The Community for Catholic Moms

How many of you were able to get pregnant after 35?

Also, how many had problems getting pregnant or staying pregnant after 35?

If anyone got pregnant into their 40s, I'd love to know about that too!!
TIA for any responses!

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Permalink Reply by Corinne O'Brien on March 21, 2010 at 8:38pm

I was 35 when I got married, studied and practiced Natural Family Planning, not to prevent pregnancy but as a tool to get pregnant, my husband and I both went through fertility testing, they found nothing wrong but at age 37 with no pregnancy, we started the adoption process. God has blessed us with 4 boys that are with us permanently and we were hoping to adopt 2 girls, the youngest one we brought home from the hospital and she was with us for 2-1/2 years, and now age 3. The court and the state however, returned them to their biomom, a meth addict. That was through foster care which I would never recommend to someone do that wants to adopt.

I am now age 54 and have never been pregnant. I do know several women that have acheived pregnancies in their late 30's and early to mid - 40's some without really trying. I think it is almost easier if they can identify a cause as to what is preventing pregnancy. If they can find a cause and treat it then there are many things they can do to help you get pregnant. Since they could never find anything specific with my husband or me, they were just guessing. My husband is adopted and I have adoption in my family so both of us were open to adoption and decided to pursue that knowing that eventually we would get a child and if a pregnancy happened that would also be great.

I would really make sure that you have a doctor you know is ethical. Get your husband tested FIRST. It is easy, can save you a lot of emotional heartache and it is inexpensive. I know horror stories about couples that have put 2nd or even 3rd mortgages on their homes to pay for fertility testing and treatments and have had no successful pregnancy and then all of a sudden end up pregnant after exhausting all their money and resources. Most insurance does not pay for fertility testing/treatment.

I live in Nebraska and Dr. Hilger at the Pope Paul Institute in Omaha has done wonderful things with and for many women with fertility issues of all ages. I know he has trained and worked with many doctors so it might be helpful to contact his clinic and see if they have any suggestions for you. I could go on and on, but I hope what I have shared so far has been helpful and given you some ideas.

Good luck, it is great to be a mom and have a family!

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Permalink Reply by Diana H. on March 22, 2010 at 11:38am

Adoption is really awesome! Thanks for sharing your story!!

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Permalink Reply by StephC on March 21, 2010 at 9:40pm

Yo! Married at 32, conceived 1st child at 33, 2nd at 37 and am due to deliver our 3rd in July, when I'm 39.

I'll sing the praises of the Creighton Model & Naprotechnology til the cows come home--2nd & 3rd babies have required natural progesterone supplementation throughout entire pregnancy, as well as Hcg supplementation in the 1st trimester to maintain proper levels.

I wouldn't say I officially had "problems" getting pregnant; it's just that when you don't have a baseline & figure your cycle is pretty much like everyone else's, you don't know if you're just missing a fertile day or if what you call a fertile day isn't really so fertile, after all! Turns out that for me, ovulation is darn near impossible when I'm nursing & most likely won't happen til baby is 100% weaned for several months. But when you've got a data base of "1" it's hard to predict this, and a database of "2" doesn't really shed that much more light...who knows what God has in store for us, but I'm hoping to stay healthy & active enough to bear more kids into my 40's...

Anyway, w/o CrM & Naprotechnology, I don't know what a) our family would look like right now and b) what my cycles/reproductive health in general would be like. Thank God for Dr.Hilgers.

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Permalink Reply by Diana H. on March 22, 2010 at 11:37am

You go, girl! :)

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Permalink Reply by Carol on March 22, 2010 at 4:11am

I was married at 36, first birth at 37, second at 39, third at 41. And that is after a diagnosis of PCOS in my early 20's. I have had 6 miscarriages as well, four of those since my last child was born. I have looked into Napro Technology, but haven't done anything since we are about to move from the UK back to the US (we think). At 45 I am not sure what Napro can do for me at this point. But I feel very blessed to have my beautiful family.

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Permalink Reply by Diana H. on March 22, 2010 at 11:39am

Wow, most people with PCOS think they have to have fertility treatments... I'm so glad it worked out for you!

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Permalink Reply by Karen Edmisten on March 22, 2010 at 10:50am

Hi, Diana,

I had my second daughter at age 36, and it was a perfectly uneventful pregnancy. I did not have trouble getting pregnant through the rest of my 30s, but did have three consecutive miscarriages. But, then we had another baby -- our "Ramona" -- when I was 42. Another uneventful pregnancy (except that I was *very* tired) and a perfectly healthy, happy baby!

Blessings to you!

Karen Edmisten

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Permalink Reply by Diana H. on March 22, 2010 at 11:40am

This is good to know!!!!! Sorry about the miscarriages, though. I'm pretty scared of miscarriages.

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Permalink Reply by Amylisa C on March 23, 2010 at 11:21am

I had my 5th child at 37 and my sixth and last child at 41. Thankfully no problems with pregnancies other than constant morning sickness! But I had that with all of them. I think I had one "hot flash" before I got pregnant the last time, too!

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Permalink Reply by Diana H. on March 23, 2010 at 6:52pm

LOL That 6th pregnancy must have been quite a shock. :)

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Permalink Reply by Jennifer R. on March 23, 2010 at 1:15pm

I was a high risk pregnancy as I had suffered severe toxemia with my first child, in spite of being very healty physically at age 26. C-cection, 5 weeks early all went well with the baby. I however went into DIC and almost died. Recovered with time, no lasting conditions, had great care and Drs., no complications with baby. 10 years later at age 35 I suffered a miscarriage, then 2 months later became pregnant again, normal 1st and 2nd term ( I was normal weight in both pregnancies, non smoker, non-drinker, did everything by the book. Then the high blood pressure creeped up and pre eclampsia hit again...I was hospitalized at 32 weeks. In spite of all care, I delivered by section 6 weeks early. My daughter was underweight at 3-12...but was healthy and developed normally. I recovered physically much better at age 36 than at 26. Pre- Eclampsia has a genetic factor, as my mother, aunt and grandmother had it, I suffered the worst bout of it. There is increased riskh it when maternal age is over 35 or under 18.