Advanced Maternal Age

keikilove · September 2018

Anyone with me here?
How are you feeling about the label? Is anything different for you in this pregnancy than before or than what you expected?
(*Just don’t call it a “geriatric pregnancy”— I’ll take “AMA” over that nonsense any day!)

keikilove · September 2018

So, my last pregnancy was also AMA at the age of 38. I felt & looked great (in the 9th month at least!), had a healthy “high risk” pregnancy & easy natural labor & delivery. Baby is brilliant & beautiful.

But I stopped exercising for the first time in my life after her birth & my body went to absolute mush. It’s been hard to lose the baby weight or find the motivation/time to get back in shape. It took 2.5 years to finally lose the baby weight minus 5 pounds just before getting preggo again. Now determined to get fit again during this pregnancy to have another healthy pregnancy & easy delivery.

Another thing that’s different is my doctor just informed me today that, due to my age, they will induce at 39 weeks. I am disappointed because my first two babies both came naturally at 10 days past their estimated due date. I’d been assuming this one would also arrive in the first week of April, around 10 days after EDD. But, due to the rise in risk for at-term stillbirth for mothers over 40, they will induce for safety. I understand the logic, I’m just still so disappointed.

catlady2015 · September 2018

Hi, @keikilove! I’m sorry about the induction at 39 weeks. Logic may be sound, but it’s one more thing out of our hands right now. I hope maybe this lo will be speedier and come out unprompted right before an induction!

Also ama mama, 37 now and at delivery. The term geriatric pregnancy is nonsense. AMA is so much better. I’m a ftm and so I don’t have comparisons to prior pregnancies. Trying very hard to stay active and take good care of myself to reduce the risk of complications, which I understand is higher due to age. I’m mostly concerned about those. So far, things are going well, but I’m waiting with bated breath for NIPT results - I’ll need to see those to relax some more.

kristimh80 · September 2018

Also in the AMA at the age of 38 and FTM. My OB is referring me to a high risk doctor so can get more ultrasounds and to age, etc. I wish I could have had a baby earlier, but it took a lot to get here and in a way I'm happy because we are more settled in life

These stupid titles are BS...like who came up with the word "geriatric" for a woman aged 35?

@keikilove So sorry they are inducing you early! Just keep thinking...healthy baby without any of the logical risks associated with waiting.

purpleteacher82 · September 2018

Also AMA and a FTM. I will be 36 at delivery. My dr. basically said that while the risks may be slightly higher after 35, the stigma around that number really is just a school of thinking that the profession hasn’t got past more than anything. I’m not worried. I have to have a few extra appts. in the 3rd Tri and my insurance paid for the Panaroma. Other than those things, I don’t think of myself as being “too old.” I established my career, took my time finding a partner, and got myself in a financially responsible place before choosing to start a family. I’m pretty proud to be FTM at 35!

maggiemadeit · September 2018

@keikilove That is really frustrating. Like you said, I can understand the logic, but I wouldn’t be happy with a deadline like that.

Last time around I was gently pushed into an induction at 41 weeks, and ended up with a c section after over 48 hours of labor trying to get a 10.5 pound baby out of me. This time around I am AMA, and my midwife/hospital are very VBAC supportive, but I do worry about age being a factor in the decision when the time comes. I wonder how far past my due date they will let me go, especially knowing there is probably a huge baby in there.

So far nothing has been different this time except that my insurance covered the NIPT and my chart says “high risk”, which is apparently a label they automatically apply to AMA, which seems crazy. My midwife is pretty laid back, and I haven’t been told I will need to do anything extra, but was told they will keep a close eye on me at the end, due to previously mentioned huge baby issues.

valentynsi · September 2018

Ftm at 40.... So far so good though. Had the early blood test at ten weeks and everything was normal. I know there will be more testing than if I had been younger but I'm not really stressing about it too much. I am very hyper aware of my weight though. But that's not because of my age really. I started out technically morbidly obese. Although everyone I know would argue with any medical professional about that. I'm definitely a big girl, but morbidly obese? So that has really been the only thing I've been super concerned about. Mostly I'm concerned with the possibility of gestational diabetes (and having to lose all that extra weight after he is born), though, not higher birth weight. I already know this baby will be big. MH and I were both over 9 lbs when we were born! Haha!!
I feel like this post got away from me a bit... Anyway... My Dr has been very good about not making me feel like there is something wrong with me because of my age. She has very calmly talked me through the different tests and the different things that are at a higher risk because of more advanced age. But she has explained things in such a way that it doesn't feel like dooms day. It's more like... Hey.... Yeah the risk is higher but it's still not a guarantee that xyz thing is going to happen.

onechoctawgirl · September 2018

Same. Was called AMA with my first at age 35. Had no idea it was considered so old. I teach Ballroom and compete for a living so I was great health and excersise wise. I am not 37, will be 38 when I give birth to this one. I hate how old they make you feel. Almost like I am doing something weird, or wrong by being pregnant now... but everything has been fine lol. I am actually healthier now then when I was in my twenties.

navete · September 2018

I’m so happy there are so many of us AMA moms! I turned 35 two months into my pregnancy and immediately started feeling “old”, particularly since it’s my first pregnancy. I was kinda pissed when I read “geriatric primigravida” on my health record

.

momofmanyinthemitten · September 2018

I’ll be 38 when I deliver this one (#5). I switched providers, so they are doing a ton of extra testing that I know my old provider would have never required, or even suggested, as he has seen me through 3 pregnancies in the last five years. I was hoping to do get more exercise in with this pregnancy, but due to digestive issues and relaxin making my pelvic bone and sacrum go out of whack, I just physically can’t exercise. I’m happy to now be with a midwife, as she sees pregnancy more as a normal thing in life, no matter the age, instead of a medical situation.

3rdtime_charmed · September 2018

36 here. FTM and expecting twins!!!

*TW Frank discussion of complications*end TW. If you are interested, historically the age 35 was chosen as AMA because at age 35 you are more likely to have a baby with Downs than you are to have a complication from amniocentesis.
That’s it! And now amnio is way better and with NIPT fewer people have to have amnio anyway, so the label doesn’t make a lot of sense.

Further, There have been lots of studies that show babies born to AMA moms have huge advantages because we tend to have more stable finances, marriages, and have more education. One study said the optimal age to have a baby for these factors is 38.

Luckily my doc doesn’t seem to care that I’m AMA, she didn’t decide I was high risk until she found out there are two babies.

westslopemama · September 2018

I'm 37 and a FTM. I understand that there are more risks the older we get, but I think it's crazy that we are considered "geriatric or elderly"!

Luckily my midwife doesn't seem too worried about my age. I'm fit and healthy so I'm feeling good about it. I do think about if we want to have another baby that I will be even older and that does make me nervous.

Pooka8 · September 2018

I'm only 34 but according to my perinatologist, Ama starts at 33 for multiples. News to me.

booksiscute · September 2018

I’m 38, will be 39 when I deliver. No one cares though. I think it’s pretty common around here (Bay Area) so my doctors have barely mentioned my age.

shadylane18 · September 2018

I'm 41 and will be 42 when I deliver as a FTM. Like @booksiscute, no one seems to mention it really. Of course I went through genetic testing with no question as to whether or not I would, but that's about it. I'm also in a big city, so that may have something to do with it, too. Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, my MIL and SIL are the only people who have said anything at all, and that was to ask if I'm seeing a high-risk doctor (I'm not).

BuckeyeNut05 · September 2018

I go here, too. I am 36. My doctor hasn't even mentioned it other than to say insurance is more likely to cover more testing.

gowenc · September 2018

@keikilove we have similar histories - I was 38 when I delivered my first and am 40 now. Pregnancy was smooth and he was born at 40w+3d. I did have to be induced because my water broke before I went into active labor, but otherwise it was relatively uneventful. I was definitely in much better shape/health with my first, and this pregnancy has so far been harder on me physically and mentally. I am trying to stay active but the nausea and fatigue have been pretty bad, so I haven't been as successful. I'm 15 weeks now, hoping that I'll start to feel better soon so I can get more active.

The midwives practice I'm going to doesn't seem too concerned about my age, but I do know they will make me do weekly fetal monitoring once I hit 36 weeks (or somewhere around there, I don't remember exactly what it was last time). So far no mention of inducing, though - I'm sorry they're making you do that.

JaJuanY · September 2018

This is me now! I actually saw a diagnosis on my chart as an "elderly multigravida" (I'm 36). I'd much rather just be advanced maternal age! I don't see physically a big difference than my last pregnancy, but of course I was 34 then, so really not that much older now. I do get to find out the gender early, because of the genetic testing, and do a more high-resolution ultrasound at 20 weeks. I'm having more trouble gaining weight this time around, but I think that's due to running after the 2 year old.

kristimh80 · September 2018

@JaJuanY Ugh I can't believe your chart actually said "elderly"! I wish science would catch up with the modern era. I often wonder what they label Bridgett Neilson for having a baby at 54

cdiddy81 · October 2018

I am AMA at 37. I'm a 3rd time mom, this is the first AMA pregnancy for me. I was automatically sent to a high risk OB d/t being AMA. He reassured me that I am not high risk. I had the NIPT and everything was low risk. I have my anatomy scan this week with the high risk ob. That said, I will likely be induced at or around my due date if he doesn't come before then because every pregnancy my BP has creeped up at the end and my ob will not let me go past 40 weeks with pregnancy induced hypertension. I have noticed a big difference in this pregnancy compared to my last 2 but I don't think its just age. I'm heavier, I work full-time now, and I have two very busy kids. My last 2 pregnancies I had lots of energy in the second trimester and this time I barely have enough to get through work and do what I need to do.

dtspmama · October 2018

I turn 35 next month, so technically AMA this time around. I had to have an NIPT with DD2 because of the results of her NT measurement (everything was/is fine, she just has a really short neck, LOL) so I was prepared for those tests this time round. I have my level 2 sonogram on Friday which has me slightly nervous (only because new tests always do; NT and NIPT have already been normal).

The way I figure it, if Janet Jackson can have a baby at 50 and Brigitte Nielsen can have a baby at 54, I'm basically a baby myself! Labels be damned!

laur84ns · October 2018

@dtspmama That's interesting, so if you turn 35 during your pregnancy then you're still considered AMA? I will turn 35 about three weeks before this baby is due and a friend just asked me the other night if that meant I was considered AMA. I said no, no one has mentioned that to me and I haven't had any additional testing. I told her that my guess was it was based on how old you are when you conceived, but perhaps that isn't true? I have my first obgyn appointment tomorrow so I guess I should ask her if I'm AMA or not (if I am considered AMA I know I'm supposed to have a more detailed 20 week scan, on a high risk floor of the hospital - a couple of my friends have had AMA pregnancies).

dtspmama · October 2018

@laur84ns I was told that it's the mother's age at the time of birth, not at conception. Maybe another doctor will see it differently (especially since your birthday is so close to your due date!) but I'd definitely ask.

valentynsi · October 2018

@laur84ns maybe because you won't be 35 until almost your due date... Who knows...

laur84ns · October 2018

@dtspmama @valentynsi Hmm ok now I'm really happy I read this before tomorrow's appointment! I like my family doctor but I think he's a bit out of his depth overseeing anything other than a totally routine pregnancy. I had to ask him about maternal screening (I lived in a different province last pregnancy and things are done differently here) and by the time I had an appointment and asked, it was too late to do the first trimester screening. I did the second trimester one but definitely wasn't offered an NT ultrasound or NIPT. Sigh. I did ask him to refer me to an obgyn early though, which he did (I'm going at 19 weeks when the norm here is to be referred around 28 weeks). All this to say, I don't trust him to realize if I should be considered AMA. I'll be pretty annoyed if I'm AMA and I didn't get first trimester blood screening, an NT scan or NIPT. I'll let you know what my obgyn says tomorrow!

dtspmama · October 2018

@laur84ns good luck!!!

valentynsi · October 2018

@laur84ns good luck! I'm curious to hear what the ob has to say.

indigoheightsblog · October 2018

Majorly lurking here! As a FTM, I’m so curious as to why people view being induced as a bad thing? Is that because it sort of shocks your body before it’s actually ready to start labor?

maggiemadeit · October 2018

@indigoheightsblog There is this idea that there is a “cascade of interventions” that frequently happens that can lead to an unecessary c section. This often starts with an induction, which won’t work well on a body that’s not ready for labor, which may lead to stalling or non progression of labor. This can sometimes involve a longer labor, which can get you closer to these deadlines that doctors use to decide if you need a c section, (things like 24 hours in labor, or pushing for 4 hours, without delivery). They can also lead to fetal distress, which will get you a c section in a hurry.

There are lots of good reasons for an induction or for any number of interventions, but that is kind of the idea, that the induction can be the first step of this cascade and can lead to a different kind of birth than what you want.

There was an interesting new study in NEJM recently that suggested that inducing at 39 weeks can actually lead to a lower rate of c sections, so there is evidence on the other side of this argument too.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/08/180809112529.htm

Lbloom · October 2018

4th pregnancy, first time being AMA. Again I have high amniotic fluid, so that landed me a scan with an MFM. It was unexplained in my last 2 and resolved itself by the end, but it just makes me bigger and more uncomfortable earlier on that I normally would be. Baby has lots of room to move around in there and was sure taking advantage while the tech tried to take measurements during my anatomy scan today!

indigoheightsblog · October 2018

@maggiemadeit thank you that makes so much more sense now!!!

laur84ns · October 2018

@valentynsi @dtspmama Ok, so my ob is not considering me AMA since a) I've given birth before (?) and b) I turn 35 so close to when I deliver. I guess the two factors combined mean she isn't recommending extra screening. However, she did mention that because I'll be 35 when my due date rolls around, she won't want to see me go any more than a week past my due date (i.e. she's like to discuss induction after 40w 6d). I don't love that, but DD came at 40 + 4 so I'm hoping it'll be a non-issue.

dtspmama · October 2018

@laur84ns glad you were able to discuss it with her and get it straightened out, and FX for no induction!

Advanced Maternal Age

Re: Advanced Maternal Age

Choose Another Board

Search Boards