Any 40+ pregnancies to keep me company?

[sequinednostrils]

Hello! Just wondered if there are any 40 and over pregnant ladies on here , or if there's an existing thread I've missed!

Hi Ladies ... mind if I join?

I’m 41 and I have two DC already (ages 5 & 2.5). I am 13 weeks today. This is my seventh pregnancy, but will (hopefully be my third child). 2019 was rough with two missed miscarriages (blighted ovum & standard mmc at 11 weeks). This is a very wanted child and will be our last. 😊

I’ve just had my Harmony test results come back and all good and low. My DH now knows the sex too, but I opted out. We didn’t find out the other two and I wanted my last such surprise to be the same, a lovely surprise. DH wanted to know if he should be financially worried 😂😂 (we have two little girls so I am able to recycle and reuse lots regarding clothing and such).

Anyway, now that things seems significantly safer to move forward in the pregnancy I thought I’d join, rather than lurk while waiting on scans and test results 😊

Looking forward to sharing this journey... 💗💗

Oh! I’m technically due in September (9th) but I’ve had pre-eclampsia with both previous pregnancies. Due to this I won’t go beyond 38 weeks, so I’ll have a c-section the third/fourth week of August. 😊

Hello and welcome @MrsAmelia !
Did you get the harmony test privately ? I'm considering it.

@sequinednostrils
Hi! Yes I did. My last miscarriage (Oct 2019) was tested at Guy & St Thomas due to my recurring losses & age and the results were due to Turner Syndrome. Effectively it was likely an old or overly aged egg. Due to this (a sign/result of my age) it seemed appropriate to spend the money on the Harmony, just for our own peace of mind.
How far along are you? 🙂

@MrsAmelia I'm nearly 7 weeks so still quite early.
I'm having a private scan today and I'm so nervous.
I think anything that offers reassurance is a positive. I had two mc's prior to this, one at 6 weeks and twins at 11 weeks so it's an anxious time.
I only learned recently that harmony can tell the gender too. Amazing! ❤️

Hello all, I'm 39 will be 40 at EDD. Due 1st June. I've never felt so old! So different to my first pregnancy 7 years ago which I breezed through. A snap decision in the summer to try for another, and a month later positive pregnancy test. I feel very fortunate to have conceived so easily however this pregnancy is very stressful. Very high risk downs (subsequent highly unlikely NIPT) so a very stressful few weeks before Christmas. Slightly low papp a, raised hcg and of course my age pushed the risk right up. Growth scans every month, uterine doppler scans to check flow and regular consultant appointments. Was told at my consultant appointment that due to being 40 at EDD I'd be induced at 40 weeks. Anyone else been told this?

I meant to add that at due day I'll have only been 40 for 3 weeks! I've been told that age of 40 is the cut off though so will be induced whatever.

Hi @Liveforholidays I’m 43, was told at my first consultant appointment I’d be induced at 40 weeks. I’m now 26 weeks and they have done a complete 180 and said that as long as everything continues to progress well they will support my wish for a home birth and allow me to go over on an individual birth plan.

Hi @Liveforholidays, I'm turning 40 a month before my due date too - but I got told that as I was 39 at time of booking that the induction at 40 weeks doesn't apply.So they would 'allow' me to go to 42weeks if that's what happens. In any case they can't force you to do anything. I think there is some evidence about the placenta being less effective in older mothers at the end of pregnancy. My midwife told me that they have to have a cut off, so they just picked 40years..... perhaps they are stricter in different areas..

Good luck with your scan today @MrsAmelia.

I had harmony privately with my first and now again as at 45 my risk was 1 in 19,that changed to 1 in 387 after the blood test..we had it done at 10w and found out the gender too . Harmony cam back as low, less than 1 in 10000 but I’m still nervous and waiting for my 20w scan, people’s comments like “aren’t you worried etc” don’t help..they have no idea how worried I am, it’s been really stressful last 6m, with the ivf and I had a MMC 2y ago. Just praying it will be all fine. Worried about the next week scan.

I had my dd at 40 @Liveforholidays and I had an induction scheduled at 40w, they wouldn’t let me go beyond 40w..I went for a sweep at 39w and it worked,she was born next day. They say that placenta doesn’t work that well so not enough nutrients for the baby so it’s better for the baby be out..this time the consultant wants baby out by 38/39w..I’m also gonna have more growth scans etc as only had 12 and 20w with my dd and she was born small.

I have low papp a which can indicate placenta malfunction anyway. I'd rather it be a little earlier than over anyway but was just interested in gathering thoughts. Thank you all.

@fool11 my risk was so high following bloods... 1 in 13!!! We opted for NIPT as the nuchal measurement was within normal range. I've been so nervous about it ever since though... Ever scan I have a slight wobble.

I think we have chatted in a different thread @Liveforholudays I’ve also got low papp a.

@sequinednostrils hope today goes well with the scan - keep us posted x
Congrats & good luck to everyone on here x

good luck with the scan @sequinednostrils..sorry I’ve clicked on wrong name earlier @MrsAmelia..

@Flipflops23 probably! I'm slightly obsessed with forums at the mo!

Back from scan. I have to go back in a week and a half's time as I was measuring small ( am 6weeks4 and measuring 5weeks 6) feeling tense now and trying not to catastrophise . There was a nice clear heartbeat, at least.
😕

@sequinednostrils that is really not that much smaller - less than a week out I thought was ok. Heartbeat and all in the right place - that sounds like great news x I hope I have the same on Monday xx was the sonographer optimistic that all seemed well? X

@Angelsis21 she was neutral- just said it was hard to measure and needed to come back.
So, waiting. I'm so tired and my boobs are throbbing, that can only be a good sign right?

@sequinednostrils yes - all good signs x have your previous pregnancies measured small? Or is this the first one you have had scanned early?

First one that's been scanned this early.

Can I join. 22 weeks pregnant with number 5! My eldest will be 12 when this one arrives. And I'll be nearly 43. So far I've found it has meant a lot more appointments.

We had a bit of a scare when I came back high risk for downs but thankfully my nipt was ok.

How is everyone feeling. I am so so tired still. And the nausea is still coming and going.

I have a 5 year gap between this baby and my current youngest so I am having to start from scratch. Baby stuff has got so so expensive. I'm very excited though. I'm having a little boy.

Wow congrats @mambanumber5 I can’t imagine the juggling that 5 children would involve! Did you do the NIPT privately? A midwife told me a year or so ago that they would be bringing it in on the NHS for over 40s soon - though I do not think it has yet been rolled out to most places.

@Angelsis21 that's interesting. For the over 40s? I had to pay privately for mine (at Birmingham women's) but if I'd lived within Birmingham I'd have got it free as I came back as high risk. Lots of nhs trusts are offering it as a free second screener now to women who've come back as high risk on on combined one. I guess that means that for most of us older mums that would apply.

@Liveforholidays how are you finding Birmingham women’s so far? I booked in there the other day (at 14 weeks but I’d already had scans and tests privately).

@Connie222 Apart from how big and busy it is they were great with me with the NIPT. However I'm not sure I received enough follow up information after getting my low risk result back if I'm honest. They didn't talk through the report fully with me and I was so overjoyed at the time that I didn't ask anything. Then I've read other posts that suggest that I may have been better going with the amnio instead. I'm within Worcestershire who lag behind somewhat in comparison. It really is a postcode lottery.