Getting pregnant at 42

[lisaM84X]

Has anyone conceived naturally and had a baby at 42? If so, what tips do you have as I am desperate to be a mum. My partner has a low sperm count, however he has fathered two children so he is fertile.

I guess I just want to hear of some success stories to give me hope xx

I’m 43 and currently 19 weeks pregnant with my third and we conceived naturally. Back when I was TTC #1 we had all the tests (as that journey took 16 months in total) and DH’s sperm results were shocking, but we still managed to conceive 5 times. Whilst this TTC stint took three painful years in total and was bookended by 2 early miscarriages, the first pregnancy took a matter of weeks (I’d been a bit lax taking the pill) and my current pregnancy was 3 months after my miscarriage in March.

The only thing I did differently was taking Pregnacare Conception Max (the one where you take 2 green tablets and an omega 3 capsule each day). No idea if that helped particularly 🤷‍♀️.

Good luck!

We went through this, we started TTC naturally when I was 36. At 41, we started IVF and had 2 babies. I wouldn't take the chance and would try IVF now, you'll never again be more fertile than you are at this moment 💐

42 here, got pregnant with second child on the second cycle trying....was tracking ovulation but not taking anything apart from bog standard pregnancy multivitamins. Uneventful pregnancy so far apart from baby currently comfy in a breech position 😆

I had my second baby after falling pregnant age 42. We weren’t actively trying but we stopped using birth control because we thought a second baby would be a nice blessing. I was pregnant with 4 months and my pregnancy was straightforward (aside from some nervousness at the 20 week scan I felt confident that I could trust my body to carry the baby full term; I appreciate how fortunate I was).

Things that help:
-neither of should drink any alcohol at all
-eat a good Mediterranean diet
-take prenatal vitamins
-both of you get fit and slim! If you’re successful in getting pregnant, as older parents you will both need your fitness and health. This especially applies to you though as carrying a baby is hard work: go into your pregnancy healthy and things will be better.

I would recommend: swimming, Pilates, weights, jogging, yoga, gardening.

I got pregnant at 40 and 45. The way I got pregnant was having sex. Lots of sex. And then having some more sex. It works! And I also made sure not to go to the toilet after sex and tried my best to keep the sperm in. It worked for me and dh. Good luck.

I fell pregnant at 41 naturally after one month of trying. Had my baby at 42.

I did, four months after a miscarriage. Totally healthy pregnancy, birth and child.

A family member had really bad anorexia which nearly killed her and was told it was unlikely she’d have babies.

she then had 2, aged 42 & 45 naturally.

The biggest mistake I made when I started TTC at 41 was thinking it would either happen or it wouldn’t, I hadn’t really thought about miscarriage statistics, and I hadn’t thought about the possibility of multiple losses and the impact it would have on me, my lovely partner and my family.

I had a MMC at 41, then stillborn twins at 42 - they died because of a rare twin complication rather than anything to do with my age. We were so distraught with grief after our twins died we didn’t have it in us to make a determined effort to TTC - other than using ovulation strips a couple of times to determine I was ovulating again, and tracking my period in an app that was it.

Perhaps unusually, I made a conscious decision not to test until my period was at least a couple of days late, and I honestly think it saved my sanity. My cycle varied a bit anyway, and a few times I had periods much heavier than normal - I suspect they may have been chemical pregnancies/very early miscarriages but I had no interest in going through that rollercoaster of a positive test followed by a loss.

Sorry I know this is all very depressing, and you asked for hope, but TTC is not for the faint hearted.

That said, after three years of nothing, I’m currently 45 and 21wks pregnant - very much against the odds,

How old is your partner @lisaM84X

Not always. It still took us 3 years! 40+ cycles of hitting at least 2 or 3 fertile days each time (plus whenever we fancied over the rest of the cycle). That must have been at least 100 occasions when we should have been in with a shot….

I’m 43 and currently very early pregnancy so no guarantee this is viable and will result in a child. I know the stats are scary but you can only try and see what happens?

I have been taking coq10 and having weekly acupuncture for the last few months. But we have been trying for nearly a year and this is our first positive test.

good luck x

I did, 41 and 45 conceived naturally. Did have 2 early miscarriages ttc number 2. I'd recommend this amazing book Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weischler to really understand tracking ovulation, I also had fertility acupuncture, and spent 3 months improving my egg health (I'd had a scan to check follicles and a couple of hormone tests), because I knew i was ovulating and if that's the case one of the main barriers is egg quality. And it IS possible to improve egg health just like it is to improve any other cell in your body. I cut out alcohol and other toxins, stopped using plastic food storage and got me and DH stupidly expensive ttc vits from zita west. Couldn't afford IVF. DSs are now 6 and 10. Feel free to DM me if you want, wishing you all the success

Coq10 yes! Agree with this too absolutely