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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Docs class me as a geriatric mother

86 replies

helmel1979 · 07/05/2022 09:31

Hi all, thanks for welcoming me to the group.
I am pregnant with my 3rd child, complete surprise but a good surprise. Thought my baby days were over. I have 2 older children aged 14 and 8.

Docs class me as a geriatric mother because I am 42. Should I be worried about this????

Also, I'm confused with how pregnant I am. My last period was 18th March. However my periods are always all over the place because I have polycistic ovaries. I did a pg test beginning of last week which was negative and then a week later I've done them and they're positive. I did a clear blue which said I was 1 to 2 weeks? Can anyone shed any light please.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Chasingclouds100 · 07/05/2022 15:30

Oh my gosh!! 42 is certainly NOT old to have a baby - I think it is a lovely perfect age and please ignore anybody who tells you otherwise! I hold you have a wonderful pregnancy!

liveforsummer · 07/05/2022 15:43

If it helps I had mine and 30 and 32 and was classed as such then 😆. Some risks are higher by laws of average

liveforsummer · 07/05/2022 15:44

Doyoumind · 07/05/2022 09:49

I think 35 or over classes as geriatric pregnancy.

Maybe it's changed as average ages of pregnancy has risen? I was definitely classed as such at 30

Bordesleyhills · 07/05/2022 15:44

I’m 40

LaMarschallin · 07/05/2022 15:55

Chasingclouds100

Oh my gosh!! 42 is certainly NOT old to have a baby - I think it is a lovely perfect age and please ignore anybody who tells you otherwise! I hold you have a wonderful pregnancy!

Well, it is comparatively old to have a baby because of the time-limited nature of female fertility.
Is there a "perfect" age to have a baby? I might have been better having mine younger from a medical point of view but wouldn't have been established enough in my job to go part time (which was what worked for us).

I don't think anybody's trying to be rude or saying the OP shouldn't have a baby, and I'm sure everyone hopes she has a "wonderful" pregnancy.
There just are more risks to a pregnancy further on in life and it would be foolish to ignore that.

Fridafever · 07/05/2022 16:02

I never understand why people act as though women having babies in their 40s is newfangled. Presumably women historically would have done so - we’re maybe healthier now with I guess might extend fertility a bit.

WoodenClock · 07/05/2022 16:32

It's not new but it does and always has carried extra risk. Pretending that it doesn't is just as perverse.

Herejustforthisone · 07/05/2022 16:39

MmmmmBop · 07/05/2022 13:42

42!

I had that on my notes and I was 29. 42 is old to have a baby. You must know that.

You’re quite right @MmmmmBop , it was a single exclamation mark.

I still object to the unhelpful and unkind judgement of the OP’s age as evidenced in your post above. This is the pregnancy board, not the notorious AIBU.

AliasGrape · 07/05/2022 16:40

I was told by my midwife they don't use that term anymore (when j mentioned it) but that it's 'advanced maternal age' now.

They will probably refer you to a consultant and they like to induce older mothers although you don't have to consent to anything you're not comfortable with.

bigbluebus · 07/05/2022 16:59

I was also classed as that when I had my first born nearly 28 years ago - I was 29 when I went to the GP about my pregnancy but as I was going to be 30 when I gave birth I was put under the Consultant unit rather than midwife led unit.

worriedaboutmoney2022 · 07/05/2022 18:03

I was 35 and it was my first baby I was considered gereatric then
I lost no sleep over it

Congratulations on your pregnancy 🤰🏼

DangerouslyBored · 07/05/2022 18:21

Currently pregnant at 45. 16 weeks and not one medical professional has made any comments about my ‘advanced’ age. I did ask about risks but was told as I’m fit and healthy, my pregnancy is likely to be as smooth sailing as a woman in her 20s. The consultant said middle age pregnancies are v common now. No one bats an eyelid.

Original poster

helmel1979 · 07/05/2022 19:55

Thankyou, a few of the comments on here have been rather unkind xxx

OP posts:

Chasingclouds100 · 08/05/2022 00:33

LaMarschallin I disagree - I think a couple of people have been extremely rude and a pregnant woman does not need this negativity - how awful! Nature disagrees with your remark about being comparatively old!

Fizzyfish · 08/05/2022 00:39

I'm 35+ and haven't seen this term in my notes, they explained some risks were higher for me but geriatric hasn't been recorded anywhere

DamnYouAutoCarRental · 08/05/2022 01:03

I believe these days geriatric is only used for over 40s. My mum found it amusing that she counted as geriatric (over 30) when having my older sister, but was no longer geriatric when she had me, despite being a few years older, because the age bracket had moved.
There's nothing wrong with having a few extra checks, but the vast majority of people I know who've been over 40 have still had healthy pregnancies and babies.
Hope all goes well for you op.

DysmalRadius · 08/05/2022 01:09

annlee3817 · 07/05/2022 09:51

Yes, my consultant said they hate that term, but I believe it's used from 37 onwards. I'm 40 and currently 5 1/2 months pregnant, I have to take asprin daily due to age. From 28 weeks I'll be having growth scans every four weeks due to age, which I think is to make sure the placenta is working as it should. They also don't want me to go to term and looking at induction from 39 weeks, but this is also due to having strep B and a previous fast labour so it's to ensure they have time to give me antibiotics.

Congratulations

Are you in the UK? And is this all just because of your age or do you have other risk factors? Sorry to bombard you with questions, but I'm older than you and haven't had any of that (nobody's even mentioned my age!!) so I'm wondering if there's regional variation in how they manage it as well?

Deadringer · 08/05/2022 01:11

I took my baby to the health centre for a check up and the nurse asked my age. When I told her she blurted out, that's very old! Reader, I was 28. Seemingly she was used to dealing with teenage mums.

CoalCraft · 08/05/2022 09:34

My mother was considered a "geriatric primagravida" at the age of 32!

LaMarschallin · 08/05/2022 09:44

Chasingclouds100

Nature disagrees with your remark about being comparatively old!

"Comparatively old" doesn't mean "impossible". Nature - or whoever her spokesperson is - may disagree with that.

However, 42 is old compared with the average woman having a baby.
That's all it means. It's not meant as a criticism (certainly not by me); it's just a fact.

Original poster

helmel1979 · 08/05/2022 11:00

I in no way am naive to the fact that I am an older mother as I had my first at 28 and second and 33. My issue was the term "geriatric" not the fact that I am older. I don't believe that my age gives the right for certain people to be negative towards the fact that I am older and having a baby which will be loved and cherished just as my other 2 have been and are.
Thankyou for the support from the majority on here. Guess there's always going to be some rude people everywhere. 😒

OP posts:

LilacPoppy · 08/05/2022 11:09

Nobody is being negative - it’s a medical term.

BabyMoonPie · 08/05/2022 11:10

DysmalRadius · 08/05/2022 01:09

Show quote history

I had DD2 in December aged 41. I had 3 growth scans after 30 weeks because of my age. They also induced me at 40 weeks because of the risk of the placenta deteriorating and increasing the chance of having a still birth. My age was my only risk factor and I'm in NW England. I hope everything goes well for you

Squiff70 · 08/05/2022 11:12

I'm 24 weeks pregnant at 39. When I give birth I'll be 40. Nobody has mentioned the word 'geriatric' to me (yet) but quite frankly I don't care. It's really, REALLY not a big deal to have a baby close to 40 (whichever side of that you sit) any more. It's just a word (which I agree is unnecessary and quite offensive but not meant to be) - just crack on and enjoy your pregnancy!

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 08/05/2022 11:18

It's just a medical term, outdated yes but still.

Of course 42 is going to be classed as older, that's just a fact not a judgement

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