I'm 46 and find myself unexpectedly pregnant. How likely am I to end up with a full-term, healthy baby?

Question

Would like to hear from anyone who's been here and done this -- particularly others whose reaction was "Oh! Crap!"

Answer 1

I personally have never been in this situation but I had a good friend that was she was 45 when she found out. Her baby came out healthy. She was a little early but not early enough to worry. I would say if you want to make sure and have a healthy baby then make sure and take care of yourself during your pregnancy. It is never a gurantee you will have a healthy baby no matter how old you are. I was 22 when I had my son and he was born with some health problems but like I said my friends kid was born fine.


Congrats and good luck.

Answer 2

I couldn't begin to give you stats on the liklihood of a full-term, healthy baby, but I would definitely recommend that you get what they call the first trimester screening (or nuchal translucency screening) - it is an early (11-14 weeks) non-invasive screening for down's syndrome and other genetic defects, and is relatively new. The test uses both an ultrasound and blood tests to determine the likelihood that you will have a child with genetic defects. I am a little younger than you, and my pregnancy was planned, but I am still what they call "advanced maternal age" and therefore had this screening and it gave me peace of mind knowing that based on the test results, I have a very low chance of having a child with a genetic deficiency - basically, the same chance a 20 year old would have. Because of the very early detection (as opposed to the traditional amnio done at about 18 weeks), this test at least gives you lots of options.

Talk to your doctor and consider seeing someone who specializes in high risk pregnancies. Good luck!

Answer 3

Holy crap. What could make you anticipate that your physique could fail your baby? Had it failed you so far? curiously its doing each and every thing because it is going to. till you have some congenital illness, or raging an infection, or such rigidity which you will no longer stay sane, there's no clarification so which you could lose a toddler this far into your being pregnant. Laying on your back would not result your toddler, thats a delusion. Your legs doze off and you roll over earlier it outcomes the toddler. Cooking can't injury the toddler in any respect, till you freaking sat interior the oven. Have slightly uncomplicated experience and supply your physique some credit. Its MADE to make little ones. women havent continually lived in properties, and had nutrients from the grocery. as quickly as upon a time we've been hunter gatherers, and seem how many folk resulted from it. each and every female has fears, yet it is insane. You cant even rejoice with this actual dazzling time of being one along with your baby. stable grief. relax slightly.

Answer 4

Ohhh - don't think, "oh crap" ..... What a nice thing for you.

I've known people who are in the mid-forties, and a few celebrities in their late forties have had babies (Gina Davis was one. I think she was 49 or so.).

The doctor will pay extra attention to you, but its probably pretty likely all will go well. Chances are genetic testing will be something your doctor brings up because there is a higher rate of genetic defects associated with older mothers.

These days so many problems can be diagnosed with ultrasound. It isn't the "iffy" images that ultrasound images were, say, 20 years ago.

Good luck. Congratulations. If all goes well your new little son or daughter will keep you young.

Answer 5

Well, I'm 40 and pregnant and am certainly a little nervous. I found this websit that can determine odds of Down's syndrome by your age and many other calculators/predictors. I wish you the best of luck and hope your baby is healthy. I would think with age comes some wisdom . . .take prenatals, don't drink or smoke, watch your diet, etc. Do what you are in control of and let the rest go.

Answer 6

One of my friends at work just had a baby this past July. She's 45 and her baby girl is as healthy as can be. She had a scheduled c-section only because she had surgery to remove a fibroid and the doctor recommended that since he already made an incision, that doing a c-section is the better route for her to go. Needless to say, everything was successful and her baby is beautiful!

Good luck and congrats!

Answer 7

I can't speak personally I am 48 and would CRAP big time. However my cousing was 45 last year and had twins. She was catagorized high risk but with proper medical advice and her following it to the letter, everything was fine. You have even better odds if this is not your first child. In this day and age you have very very goods odds of the pregnancy going great. What I would worry about is being in your 60's with a teenager,,,,,,,,,lol. Good luck

Answer 8

Congratulations and best of luck to you! My great aunt had a baby at 43 and he was a healthy baby boy. She is still going strong at 99 years old today. Look at this way: you are healthy and vital enough to still be fertile at your age, so you are healthy enough to carry your baby to term, right?

Is this your first baby? If you've had healthy babies before, then you are more likely to have another full-term, healthy baby.

I highly recommend taking a prenatal vitamin daily, getting extra rest, eating very healthy, consuming LOTS of fruits and veggies, and avoiding ALL potential miscarriage and birth-defect causing substances (ALL caffeine, nicotine, smoking, alcohol, drugs, medications, over-the-counter medications, and all mercury-containing fish/seafood).

Also, you should definitely get CVS testing or amniocentesis to rule out birth defects, because you are at higher risk for Downs. But chances are your baby will be healthy! Best wishes!
Congrats!

Answer 9

My mum had my brother when she was 42 and he was "full term and healthy!".

And that was 28 years ago when medical facilities were not as advanced as they are today.

My grandmother had a full term healthy baby at the age of 40 way back in 1935 when medical facilities were far less advanced!

You'll be fine.

Answer 10

With modern medicine and medical technology of today, I think that your doctor should be able to console you on these issues. I know it is nice to hear similar stories but if you are a healthy female and eat well, take care of your body, I am thinking that you will be fine. Just as fine as a much younger woman. Good luck and health to you.