# So why is 35 the "magic" number?



## robinator

I always thought it was a medical thing, but yesterday my doc told me it's something the insurance companies came up with!! Up until the age of 35, the risks are less than the benefits (for lack of better wording), and at 35, the two are equal. Huh. 

At least it means that now my insurance should cover most, if not all, of the old lady testing I'll need. :thumbup:


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## Fallen Angel

I guess being in the states the insurance is quite a prominant thing.

Here in the UK, 35 is the big number too, but that certainly won't be insurance driven, there has to be medical science behind it, but in this day in age, with so many women having babies later in life, surely it's time a different view point was taken on it?


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## hippylittlej

I haven't encountered any problems from anyone regarding my age. Nobody professional or otherwise have raised it as an issue. I am just happy to have finally reached this point.


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## ASBO_ALI

conceived on my 35th birthday... lol.... finger crossed baby not born with 4 heads and 18 toes!! xx


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## Fallen Angel

Nice that you can pinpoint it - what a memory :)


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## robinator

I conceived 2 days after my 36th birthday. ;)


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## Fallen Angel

We conceived at some point over the xmas and new year shagfest lol. We had irish coffees every day and I swear that's the magic.

We may call baby Bells (a Scottish whisky for those overseas) :rofl:


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## Emx

Being over 35 is considered a 'risk' factor in our maternity notes in the UK. It can make the difference between being under consultant care or not (usually in addition to at least 2 other factors). Have been told by my midwife and GP in both pregnancies that they personally dont consider it a risk factor as it is so common for women to start their families at 35+ these days... This is my second pregnancy over 35 and my age has never been an issue...


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## pip7890

I'm 40 and no one has dared call me an "older mother" yet!

Pip x


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## ellie27

pip7890 said:


> I'm 40 and no one has dared call me an "older mother" yet!
> 
> Pip x

My doctor called me an 'older mother' and I am only 34!!!!:wacko:


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## Fallen Angel

I've been called a geriatric mother at A&E when I was admitted with my potty heart a couple of months back.

Just as well I have a good sense of humour really :rofl:


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## ambreen359

My doctor said i should not consider HB because of my age i said i have only just 40 he said i was in the geriatric range:wacko:
So were bypassing the doc as my OH says we ARE having a HB with an independant midwife:happydance:


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## willyandcourt

Years ago, before wonderful medical technology... 35 was the age to stop TTC or to just slow down due to environmental exposures, what our bodies are exposed to during our reproductive years... and blah blah bhal...lol... Now, we know to eat healthier, take our vitamins, exercise and take better care of ourselves. Because of that "older" mentality, it still carries on today. But... I'm breaking the mold... 36 years old and going to be a 1st time biological mom to a bundle of joy in November!!!


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## chysantheMUM

My own mother likes to refer to me as an 'elderly mom' :haha:

But the health professionals don't seem to be that fussed about my age and my consultant actually commented that I was in better shape than some of the young moms she'd seen :happydance:


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## Zinky

I'm 38 and this is my first pregnancy. My midwife has put quite clearly in my notes that I am low risk. I just assumed they would put me as high risk due to all the hype of being over 35 and pregnant!


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## Mary Jo

when I first saw a midwife when pregnant with my son 2 years ago, I asked if my age was an issue (I was 34 when he was conceived but had turned 35 by the time I saw a mw), and she said no, they didn't consider 35 old these days. I like to think they judge women to be high-risk on merit not on their birthdate. :lol: this time round nobody has said anything. I think my very straightforward pregnancy and birth last time automatically makes me low risk.

so far as declining fertility goes, I feel we've been lucky. but I did and do take good care of myself, and also we planned everything (I temped to be more certain of the right time and that I was actually ovulating). I was too wary to take it for granted and just dtd when we wanted! I do think it has been a factor in our apparantly decent fertility, just knowing the right times.


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## robinator

Fallen Angel said:


> I've been called a geriatric mother at A&E

WHAT?!?!!? :rofl:


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## gw76

I also thought that 35 was the "magic" age - but my doctor has never mentioned my age at all (was 35 in April and littl'un is due in July) I have other issues that make me high risk, but age isn't one of them!


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## jcg0506

I've been told my a friend who is a medical student that 35 is based on the graph of risk factors to age; at 35 the line begins to incline at a slightly sharper rate; there's a more dramatic rise at 40. But to say that statistically pregnancies at 35 are slightly riskier than at 34 is not to say that every 35+ mom is high risk, and most doctors and midwives will judge based on the individual. I'm still classed as low risk at 35, and my nuchal screening test came back with my risk factors equivalent of a 20 year old.


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## Fallen Angel

robinator said:


> Fallen Angel said:
> 
> 
> I've been called a geriatric mother at A&E
> 
> WHAT?!?!!? :rofl:Click to expand...

Yup!!! :rofl:

I was admitted to A&E with my heart (I have atrial fibrillation) and when I told the nurse I was pregnant her exact words were "oh, another geriatric mother to be" She was laughing when she said this :rofl: but I did think, hmm, just as well I'm not sensitive about the subject eh? :rofl:


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## mumoffive

Well when i was 38 and fell pregnant with my dd, noone treated me any differently. Now im past 40..43 to be precise, i definetly have more care but thats it. I havent experienced any negative attitudes ever.


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## knitbit

The fetal medicine foundation has a great 11-13 weeks scan video that explains it. 35 doesn't really mean much anymore, since so many moms are older. It's not like you wake up at 35 and suddenly you are high risk. Risks increase gradually, but back when they started doing amnios, the 35 year old cutoff gave then the best cost-benefit profile. At 35, the risk of a chromosomal problem is roughly equal to the risk of amnio complications. (I'm a nerd, lol)


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## willyandcourt

I'm glad to hear we are not letting our age get in the way of fulfilling our dreams of achieving a life goal.


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## Dinnerlady74

Emx said:


> Being over 35 is considered a 'risk' factor in our maternity notes in the UK. It can make the difference between being under consultant care or not (usually in addition to at least 2 other factors). Have been told by my midwife and GP in both pregnancies that they personally dont consider it a risk factor as it is so common for women to start their families at 35+ these days... This is my second pregnancy over 35 and my age has never been an issue...

Hi Emma,having a nosey like you suggested! lol x


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## Springtime

jcg0506 said:


> I've been told my a friend who is a medical student that 35 is based on the graph of risk factors to age; at 35 the line begins to incline at a slightly sharper rate; there's a more dramatic rise at 40. But to say that statistically pregnancies at 35 are slightly riskier than at 34 is not to say that every 35+ mom is high risk, and most doctors and midwives will judge based on the individual. I'm still classed as low risk at 35, and my nuchal screening test came back with my risk factors equivalent of a 20 year old.

Thats such splendid news! Gives me hope! Thank you for this post. I am 35 and will be 36 by the time I deliver. Ive been worrying about my age too, but hey there are lots more of us these days!


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## Jellybean0k

I always thought it was 40+ not 35


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## hellywelly

Jellybean you are correct. When I have been talking to doctors midwives etc - the new black is 40 so to speak - no longer 35 they are changing their criteria - also a lot of women are choosing to have children (like me) later on in life so i would imagine there is an NHS saving initiative in that somewhere xx


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## K123

I was 34 when I became pregnant and am now 35. I am viewed as high risk because of a number of factors, but my age has never been mentioned.


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## Elski

I'm a midwife and although technically 35 is classed as a 'risk factor' in itself, we wouldn't automatically class somebody as high risk because of their age. It just means that women 35+ are at increased risk for various complications :flower:


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## mafiamom

i had my first baby at 34 so i JUST snuck in :) this baby is due and i am a whooping 40 years old. all over all of my charts you see AMA (advanced maternal age :D)


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## chinasoap

I live in China (though I'm Canadian) and the doctor at the hospital who confirmed my pregnancy looked at me like I was an alien when she realized my age and that it was my first pregnancy--LOL! In this culture, I'm considered ANCIENT! I just laughed at her. I know this is the perfect time for me to be pregnant. I'm keeping a blog here, if anyone's interested: https://preggersinchina.blogspot.com By the way, I'm 36 and my due date is January 1st, 2012. I'll be 37 then!


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