How old is too old to start having kids where health problems can develop?

Question

I am 36 years old and my husband and I have been putting off kids because of our careers. I don't want to run out of time and I want a healthy baby.

Answer 1

"Advanced" maternal age is defined as any expectant mother who will have made her 35th birthday by the time she delivers. This term is a throw-back to the times when women married in their teens and began giving birth at a much younger age.
In modern times, with women playing important roles in the marketplace alongside men and putting off their families for business or personal reasons, the magic number of 35 still stands as a turning point in prenatal surveillance, because this begins a high-risk group with their own set of risk factors besides all of the other risks of pregnancy and delivery.

I'm 40 and pregnant with baby number 4. The odds of me having a Down's syndrome child is 1 in 100. http://babymed.com/pregnancy%2Dtools/down%2Dsyndrome/
Be sure you begin to take prenatal vitamins months before you conceive. That will lower your chance of birth defects.

My 3 boys are very healthy and I had them at 34, 36, and 38 :) Best of luck to you.

Answer 2

i am 35 now and will be 36 by the time my baby is born
(due June2nd) I had a test done called CVS (similar to an amnio)and my baby is perfectly healthy. The reason they do amnios and CVS tests after 35 is because the chance for a child with a disability greatly increases after 35. However that does not mean that you cannot have children.

Women can have healthy babies up to age 42 at least. Ofcourse every woman is different. You should also ask your ob/gyn about this he/she would be a great source of information to you.

Good Luck!!!

Answer 3

At age 36 you will find plenty peer reviewed journals on this topic. Is is a beautiful thing to have children at any age. For your circumstance the statistics are readily availible. Every day that you wait will decrease your odds of obtaining a physiological and mentally healthy baby fro numerous reasons. One major reason is your TFR (total fertility rate). Consult a physician for a test. This test will obtain statistcal measures in your chances of having a child and how healthy he or she will be according to your age and other health relevant information.

See the link below for your average statistics and I wish you the Best!

Answer 4

So long as you are healthy, 36 is fine. I had my 3rd at age 34.
You need to get a complete physical and speak to your doctor.
Once you pass 40, the risks become more pronounced, but obviously still possible.

Answer 5

At your age it still isn't to late, but the doctors will probably want to monitor you more closely. I think after 35 they consider you high risk. My mom had my little sister when she was 35 and had no problems at all, she continued her normal daily routines of taking care of a house and 4 kids. Good luck and remember prayer works wonders. God bless!

Answer 6

I am 29 years old and pregnant with my first baby. I have developed high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. My doctor told me the younger the better but if you are in really good shape you should be fine at any time.

Answer 7

I would say 40 but some people are having kids well beyond then , however the risks get higher the older you get, also it depends on your heath in general..My mother had her last child at 45.

Answer 8

Well most doctors wouldn't recommend women over 35 to get pregnant. If you really want to have kids you should. Its not that they baby will be unhealthy its just your health can be really affected by getting pregnant late in life. I think if you got pregnant within the next year you won't have any problems. You should best see your general doctor and see what s/he says first then and ask her/him to refer you a OB/GYN.

Answer 9

35, chances of down syndrome goes up enormously at this age, and you don't get any younger, but kids take a lot of energy I know I wouldn't want any newborns or toddlers at your age..I am in my 30's with children and can barley keep up with them and they aren't toddlers anymore...kudos if you do it...I just don't understand why people put off kids for their careers, put off your careers for your kids after retirement and nursing homes you want someone to come visit you and your careers definitely will not....

Answer 10

Anytime after 30 you start to run in to more prevelent health risks. I would say your best chances for a healthy baby are to start now!