nuchal fold scan and/or CVS to rule it out. There is also a raised chance of miscarriage. Otherwise you stand as good a chance of having a 'healthy' baby as someone half your age. There is so much misinformation about having a baby later in life IMO. I have had a very straightforward time myself - so far!

thankyou my dp is terrified of having a downs baby I would have the relevant scans etc can I ask does the amnio cause miscarriage and if so what percentage?

noddy - I am 39 and 11 weeks pregnant. At the midwives appointment I wasn't treated any differently to earlier pregnancies. No extra tests. Just told that Downs was a higher risk as aloha says. When is your baby due aloha?

I didn't know that about miscarriage though. What is worrying me is twins but will find out on Friday at the scan.

Noddy, your statistical risk is about one in 135 - ie you have a less than 1% chance of your baby having Down Syndrome, and more than a 99% chance of a baby without it. Depending on where you are you will probably be offered a nuchal fold test, which measures a small area of fat at the back of the foetus's neck, which can be a marker for DS. This happens between 10 and 14 weeks-ish. If the risk is increased and this worries you then you will be offered a cvs - similar to an amnio - at this stage or an amnio later on. According to the consultants I saw at Kings, they both carry the same risk of causing miscarriage - around 1% - though the more experienced and practised the person carrying it out, the less likely a m/c is. And remember, although the chance of DS rises with age, 70% of all babies with DS are born to younger women - it's not exclusive to us older mothers by any means. Having a baby at any age involves a gamble.
My baby is due 7 Feb. I have not been treated any differently either, I'm glad to say. And I've been very healthy throughout.

Congratulations Eulalia!

Noddy, it is very normal for your risk to be adjusted downwards quite dramatically after your nuchal fold test.

noddy - you get a screening test which is a blood test done at 15/16 weeks and tells you your chances of having a Down's baby. Depending on the results you can have a further scan and/or amniocentisis which has a 1% chance of miscarriage although my midwife told me it was more like 0.5%. It is all explained v carefully and you get a leaflet. The thing that I'd find hard is that by the time all the results of these tests come through you'd be about 20 weeks, awfully late to consider a termination (in my opinion anyway). But, no need to assume that because you are older that your chances of Down's are going to be significantly higher. Good luck.

Posts crossed. Not long for you aloha....

You can have the nuchal fold at 11weeks and/or go straight to cvs if you are worried by the results and have results in 72 hours, certainly at Kings.
No, not long now. Feeling large and baby very wriggly!

BTW, at Kings they don't offer blood tests anymore, just the nuchal as they believe it to be more reliable.

thanks both of you this has helped a lot so if the nuchal fold test lowers my risk then i wouldn't be offered further tests and if it raised it I would I am terrified of coming across as a terrible person on here but just feel i couldn't cope with a special needs child although who knows?

At 39 if you wanted a cvs or amnio you would almost certainly be offered them without a second thought. I think CVS is preferable simply because it is earlier.

Decaf - where are you any new !!!!!
I am happy to start an old duffers thread like someone suggested if I can get a few votes !

Go for it, marinda!

I'm an old up the duffer.

Tinker!

You may be an up the duffer but you are not old!

Why, thank you Mrs H. You've made my day now