Hello ladies,
I was wondering if you gals had any tips about how to deal graciously with ignorant comments about maternal age.
At my first US, the tech and I were discussing that I was "elderly primate gravidas". I shared I was surprised by the label, since I am only 37 years old. She then said, "Don't worry, I see a lot of women older than you who are willingly pregnant. "
Willingly? Ugh.
This echoes a number of comments that people have made about my age. I am in a profession that required additional school and the comments are along the lines of "So you put your career before pregnancy." This is after we have openly explained that we had chosen adoption rather than medicalize any fertility issues.
We had an adoption fall through last year at the last moment a year ago and it broke our hearts. The rxns that family have had to my unplanned-but-incredibly-welcome pregnancy are ecstatic, and stand in high contrast to the guarded and suspicious false cheer when we were "expecting" the adoption.
This was meant to be a single question but has now morphed into me pouring out my whole heart. I guess I am just a big mess of emotions dreading when we have to tell people outside of the inner circle. Any responses, to any of this, would be welcome.
Re: Lab tech comments about 35 plus moms
Can empathize with you!
Oh and I'm 39 ... At 37 I can't believe there would be any comments. I was 34 & 37 with my first 2 and thought of myself as young still LOL
And... Aging sperm also contribute to abnormities!
When my doc sent my FMLA paperwork to my employer - under the section for "additional relevant info regarding the medical condition" for which leave was requested - they references this being an elderly pregnancy (In the med terms- obviously I'm paraphrasing). As I've been lucky enough to have a perfectly healthy pregnancy- I have no idea why that info would be "relevant" - sheesh! And now my employer is put on notice that I am an "elderly" mother to be. Sigh. Could have done with out that - seems gratuitous.
He also told me about a third of his patients are over 35.