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Pregnant after 35
To moms-to-be over 40
I am TTC naturally & was wondering if any women over the age of 40 got pregnant with their first child w/o any help from meds or invitro, etc.?
I am 42 & DH is 34 (yup, found me a nice young one). Neither of us have any children yet. I am healthy, physically fit with good genetics (both parents are naturally thin like me). He too is fine with weight - slight belly bump, but fit with good genetics too. My brothers both have 2 children & his sister has 1 child.
DH is dead set against using any meds to help things along, I am not, but will honor his request. I am charting & this is the start of our 3rd month trying - so not very long, but we just got married in June and he did not want to try until after we said I do.
I am hoping to hear some good news of women over 40 getting pregnant naturally. Please, I could use some uplifting. I am planning on calling my OBGYN to schedule an appt to do some basic tests next month if we don't get a positive test this cycle.
Thanks in advance for sharing...
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Re: To moms-to-be over 40
Let me answer your question this way. My DH and I first started TTC in December 2008 following our marriage. At that time I was 37 (DH was 27), we were both healthy and I had very regular cycles and could usually feel ovulation. We got our BFP (completely unmedicated and without charting) at the end of Feb 2009. Our DS was born 11/11/09. We started trying for #2 in July of 2011. At that time I was 40. We got our BFP (again unmedicated, but temping and charting this time) at the end of August, 2011. I ended up losing that pg at 11w in Oct 2011. We started trying again in Jan 2012 and got this BFP on St. Patty's day. Each time, it has taken me 2 or 3 cycles to get a BFP without medication of any kind.
When we first started TTC at age of 37, my OB told me if I didn't get a positive within 6 months, to let him know and he would start doing some basic testing. Getting pg over 40 naturally happens. Since you are charting, make sure you are being active enough during your fertile window. If you usually o around cycle day 12, then make sure you are busy from about cycle day 8 til about cycle day 14 at minimum. If you don't know when you O, then get busy as often as possible from when AF leaves until you just can't look at DH anymore/you get a + HPT or AF shows again! GL.
And either using Clearblue easy fertility monitor or ovulation predictor tests. You really want to pinpoint as best you can because given your age, you probably have one day of good fertile time each month.
Thanks, I needed to hear some positive news. I chart my CM & temps. I haven't started doing position yet, but may add that on soon. I do take Mucinex - the expectorant one. It started out I was taking it for my cough (the way allergies affect me) and now I take it daily to help keep my CM in a more acceptable state
I also take a B6 & Folic Acid suppliment (started these two back in March to prep my body for pregnancy). Should I consider a pre-nat vitamin instead?
I was on BCP for about 20 yrs & this was my first time going off of them. The Dr did have me do CBC blood work every few yrs to make sure everything was fine with me & it always came back fine. My last BCP was on June 13th & my cycle went right back to "what I remember to be" normal. Last month I had what I believe to be ovulation pain & I also had EW discharge that was slightly streaked - this along with the temps rising right after that - I would like to believe I O'd.
My friend recommended getting a monitor - I believe she said the Clearblue one was not too expensive, but worth it.
Here's my story: I started TTC at 41-ish (no previous pregnancies), DH is 4 years younger than me, so we are in a pretty similar situation. I read up and followed the fertility plan in this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Making-Babies-3-Month-Program-Fertility/dp/0316024503
plus I used the Clear Blue Easy Fertility Monitor, temped, and did accupuncture.
We got pregnant fairly easily (within several months each pregnancy) to my complete surprise, but lost the first two pregnancies in the first tri. Because all of my RPL testing came out clean, I am assuming that these losses were a result of age (both mine and DH's) and reduced egg/sperm quality.
My OB gave us one last try before he sent us on to IVF. He put me on Clomid and progesterone, we got pregnant the third time this past April after about 4 months TTC, and so far this pregnancy has gone well. I'll deliver at age 43.
Remember everyone is different, but age doesn't necessarily automatically mean you'll have to do IVF. Sending you very, very happy baby vibes!
I was 38 when I got pregnant with my 1st... basically it happened my 1st month off birth control without any intervention. Boy, was I surprised because I'd always heard that it's harder for those 35+ to conceive in general. With my 2nd (due in Oct), I'll be 42 when I give birth. Again, got pg without any intervention. It took a few months of trying (maybe 7?), but we weren't trying very hard. No temping/charting either time and I wasn't paying any attention to when I might be ovulating.
So, it can happen!
We conceived our first surviving baby when I was 40. He was born around my 41st birthday. Five months later, we discovered I'm pregnant again (oops!)... I am now 9 weeks 3 days pregnant (another natural conception).
We had conceived a lot of times before, but they resulted in miscarriages. The difference now was that DH and I went all organic two years ago... cut out ALL junk food, fast food, etc. and now eat a diet based on organic whole foods. We also stopped using anything with parabens (they are in products like shampoo, lotion, soap, etc.) because those are hormone disrupters and can cause infertility. It's also important to sleep soundly at night in complete darkness, and to get some sunshine exposure each day (this helps regulate hormones to help make you a lot more fertile).
BTW, with this pregnancy, we only BD'ed one time that could possibly have led to pregnancy since our son was born in February! That seems impossible after 9 years of TTC and so many years of heartbreak. That will tell you what a difference an organic/chemical-free lifestyle can make!
We have a friend whose mother had babies at age 41, 43, 45, and 47!! All natural conceptions! Another friend of mine conceived naturally a few days before her 47th birthday, and she now has a beautiful, perfect, healthy baby girl. It is a lot more possible than the media and our culture would have you believe. The big thing attacking women's fertility is not age in and of itself, but the cumulative effects of all the chemical garbage and hormone disrupters. Clean up your diet and lifestyle and you can have the fertility of a much younger woman.
A great book I read when I was 39 that was super-encouraging was called "You Can Get Pregnant Over 40, Naturally" by Sandy Robertson. She had several miscarriages when doing IVF, then finally cleaned up her diet and lifestyle and was able to conceive her healthy daughter shortly before she turned 44. It gave me sooo much hope and encouragement at a time that I was feeling too old and hopeless.
This pregnancy was actually an "oops" for me, so I think getting pregnant over 40 naturally is a perfectly good possibility, LOL! This is my 3rd pregnancy, so I'm not sure if that makes a difference. My older kids are 9 and 6. Good luck to you!!!!!
I started TTC when I was 39. I saw a high risk dr before I was pg just to check in on some questions I had about an autoimmune disease I have. He couldn't have cared less about that - but told me to get to IVF at 'my age' because 'you'll end up there anyway'. I wasn't sold, and I got pg naturally after about 5 cycles. It ended in early m/c. I kind of caved to all the pressure of doctors telling me how screwed I was at 'my age' and moved onto IUI even though, technically, the only thing wrong with me is my age. I got pg again, but ended in a chemical pg. As time ticked on, I agreed to IVF, mostly for the ability to freeze eggs and I got pg on the first cycle. I am currently 6 weeks, but it's been very dicey. I am hopeful everything will be ok but my early scans were inconclusive.
I tell you all this to say, it's a really personal choice. I don't regret doing any meds because I'll do anything to have a healthy baby at this point. But, I do really really wonder if I had never done anything, if I would've just gotten pg naturally again anyway. I will say - if nothing else, get that Clearblue Monitor! I think I got pg after like the first month with it. I never ever paid attention to ovulation or anything over the years and I didn't ovulate till like day 19 or something. Good luck!
PS. I think that PP is onto something with her organic advice as well.
I am 41 and pregnant with my fifth child. All of my kids were born after I was 35. I have had four term deliveries and two miscarriages, one earlier this year and another when I was 36. Things are looking good with this pregnancy. I am 12 weeks and baby has a good heartbeat and appears healthy.
I think charting is the best thing you can do. You will know for sure when you have ovulated with your temp shift. You might also google sperm meets egg or something like that. I have not used it but know others who have used the plan to conceive.
The biggest issue the over 40 group has is old eggs, so miscarriage rate is going to be higher. But it only takes one good egg! GL
I'm 39 and will be 40 when we deliver.
I too, was thinking we had a long road ahead of us b/c of all the reading I had done. Imagine my shock when, after 3 cycles, we were KU!
DH smokes, has asthma and eats crap. Apparently didn't make a dent! LOL! We both exercise pretty regularly. I feed us very mindful of balanced nutrition and organic products (can't control what DH eats for lunch- Burger King!)
We generally get pretty good rest and aren't party animals. (Read: we're boring- LOL!)
We used a CBFM and OPK's as well as preseed- I was going to start temp'ing but then didn't need to. But, I think it's a good idea, lets you know if aunt flo is coming and helps you not go too crazy during the 2WW.
I had my DD at 38. I had my meds to start IVF in the refrigerator but my cycle never started. I got pregnant naturally. After my daughter, I had 2 losses, so I stopped trying. I went on with my life, greatful for my only child. Well, I turned 43 y.o. back in April of this year, and I was sick for the whole month of May. On May 30th, I learned that I am pregnant. I am now 20 weeks along. My sister had her fist at 41, my cousing had 2 children at 43 and 45. All healthy children.
Best wishes...LT
BFP #2 - 7/1/12 - Met my lucky charm Alexandra on 3-16-13!!!
Wow, thank you for all the great responses. Lots of ladies over 40 getting pregnant naturally... It is so encouraging to hear!
We are not junk food eaters - not much for fast food. We are huge chicken eaters with a steak/beef at least once a week. The paraban is interesting, I have to check all my hair & body products now.
I was 39 and my SO was 40 when we started trying. I am now 40 and he is 41. I also used an online ovulation predictor and we got our BFP on the 4th cycle. I am 35 weeks. All has gone well.
For more background, we both eat fast food, we both exercise (he's a watersports junkie and before PG I was running 10-20 miles p/wk and I swim) I was a little overweight before PG and he's in really good shape. I started taking a prenatal when we decided to TTC. I don't drink caffeine anyway and I didn't drink if I thought there was a chance I was PG.
GL to you!
I got pregnant naturally with two babies over 40. With our 17 month old it took 8 months and this baby it took a M/C and then 5 months. My OB suggested fertility treatments as the next steps. Thankfully we got pregnant the next cycle. It may take some time but it is possible to go med free. Oh I was 40 and 42 when I got pregnant with my last two pregnancies. DH was 46 and 48.
Good luck to you.
I had my first at 38. I had one miscarriage (at the time 37), then waited two months per doctor's orders and delivered my DS when I was 38. After DS was born, we had a few miscarriages and gave up having a second - and like a poster before - would up pregnant this summer. I had gone off birth control back in February because I thought I was too old so we were just trying to avoid getting pregnant via timing. I just turned 42 (Hubby will be 36 when we have the baby) and I am 7 weeks 5 days along and will deliver in April. We believed that if it happens, it happens, but we were not going to use drugs.
Frankly, I am freaked out by having a baby at 42 - almost 8 weeks in I am still scared, but it is comforting knowing that so many are having babies in their early 40s. And, luckily, people don't think I am in my 40s.
I'll chime in too. Got pregnant with baby #1 at 39...first month trying. Unfortunately, that ended in m/c. I felt like we were racing against the clock, so we saw an RE and did 3 IUIs which all failed. Just when we were ready to cycle for IVF, I found out I was pregnant. It took 8 months...and I often wonder if it would have happened sooner had we not been trying with treatments. DS was born when I was 41.
We're currently TTC #2, and it is starting to get discouraging. Baby #3 was conceived 7 months after trying, but also ended in m/c. The doctor thinks that it was a chromosomal abnormality due to age. We've now been trying again for six months since the m/c. I'm just praying that we get lucky one more time.