How old is too old?

[AngelUK]

Huuge congrats TTC74 How lovely!

 

[lisap2008]

I'm staring at a beautiful, healthy baby girl born 3 days ago to her very grateful 42 year old mum (yours truly). I have two grown daughters who have grown into wonderful young women, but IMO, this little girl will have an even better upbringing thanks to the patience I have learned over the past two decades.

Congratulations!!

 

[Jenny Bean]

All,

I'm 39 and TTC my first. Women in my family have had good luck conceiving at older ages. My sister had her first at 40, and wasn't even trying. My grandmother had my mom at 42. A lot of the stats around fertility over 35 being an issue are from the early 1900s. I kid you not. It's completely outdated and unreliable. Your first step is really to have your egg reservoir checked by a simple blood test.

Ohh how do you get your egg reservoir checked by a blood test?
I am in Canada btw?

 

[lisap2008]

All,

I'm 39 and TTC my first. Women in my family have had good luck conceiving at older ages. My sister had her first at 40, and wasn't even trying. My grandmother had my mom at 42. A lot of the stats around fertility over 35 being an issue are from the early 1900s. I kid you not. It's completely outdated and unreliable. Your first step is really to have your egg reservoir checked by a simple blood test.

Ohh how do you get your egg reservoir checked by a blood test?
I am in Canada btw?

Its called the AMH test
What is AMH?

AMH, or anti-mullerian hormone is a substance produced by granulosa cells in ovarian follicles. It is first made in primary follicles that advance from the primordial follicle stage.
At these stages follicles are microscopic and can not be seen by ultrasound.
AMH production is highest in preantral and small antral stages (less than 4mm diameter) of development.
Production decreases and then stops as follicles grow.
There is almost no AMH made in follicles over 8mm.
Therefore, the levels are fairly constant and the AMH test can be done on any day of a woman's cycle.
https://www.advancedfertility.com/amh-fertility-test.htm

 

[TTC74]

While I certainly encourage all fertility tests and treatments that your Dr recommends and that you desire, keep in mind that AMH is not the be all end all. Mine was .023 (that's extremely low - in fact, below .02 is termed undetectable). That test was done about a year and a half before I got pregnant. I do believe that my use of a supplement called DHEA assisted on that front. I'm just saying that it's not a test that should lead you to count yourself out!

 

[heatherjckm]

I am 43 and will be 44 when I have my 2nd one. First one is 21 this year and has her own baby girl! You are as old as you feel. I have looked after my granddaughter alot over the past 7 months since she was born and they do make you feel younger. Mind you we were going to have the should we hold any hope still talks when we both hit 45.

I have also lost 5 stone in weight, given up smoking, became vegetarian and tried this exercise lark so my body is fitter than it was when I had my DD at 23!

Do you mind me asking if you conceived naturally or with ART? I am TTC #2 at 41

 

[Scout]

I had my beautiful and completely healthy daughter at age 46. She was a complete surprise. I was told I'd not ever be able to have a child but hit 40 and found myself getting pregnant. I had 3 miscarriages in my early 40's and finally decided to give up. Then along came my daughter. I turned 50 in December and she turns 4 in May. So totally possible. Like I said, she was a surprise, so I wasn't doing anything special. As a matter of fact, her father and I only did the dance one time the month I conceived. Good luck to all trying. You're only as old as you feel!

 

[CaliDreaming]

I had my beautiful and completely healthy daughter at age 46. She was a complete surprise. I was told I'd not ever be able to have a child but hit 40 and found myself getting pregnant. I had 3 miscarriages in my early 40's and finally decided to give up. Then along came my daughter. I turned 50 in December and she turns 4 in May. So totally possible. Like I said, she was a surprise, so I wasn't doing anything special. As a matter of fact, her father and I only did the dance one time the month I conceived. Good luck to all trying. You're only as old as you feel!

What a beautiful story! This is a story that can give so much hope to older ladies who are still trying and hoping. I know there are more who never post on a forum like this.

At the same time, I also feel so bad for the ones who don't get their miracle baby. I'd imagine as someone who had given up hope, you can relate to how it feels to have to move on with life without a child...and also be that much more thankful for the one you have.

 

[Lulua]

Not to old at all. I am 41 and trying for our first still. Although it's been two years and took a awhile to figure out we were dealing with a male infertility issue. Just had my AMH done last week and my fertility was something you see in a 35 year old according to the doctor. I was so pleasantly surprised and relieved.

 

[Nadyaraza]

Lulua can you guide me to what tests your partner had done? Been ttc for 2 years myself and for some bloody reasons my doctor believes there's no need for husbands spent to be tested just yet! Like wth! I had a miscarriage last dec and now the doc says it's useless completely to have him tested as he was able to impregnate me.

 

[mimi4]

Scout - amazing story x

 

[Lulua]

Hi nadyaraza, I'm so sorry to hear of your frustration! I've been there.
We had a simple semen analysis done. My doctor suggest it right after we did the work up on me. It turned out my husband has azzospermia. Which is no sperm at all. We devasted and went on to a testicular biopsy.

I wouldn't think it would be useless!. I would push for it more or get it done somewhere else. Yes you have conceived before but you want to no what kind of swimmers you are dealing with I would think.

 

[CaliDreaming]

Nadyaraza, ugh, I hate that doctors don't take male fertility issues more seriously. Especially for older couples, it is just as likely that the man has an issue--or even both. Even if your hubby was able to get you pregnant in the past, male fertility declines with age just like with women.

Lulua, I'm so happy you discovered your hubby had azospermia when you did. I also had struggled with infertility with my hubby and everyone involved assumed my fertility was the problem since my hubby had fathered children with his ex and also once with me(after 8 months of trying). But the sperm analysis showed he had very bad quality sperm.

If his sperm count is on the low side or bad quality, that doesn't mean that he can't impregnate you...but unless you're extremely lucky, it's going to take months and maybe years and that's time that older moms can't afford to waste.

I think fertility doctors don't take male fertility as seriously because with IVF a man doesn't have to have perfect sperm to get a woman pregnant. It's such a shame because in the U.S. IVF is incredibly expensive and much of the time for men, especially since your hubby was able to impregnate you in the pass, there is a much easier and less invasive fix. It's also a shame that couples have to go through years and years of infertility, countless procedures for nothing because no one took the time to look at the issue from all angles.

 

[AngelUK]

In our case too it was OH's "fault" as he had antibodies in his sperm. We were told that getting pregnant was not impossible but the chances were very low. Luckily the treatment for this was really simple and we got lucky with IUI.

 

[lisap2008]

I got pregnant twice with my DH having low counts but keep in mind sperm count can fluctuate a lot from one month to the next , also with my second BFP my DH was on HCG which greatly increased his sperm count. So I would push for a semen analysis because one BFP does not rule out a sperm issue.

 

[Nadyaraza]

Thank you lulua and calidreaming. You (calidreaming) have described everything I'm feeling. Can you imagine I've been asking for 2 years and 4 doctors to date gave jot really taken me seriously??? Even in the beginning I could tell about myself that I wasn't ovulating but they chose not to listen. Also I live in Dubai and there's only so much pushing I can do wrt to getting the man checked. It is so frustrating when doctors don't understand that we may just be any couple to them from the hundreds they deal with but for us our situation is unique and our lives are stressed out because of it 😡
Sometimes I get so pissed off at how casually they treat you like oh you're no big deal we got bigger fish to fry with REAL problems way worse than yours! I'd never show such lack of empathy especially in a profession like that

 

[lisap2008]

Thank you lulua and calidreaming. You (calidreaming) have described everything I'm feeling. Can you imagine I've been asking for 2 years and 4 doctors to date gave jot really taken me seriously??? Even in the beginning I could tell about myself that I wasn't ovulating but they chose not to listen. Also I live in Dubai and there's only so much pushing I can do wrt to getting the man checked. It is so frustrating when doctors don't understand that we may just be any couple to them from the hundreds they deal with but for us our situation is unique and our lives are stressed out because of it 😡
Sometimes I get so pissed off at how casually they treat you like oh you're no big deal we got bigger fish to fry with REAL problems way worse than yours! I'd never show such lack of empathy especially in a profession like that

Thats really unfortunate I am sorry your not being heard at the doctors.

 

[Lulua]

you have to be persistent. I wish I had gone to the fertility doc sooner than after a year of ttc. Then it was a year of testing and waiting and referrals. Ugh. Now I'm 41!
Sheesh. My husband is 35 and has zero fertility and I have above average fertility!. Nadyaraza - just keep pushing to get answers. I think I read somewhere that you can order an at home semen analysis on amazon. I also remember seeing one that works with your iPhone.

 

[sillymeg]

41 is still very doable!

 

[TTC74]

Lulua - I just had a baby at 42. Got pregnant at 41. It happened naturally (with lots of supplements) after TTC for 2.5 years, a round of medicated IUI, etc.