Pregnancy over 38

[blunomore]

As a matter of fact, later pregnancies (late 30s, early 40s) are very common and quite "in" these days. My ob/gyn said she had a number of mothers in their early 40s.


More and more people first build their careers, travel the world, etc and only then becomne parents. Makes sense in some way.

To each his own.

 

[Viva]

Why is it any business of anyone but the family involved?

Although I don't see anything wrong with it.

Catherine Zeta Jones is 42 and I'd happily impregnate the daylights out of her.

Apparently telling her that increases your chances:

Zeta-Jones met actor Michael Douglas, with whom she shares a birthday, and who is exactly 25 years her senior, at the Deauville Film Festival in France in August 1998, after being introduced by Danny DeVito. They began dating in March 1999. Zeta-Jones claims that when they met, he used the line "I'd like to father your children."[32] They became engaged on 31 December 1999, and were married at the Plaza Hotel in New York City on 18 November 2000, just weeks after Douglas' divorce was finalised.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_Zeta-Jones

 

[wrathex]

Younger parents tend to be more impatient with their children and spend less time just chilling and relaxing with the child than an older woman who is ready to devote all her time to the raising of her child.

Younger parents are more likely to let their child grow up with more environmental and social challenges whereas the older parent is likely to be more careful about such things.

The above example details do not tie in with 'better or worse parenting', just difference in attitude to parenting due to years of life experience which the younger parents do not have.

My children has a young parent my daughter is 25 my son 19 and I am 45.

My sister conceived her son at age 38, perfect pregancy and delivery.

Medically speaking, being pregnant at older ages is not such an issue anymore if the female is generally healthy. eg: being a diabetic, or too over weight are not good conditions for a late preganancy.

* When I see an 'older' pregant woman I think: Lucky child !
(because an older woman really wants that child, she has thought it through, she's going to give it her best shot, that child is going to be raised well and that leaves a warm feeling with me)

 

[ColinR]

I personally think 1 child per family is more than enough...2 MAX....

There is a problem with the theory behind that, as illustrated by my very scientific chart below. I saw on some propaganda video that the required average children to sustain a nation is 2.16 per couple.

 

[Roxi_B4b3]

slightly ot, but studies found that older men might father longer living children

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/246484.php

 

[Rocket Raccoon]

I am against people who think they can do with their bodies as they please.

In fact I am so against it I'm thinking of moving to Tennessee.

 

[TJ99]

Why specifically 38? What if she gets pregnant the day before her 38th birthday, does that make you feel less uncomfortable? I say let people do what they want, in fact as others have said, provided the baby is healthy, older women will likely be better mothers. They know more about life and themselves and they don't want to go out and party all the time.

We should be more worried about all the kids getting married at 20 and popping out kids of their own by 21-22 frankly. Or 16. Or grade 3 from an article that we had a few days ago...

 

[blunomore]

Why specifically 38? What if she gets pregnant the day before her 38th birthday, does that make you feel less uncomfortable? I say let people do what they want, in fact as others have said, provided the baby is healthy, older women will likely be better mothers. They know more about life and themselves and they don't want to go out and party all the time.

We should be more worried about all the kids getting married at 20 and popping out kids of their own by 21-22 frankly. Or 16. Or grade 3 from an article that we had a few days ago...

Amen

 

[mooks]

....

* When I see an 'older' pregant woman I think: Lucky child !
(because an older woman really wants that child, she has thought it through, she's going to give it her best shot, that child is going to be raised well and that leaves a warm feeling with me)

I think that is the best argument yet. The corollary to that is of course that the grand kids will have less opportunity for a relationship with their grandparents and the kids will potentially lose their parent a lot earlier than their peers.

To be honest though, when my knee jerk reaction happens, there is no higher functioning debate going on in my mind. I'm certainly not consciously thinking of the pro's and cons of pregnancy and parenthood in later life. It is what it is, a knee jerk thought of pregnancy is the domain of the younger, fitter generation. I'm not saying its the nice, reasonable, 'anything goes, to each their own' mentality I'd like to have..... Maybe I'm just completely archaic in my approach to this. I dunno.

 

[mooks]

Why specifically 38? What if she gets pregnant the day before her 38th birthday, does that make you feel less uncomfortable? I say let people do what they want, in fact as others have said, provided the baby is healthy, older women will likely be better mothers. They know more about life and themselves and they don't want to go out and party all the time.

We should be more worried about all the kids getting married at 20 and popping out kids of their own by 21-22 frankly. Or 16. Or grade 3 from an article that we had a few days ago...

38 is not a magic number, and there is nothing about the specificity of it that relates to the issue, it was simply an imagined milestone for arguments sake in this case.

And I'm not sure that age is really a determining factor in your capacities as a mother. I have friends in their early 20s with kids that they adore and dote over, while I have friends whose mothers in the 40's 50's & 60's are horrible examples as parents (like truly horrendous... emotionally distant, verbally abusive, dishonest and horrific role models ... and unfortunately I am not just referring to one case).

I'm not defending one side or the next on this. While I may not think its the ideal situation, I would certainly never stop anybody from making the choices they want to make. But I think that to imply that young mothers are somehow less equipped or capable or invested in their kids is not that realistic.

 

[Grimspoon]

Find it bizzare that it makes you uncomfortable. 38 is not old and it is perfectly natural to have kids at that age and fairly common. Sure the risk factor goes up, but thats what the tests are for.

As mentioned, older more mature women tend to have more patients and a better grounding in life than say a mother in her 20's.

 

[blunomore]

Find it bizzare that it makes you uncomfortable. 38 is not old and it is perfectly natural to have kids at that age and fairly common. Sure the risk factor goes up, but thats what the tests are for.

As mentioned, older more mature women tend to have more patients and a better grounding in life than say a mother in her 20's.

I also think that women in their late 30s/early 40s have more experience and wisdom to impart to their kids.

 

[AniV]

I would rather have women over 38 (up to the age of 45) having children than people under the age of 18.

Yes, medically it becomes riskier to have children the older you get. A women's prime childbearing time is around 25years old (*citation needed) but to be honest, an older person having a kid makes me less uncomfortable than a girl who is still a child herself popping out little ones. They will likely need to be supported by Granny and Grandpa because the teen mom hasn't built up her financial situation to a point where she is capable of supporting the little ones.

Also, the older the parent, the more maturity, patience and experience they have to pass on. This doesn't mean a 19-year-old won't do a good job of raising a kid though. Younger parents tend to have more energy and cope better with the physical demands of babies and toddlers. Older parents may struggle to keep up with their kids, and won't be able to have fun with them for quite as long.

I love that my Mom is old enough to be wise and patient, yet have enough energy and physical ability to go out and do fun things with me. That being said, I am 26 and I have no plans for kids yet. I'm terrified of the idea of having children and do not feel financially, emotionally or mentally near-ready to have kids. I will re-assess when I turn 30.

 

[Thugscub]

Well rather 38 year holds who can look after their children than 13 year old popping kids out by the dozen to claim their R200 rand each from the state.