Baby at 38 - too old???

[Jujubiyo]

I am 37 yrs old and have two healthy boys age 6 & 4.  I have been wanting to have 1 more baby but hesitated because of financial and obligations concern.  I went to my doctor in July 2010 for the yearly check up and bring up the possibility on trying to become pregnant next year.  Wow....she immediately brought up all the concerns on "OLD AGE" pregnancy - higher risks on down syndrome, miscarriage....etc.  She even said that if in the case that the 3rd baby has some medical issues, that would change the dynamic between me and the boys!!! I was kinda discouraged as I didn't really thought that 38 was that old - well, before I walked in the doc's office anyway.  Has anyone have similar experiences?  How big of a risk really of having baby at this age?  Feel big difference during the pregnancy between a younger and older age?  Any suggestions would help!  Thanks!!

[Jujubiyo]

Good luck on you too for your upcoming baby boy!  You got a great supportive doctor!  I really need to do a little more research on my doctor!!  I wonder if I could just make appointment to go talk to the doctor, do they still charge it as a visit?  I suppose.....

[Jujubiyo]

Good luck on your pregnancy.  Sounds like everything is going well so far, all the best.

[April162010]

To adgal:
"High risk pregnancy is a term typically used because of a preexisting medical condition, or a history of problems such as early labor in other pregnancies."

It will be good to know about it before getting pregnant , so i wont be so stress out today, reading your post make me realized that is true what you said" hi risk" should be in case of any problem you had encounter getting pregnant or while pregnant.
In my case I have been 99% healthy( 1% is the cold here and there) and  i have been terrorized  by people around like ..ohhh you need to go to a "hi risk pregnancy" doctor because of your age... it feels no right!...


TO;
Jujubiyo:

You are 38 y/o and still have a chance and if economy and time is not an issue and you both love to have more kids and then its geat..i wish you luck and happiness

You are right about it , they supposed to encourage us since we are pregnant already and wish us the best.



I am 42y/o today 15 weeks and since its my first one i have been through a lot and i dont want any woman to go through to all these fears and questions just because we are older than 35y/o

everything was going well until I had a doctor calling me from the trimester test' s clinic ( i didnt know who this doctor was) saying me numbers over the phone and scaring the life out of me. i right away came her to MH and post my numbers all scared and thanks to ecologic and adgal that explained me  that my chances are only 1% of having problems( tx girls!)

My main doctor called me the following day telling me that everything looks great!.. i dont even need amnio or anything, meanhwile the doctor from the test was pushing me for the amnio test... ( thats the difference of a good doctor and a not to good doctor)
to the point my main doctor has send me to a different clinic for my 20 weeks u/s_test( he didnt like the way they handle my case just because of my age)

I am praying to have a healthy baby because this is our first one and last one and we can afford only one.

Good luck to everyone

[Alexis2358]

forgot to mention that my mother in law is an elementary school teacher.    She'd definately know.

[RavenT]

I got the same thing from 2 of the doctors i was seeing... 2.5 years ago I went to my old practice and the doctor kept saying over and over again... "Do you know what your are doing... it will be such a HIGH RISK pregnancy... your too old to get pregnant..." It was driving me nuts... the next time he said it ... I looked at him and asked him if he thought i was stupid and hadn't thought about what i was doing... and that if he said anything like again I was going to his supervisor!!!  It was the last time I saw him!!!

Then just a couple of months ago I went to another doctor and she was just as rude... I did leave there crying but when I got home i called the insurance company and told them what happened... They apologized for her and gave me the names of other female doctors that I could visit...

I found a practice that I really like from a referral from a friend... They give free pregnancy tests!!!

I think that doctors should have to have write ups like other professionals ... so we the patients could make better choices when choosing our medical professionals...

[Alexis2358]

I think your dr. is wack!!!!!!    I'm 43 and 17 weeks pregnant with a healthy little boy, confirmed by CVS testing.

When I told my dr. at 41 that i was going to try, she said.....I'm so excited for you, I can't wait to see you with a baby bump.    Not once did she mention the downside.      

38 is NOT old anymore when it comes to baby making, more and more of us "older women" are having beautiful babies.   I was even told by my pediatrition and my mother in law that "older women" are SOOOOO much better parents and have much better behaved and well rounded children.