Pregnant and 40 am I mad

[Fuls]

Hi

I’ve just found out I’m pregnant a very big surprise as I’m on birth control. But I’m 40 and now terrified that I won’t have a healthy baby. I’m beside myself with worry. I really don’t know what to do

Plenty of ladies have healthy babies at 40 :) My mother had my Brother at 40 (we have a 15 year gap) and he was super healthy!

40 is a pretty normal age to have a baby, OP — I had one myself. I appreciate you’re shocked if it was a birth control failure, but you’re 40, not queueing for a bus pass.

I found out I was pg a couple of days after I turned 40 (planned and much wanted after 3 years of trying).

No-one medical was at all bothered by my age. I wasn't even considered a higher risk pregnancy for age (that kicks at 41 in my area).

I got one extra scan, and my screening tests came back higher risk for down syndrome, but it was only bloods taken so I might have been clear on a more accurate test.

Very straightforward pregnancy and birth. Ds2 had no issues despite screening result.

Women have been having babies in their late 30s and 40s for time immemorial.

Congratulations!!

I’m 40 and pregnant with DC2. It’s not particularly young but it’s not geriatric either. Is this your first OP?

Congratulations! I am 43 and if i had a man in the vicinity i would have another baby in a heartbeat even 'at my age' !
Relax and enjoy

I had my first at 42. It's not a problem.

I had my fourth child at 41, apart from finding the pregnancy more tiring everything was fine. I was worried about Downs and was told that at my age anything over 250 should be fine. It came back 1 in 1500 , pregnancy wasn't planned but I'm so glad it happened

Thank you for your responses. I think I’m just overthinking! I know there is a lot of ladies my age do this. This will be my second pregnancy and my lo is 4. I think I’m just in shock as it really wasn’t in our plans and I know there is so many tests and scans out there to check on baby!

I had ds at 43!
An absolute delight!!

As a midwife, I would say that the biggest problem at 40 is the inability to get pregnant. So congratulations, everything works!
Your risk of problems from the pregnancy is only slightly higher than 4 years ago. Discuss the special care of over 40 pregnancies at your booking appointment.

That’s reassuring Mayhew I suppose like any mum you just worry and I now need to enjoy and think about how I’m breaking it to my 4 year old lol

I'm pretty sure I'd read somewhere that the statistics for older-mums-to-be were based on figures from France in the 1700s, and a lot of it is false panic. There was a really funny/informative YouTube video about it.

m.youtube.com/watch?v=6YIz9jZPzvo

(I'm not a medical professional though, so I don't know how true)

Congratulations! I’m 39 and expecting no. 3.

I had my first at 36, I guess like you and have had really easy pregnancies.

I know the risk of Downs etc is higher but it’s still low overall.

Yes I saw that video! It was a real eye opener. DP and I have been trying for 15 months and I'm 41. My mum is flabbergasted that I'm not pregnant yet as she had her 6th baby at 43!
So if you're happy about being pregnant then please don't worry! But deffo get yourself sorted on a healthy diet and the right supplements asap.
Congratulations!

I had DD planned at 40, she is wonderful now at 20. I did have a blood screening test and then amniocentesis as I wanted reassurance (don't flame me here, my body my choice!). the test was pretty emotional to undergo but I wanted to know. I think there may be more sophisticated non-invasive tests you can have done now.

Your four year old will be delighted! Old enough to be a really good big bro/sis.

Good luck!

Congratulations.

I had my first at 45 without any help ( or intent - it was a total shock) so if you are mad, so am I.
My Ds is perfect, and I haven’t collapsed under the strain yet, so I’m sure you’ll be fine. At least you know what you’re doing.

I had my first at 41 and my second at 44. I have typed that so often on MN that it came up in predictive text . Anyway, even in your 40s, your baby is likely to be healthy. Both mine are teenagers now and doing well.

I had ds at 40. Downs risk on the test 6 yrs ago of someone aged 18 I was told.

I did find some of the younger drs a bit panicky but my midwife was great, senior drs and consultant absolutely great.

Screening is much more sophisticated than it was then too. Dm had dsis at 39 in 1976 and that really was something esp as she was almost 11lb but I've since been told she prob had undiagnosed gestational diabetes

Also in a group of 7 mums of 5&6 yr olds there are 3 older than me & 2 only 2 yrs behind me. All dc's are brilliant.

Congratulations and good luck op

I'm 8 months pregnant, due on 18 September and I'll then be a month away from my 45th birthday. I had the harmony blood test at 9 weeks and Baby was low risk for downs etc. Pregnancy this time not any different from my first when I was 34. I've had more growth scans (as that's the protocol in my area for over 40s mums) but none have shown problems. Good luck and enjoy! Xxx

Amazing stories but was you a little apprehensive being over 40?

Even at 40 you still only have a 1% chance of a baby with Downs if that’s what’s most worrying.

Your chance of miscarriage is c. 1 in 3 I think so maybe not to plan much until after 12 weeks.

Gosh I've read so many threads like this on here. Google them OP and read away! 40 is totally fine. I got pg with DS1 at just 39 and DS2 at 40 and three quarters! Zero issues. When I went to the booking in appointment with DS1, I kept joking about my age and the midwife said 'give over you're the youngest woman I've seen all day!' This was central London so maybe a slight anomaly but still it's nothing now. A million congrats and best wishes for a healthy pregnancy!

@popupfarm that video is fascinating.