please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

i'm 34 (going on 35 in january and i'm heavily considering trying for a 3rd) and I would really like to hear the good, the bad and the ugly of having a child after 35....what are the dangers exactly other than of course the higher risk of down syndrome??

tia

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

I don't know the specifics, but I can tell you that I have had many friends over 35 have babies with no issues. If you want another, then go for it!

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

I had my daughter at 41 and was not even considered high risk by my OB.

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

I had my sons at ages 35 and 37. I also wasn't considered high risk.

I got pregnant easily both times, without medical intervention.

When I had my nuchal scans/blood test at 12 weeks, both times my numbers for the risk of Downs were the same of that of a woman in her 20's. So I opted not to do an amnio either time.

I had healthy, uneventful pregnancies, the only "issue" was that I had a c-section with each one. I don't think that was because of my age, but the circumstances of the births. Many women I know under 35 have had c-sections.

The issues with having a baby as you get older are: egg quality (more chance of a chromosonal defect due to older eggs) and a higher risk of gestational diabetes and blood pressure issues. But those happen to plenty of younger moms too.

I say go for it!!

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

I just had my first at 38 and I was not considered high risk due to my age.

I had issues that would have happened if I was 20 or 45 that made me high risk so age had nothing to do with it and I do not consider you older at all.

I will be having my 2nd at 40 if all goes right and I'm not concerned at all.

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

Here's a good website.

It also probably depends highly on the individual.

http://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/pregnancy-after-35

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

I conceived my first at 35 by choice. I just was NOT ready for children before that age and I wasn't going to fall into the whole 'my biological clock" stuff- to me that was the wrong reason to have a baby when I wasn't ready.
I got pregnant on the first try.
I delivered at 36.
I had no adverse affects.
I had a very easy, uneventful pregnancy (other than slightly elevated BP in from my second trimester on- but it was controlled with meds and i never got pre-e or anything)
My delivery was text book smooth.
I was feeling 100% a week after birth...minimal tearing and just a few stitches.
My daughter was 100% fine.
I did have an amnio- again by choice- because DH and I wanted 100% certaninty, not percentages, on if there was anything genetically wrong.

I know the risks are higher after a certain age but if you are asking for my personal experience it was the above.
Maybe I got lucky who knows?
My Dr wasn't overly concerned about my age at any point and never was I considered 'high risk'.

Message edited 6/7/2012 9:03:20 AM.

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

The thing I find confusing is in a lot of articles, and the one above does this too, it talks about the risks going up for a woman "in her 40s". And yet they talk about 35 as the age. So which is it?

Anyway, I'm 35 now and pregnant with my 2nd. I think so many women now are having kids later in life that docs are more equipped to handle issues that may arise and my age would never factor in to my decision to have more kids.

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

I had DS at 39 and DD at 40. No amnio. A few odd things during pregnancy but nothing related to age at all.

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

I only know the general risks and that over 35 is considered to be of advanced maternal age.

I (eventually) got pregnant at 42 and had my DD at 43. I had a wonderful pregnancy with no complications and was not considered high risk so I only saw my regular OB/GYN.

My OB did say that because I am healthy and have no pre-existing medical conditions that he had no concerns about my pregnancy. He said he treats everyone on an individual basis and a 28-year-old could be considered high risk while I wasn't.

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

I had my 3rd at 39. He was born happy and healthy! The actual pregnancy wasn't bad at all, despite some insomnia and heartburn (normal pregnancy stuff!). But they did find an issue at the 12 week NT scan which set in motion a ton of visits to a high risk perinatologist. I had a ton of sonos, a fetal echocardiogram, etc. (the issue turned out to be nothing at all!)

I also developed high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. Because of that, at the end of the pregnancy (30+ week forward), I was going to the OB 2x a week for biophysical profiles and non-stress tests.

In the end, his birth was textbook and he was just fine. I would do it all over again if DH was on board

Message edited 6/7/2012 10:07:13 AM.

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

There is a higher risk of DS over 35, but so many people have healthy babies closer to 40 nowadays. I'll be 35 when I deliver. My mom was 40 when she had my brother and it was her healthiest pregnancy.

They did recommend an amnio to me but I opted out because my NT and whatever the test they do at 16 weeks were good. Once we got those results, they never mentioned it again.

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

I'm in the club too, pregnant at 40 and delivered at 41.

I was scared scared scared before my first appt with the OB; when I got there he said "Why do you look like you're gonna cry?"

And I said... cause i'm FORTYYYYYYYYY.

He rolled his eyes and said "This is the Upper East Side. Everyone's 40. " :D

No complications, great pregnancy. I had no preexisting medical conditions, but of course that would impact pregnancy regardless of age.

Other than being DOG TIRED in these toddler years , there has really been no downside for us having a baby at 41.

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

I got pregnant with DS at 36 and pregnant with DD now (no medical intervention) I was not High risk with DS ~ I am a HR now due to a blood disorder passed on through my mom (not due to age) They say the eggs could be less and not as "good" if you were younger. GL in your decision!

Message edited 6/7/2012 10:19:01 AM.

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

I was a bit obsessed with advanced maternal age. My mom also had difficulty conceiving so I wanted to start sooner than later. DS#1 was a 1st shot baby and DS#2 was a second shot baby.

We know tons of moms who had their first in their late 30's and early 40's. Their children are perfectly healthy.

We also know people who had difficulty conceiving and/or had multiple miscarriages. They vary in age from late 20's to mid 30's.

I don't think I'm the norm but I care a lot about statistics. I personally would not try after age 35. Most of my friends will be trying for their first after age 35. I already have 2 boys though and they are a handful.

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

I conceived and had my second at 35.

As another posted already said, when I did the nuchal fold test at 12 weeks my results came back similar to a woman in her 20s. My pregnancy was relatively uneventful except for my AFP result which showed an elevated risk for spina bifida, but I don't think that had anything to do with my age. And in the end, it proved to be nothing to worry abut.

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

I had DS #1 at 34 and Ds #2 at almost 36. I was higher risk not because of my pregnancies but because i had pre-existing high blood pressure, not realted to pregnancy at all. actually during both my pregnancies my blood pressure was pretty perfect though...LOL.

Both pregnancies and babies turend out abasolutely fine. My doctor offered the amnio for DS#2 but only if I really wanted it, his opinion was that I didn't need it since all my other testing had been fine.

My mother had me at 39 and my sister-in-law had my nephew at 40. While there are factors that become riskier the older you get they monitor for them.

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

I had DD at 34 and DS at 37. No real issues with either pregnancy, although statistically the odds do increase of genetic and chromosomal issues.

I was offered the amino with DS but even my OB said it wasn't necessary and my pregnancy was progressing normally.

I wouldn't be surprised if down the road they push back the increased risk odds to closer to 40.

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

Message edited 6/7/2012 11:48:48 AM.

Re: please explain what the dangers/risk of getting pregnant at 35 really are?

thanks so much everyone for telling me your experiences

more experiences are welcomed!!!!!