Final pregnancy at age 40

[JoeyLin]

Hi,
We have just welcomed our second into the world. I am 37 and 2 months and my children at 17 months apart. So both my pregnancies have been in mid to late 30s.

We didn't consider another one but we joke about it. But we wouldn't want the same age gap. We would want to see these two now grow up a bit and think about it in 2 years time.

In 2 years time I'll be 39 . If we start then and carry on trying it may be that I'll be 40 when I get pregnant. Maybe even 41 when I give birth.

I always said that final baby by 40. I read online and see all sorts about chances of getting pregnant drastically reducing.

My specific question is this though, regardless of the stats for over 40s. It took me 11 months to conceive my 1st , and just 1-2 months (last spring) with second (we hardly started trying). Will chances reduce that much in just 2 years time?

I've been fortunate with no miscarriages for the two children I have and I didn't have many major scares during my pregnancy.

Fertility is very individual so nobody can really say. On a population level though yes your fertility is likely to decline steeply at this age and the longer you wait the lower the odds of another successful pregnancy.

I had my DS at almost 39, and just found out I'm pregnant again after 8-9 months of trying. With DS, I got pregnant first cycle, almost as soon as I removed my coil. Very individual as PP said, but be prepared it might take a year.

Also, your fertility options with the NHS decline after age 40 - something to consider!

You can't tell. A lot of women go through a spell of increased fertility just before the menopause. I conceived at 44+5, with only one ovary, while not actually trying.

I think if you want another dc, stop contraception when you are ready, and then just relax and have a nice time. 🙂

No one can answer this question for you!

It's impossible for anyone on here to advise you of your fertility as its very much individual. If your worried perhaps you could have some private testing? Hormone levels, amh , afc . Since you already have children you won't be eligible for nhs help tho and you'll have to self fund. Gp may do the hormone bloods but nhs won't offer the afc or amh routinely.
One woman may still be incredibly fertile in her 40s while another in her early 30s may have a diminished reserve.
It really does differ from one woman to another.
I'm 38 and currently expecting my first baby
We needed ivf ( not age related)
My amh is still very high. I know women same age and their count is low so I definitely suggest testing to give you a better idea of where your at .
Fingers crossed all goes well with this pregnancy and in such case I'll definitely be hoping to have a second child.
There are plenty of women only having their first in their 40s via natural conception.
I'm not denying that fertility dosent dwindle with age but the study the statistics are based on is actually a very old study.
I was told by my fertility consultants and even now my midwives that 30/40s is actually very common now for first time mothers.

Thank you all. Although it doesn't seem it, but you have all very much answered my question. and that is that there is no brick wall at 40, and it is very much personal - body as well as choice. I guess i am surrounded by women that never had a child into their 40s, and my sister even made a comment when she was pregnant at 38 that she will not have any more because after 40 chances of complications are high.

I think we will enjoy this moment with our 2 children, and in a couple of years have a think if we do want another - and if we do, of course it is wise not to leave it later and later .