??geriatric pregnancy

[Nel45]

So I’ve worked in maternity care across the country for nearly 30 years and never once have I come across the term ‘geriatric pregnancy’ being used in the NHS, Nor with my last 3 children born when I was 35-44. (Naturally conceived and born last year)
However just seen a BBC article referring to a mother who had a ‘geriatric pregnancy’ since when did this become an official term in the UK??

My cousin has this in her notes as well. She was quite proud of it as a title.

That was used for me - I was 29. I was very shocked, but my mum already thought I was a bit old 😓

Yep I got called an elderly prima gravida at 37. Husband was killing himself laughing.

It's definitely used in some places but from what I've seen, AMA is far more common. I think the media like to use Geriatric because it sounds more sensational.

When working in Geriatrics in general medicine, it usually refers to people over 65 years old.. I always think the media want you to think along those lines when using it.

It wasn’t in use at the hospitals I was training/working in London, maybe a more recent thing there? Perhaps replacing the term elderly primigravida we used to use (although geriatric pregnancy does not distinguish between first ongoing pregnancies or subsequent, which is actually very clinically significant) If it’s the term now being used in some London hospitals that would explain why starting to hear it so much in the media now.
Personally find the term elderly primigravida much less offensive than ‘geriatric pregnancy’ but it wouldn’t surprise me for them to have changed it to the more offensive term given that whoever gets to decide these terms doesn’t give much care for whether women like them or not aka ‘birthing person’ 🤮

I remember just after had my first (relatively young now) hearing someone just having had their first at 26 being described as a young mum and thinking ‘that’s not young’ 🤣🤣🤣 I can imagine in your mum’s day when most people had their babies in their early 20s, 29 would of been considered quite old to have your first

Yes can imagine fertility treatment very common in an area with lots of older mums, those using donor eggs of a younger woman usually won’t have any issues re miscarriage etc.
Its very rare we see a natural ongoing pregnancy for a woman in her 40s in my area ( lots in their late 30s) that’s why I was so shocked to not only naturally conceive but then not miscarry and actually have our beautiful baby at 44

Yes my mum was 22, I was her first. In hospital (late 90s) I was opposite a girl of 16, her mum, nan and great grandmother were all there as they’d all had babies at 16. They were a lovely close family.

My mum had this term used a lot when she had my brother at 38 in 2003.

I am 37 and currently 40 weeks pregnant and haven't heard it once so maybe its a term they are trying to phase out?

Thank you for everyone’s replies, it certainly has been insightful and interesting as an older mother and someone working within maternity care. It’s definitely answered my question as to why this BBC article was using the term

I had my DD when I was 40 and didn’t hear the term used once.

My mum had geriatric mum stamped on her maternity notes when she had my brother at 32 in 1974. Hopefully no one uses it any more!

My mum had geriatric mum stamped on her maternity notes when she had my brother at 32 in 1974. Hopefully no one uses it any more!

My DH’s mum had him at 30yo in the 60’s and said that every day she had all the student Dr’s brought around on rounds to look at ‘the old lady’ who had given birth to first child. Back then you were in hospital for a week/10 days for natural birth (with ashtrays provided bedside🤣), but she was in for a few weeks due to her geriatric age for a first time mum, and basically the opportunity for students to gawk at such an event. She just packed up and demanded to go subsequently with his siblings. She did tell me they always referred to her as geriatric and I had to explain the context.

When I had my first son I was referred to as a geriatric primavera. I was 26. 🥴

Its been called that for years?! My dm was called a geriatric mum when she has my brother aged 37 in 2002.

At 33 and overweight, I was more gently referred to as a "high risk" and sent to the "metabolic clinic" which basically meant they expected complications due to advanced maternal age and morbid obesity but were too polite to say this directly.

I must say that I received very good anti natal care to manage these risks.

You can be as sceptical as you want but I have it in black and white.

I was 34 at the time and they explained to me that for multiple pregnancies, the category of geriatric mother applies earlier but normally it would be 35 and over. I fell into the category at 34 because I was carrying twins.

I can assure you I didn’t imagine that whole conversation 😂

We are in Gloucestershire.

Im 49 and my mother was referred to as a ‘geriatric’ on her paperwork. I was born just before she turned 30!

My daughter was born in 2021 when i was 37.
I was referred to as a geriatric mother.
Im now pregnant and this time im classed as 'advanced maternal age'.
Apparently thwy dont use the term geriatric anymore but it seems to only be a recent change in my trust.

How have you worked in maternity care across the country for nearly 30 years and never once have I come across the term ‘geriatric pregnancy’ being used in the NHS??
The phrase has been around for years - I dont work for the NHS, I've had 2 dc, so I'm not an expert, but its certainly not a new phrase

Well he's got 10 years on me.

When my kids were younger they went to Canoe Club and I was one of the younger dads there, there were plenty entitled to call me 'sonny'