Re: How old is too old to give birth?

As long as the doctors have cleared the mom healthwise & the baby's health isn't impacted by age, I don't think any age is too old.

If you're asking if I'd give birth at 61, only if my child needed me as a surrogate.

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

I think any age after you've gone through menopause is too old.

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

Message edited 11/11/2012 7:53:09 AM.

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

I don't know how I feel about someone giving birth in their 50's or 60's. It is a risk considering how long they might live. However, I bet they would make better parents than a 14 or 15 year old.

I never was one who had age limit on when I would be a parent. I hear lots of people say that they will be "done by 30, or 35". I didn't get married until I was 34, so that was not an option for me.

I had my two babies at 35 and 37. I can tell you in MY situation, this was much better than having kids younger. In my 20's I regularly ate junk food and lived on takeout, and rarely touched veggies or fruits. I smoked. I drank and partied often. I was immature, a tad selfish and pretty broke and didn't manage my money well. I had no savings account. My DH was the same when he was younger, except he partied a lot more and actually had a savings account.

When we had our kids, I had two healthy and uncomplicated pregnancies, despite my age. I am in the best shape of my life now (at 40). I cook and eat healthy. I stopped smoking 7 years ago, and I drink minimally. We have a nest egg, emergency fund and financially are much more secure than a decade ago. I still have plenty of energy to keep up with my wild boys. I am more grounded and appreciate every moment with my children. I had all of my "me" years and now I am ready and able to give my all to them.

So for those who impose limits on being a parent or having my children due to age, you could be missing out on some wonderful things.

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

I'm 32 and single again--I won't be having children for a few years.

That said, I'm in great health and great shape and take care of myself and I don't see any reason that I won't have children after I'm 35.

I don't think I have a choice otherwise, especially because I want to find the right person to have children with.

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

I agree it is such a personal and individual decision. I got married when I was 23 and we are pregnant with our 1st I will be 25 when I deliver. At this point, I would like to be done between 30-32. From a medical reproductive standpoint, at around that age certain risks increase.

However, if I did not get married young and was not in the position I am to have children young I probably would feel different.

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

Once menopause hits.

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

Posted by rojerono

Posted by yankinmanc

Didn't we just elect a president who was giving us control of our reproductive organs, if you can take care of a child and give it love and provi for it, there is no age limit. My moms best friend, same age as my mother, was pregnant at the same time that I was. Would I choose it for myself, no, but they are all happy, healthy and well taken care of. Her body, her choice.

I love you.

Posted by MrsA1012

But is it only her choice when they that choice so enormously affects the life of a child?

Slipperly slope. Should we start drug testing people before allowing them to get pregnant? Because - you know - having a drug addicted mom will have an enormous impact on the life of a child. Should we sterilize inmates.. force abortions on women who are pregnant when sentenced to a jail term? Is a 14 year old mother a better choice than a 50 year old mother? I mean if we are going to start considering the type of life a child will ultimately lead based on who her parents are.. where do we start? Where do we stop? Perhaps we should have mandatory birth control for anyone under the poverty line -- or sterilization for anyone with an IQ of less than 100?

Don't get me wrong.. I know where you are coming from and I get that you are speaking to assisted fertilization specifically. And I genuinely don't mean to be snarky or rude but I do think the determination for parenthood is better left to the potential parents and (in the case of assisted fertility) the doctors involved, rather than to a society that just likes to pass judgements based on their own limited experiences.

ETA: For MY person and body and lifestyle.. I decided I was done with child bearing at 40. I would not pursue assistance to have another child because I feel that MY health and MY circumstances aren't fit for more pregnancies.

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

I think that there isn't a specific age limit as long as the mother's age is not adversely affecting the health of the child and the mother is not so old that she risks leaving her child without parents at an early age.

For me, personally, I don't want to start trying until 30, and I want to be done by 35. Not everything always happens how we plan though of course, so that could change.

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

Posted by rojerono

Posted by yankinmanc

Didn't we just elect a president who was giving us control of our reproductive organs, if you can take care of a child and give it love and provi for it, there is no age limit. My moms best friend, same age as my mother, was pregnant at the same time that I was. Would I choose it for myself, no, but they are all happy, healthy and well taken care of. Her body, her choice.

I love you.

Posted by MrsA1012

But is it only her choice when they that choice so enormously affects the life of a child?

Slipperly slope. Should we start drug testing people before allowing them to get pregnant? Because - you know - having a drug addicted mom will have an enormous impact on the life of a child. Should we sterilize inmates.. force abortions on women who are pregnant when sentenced to a jail term? Is a 14 year old mother a better choice than a 50 year old mother? I mean if we are going to start considering the type of life a child will ultimately lead based on who her parents are.. where do we start? Where do we stop? Perhaps we should have mandatory birth control for anyone under the poverty line -- or sterilization for anyone with an IQ of less than 100?

Don't get me wrong.. I know where you are coming from and I get that you are speaking to assisted fertilization specifically. And I genuinely don't mean to be snarky or rude but I do think the determination for parenthood is better left to the potential parents and (in the case of assisted fertility) the doctors involved, rather than to a society that just likes to pass judgements based on their own limited experiences.

ETA: For MY person and body and lifestyle.. I decided I was done with child bearing at 40. I would not pursue assistance to have another child because I feel that MY health and MY circumstances aren't fit for more pregnancies.

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

If people didn't want Romney to take away women's rights, why put down this woman's right to bear a child? Who determines what age is the cutoff if medical technology hAs advanced us? So then do you also feel same sex couples should be denied having children? Who makes these determinations when technology has made so much possible? I won't judge, since I can't speak for someone whose shoes I am not in.

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

How old is too old to give birth?

I think it is ridiculous to have a child at 61. By the time that kid is 20 the mom will be 80, that's enough of a reason. Toss in a probably older dad and that poor kid might have to bury them both before he's out of college, and that would be both awful and terribly unfair to the kid.

I was married at 21 and didn't want kids for years. After my MIL died I rethought things and got pregnant at 36 with our first child and had our second at 42. Both were planned, both were normal births and both thankfully were healthy. I had expected to be the geriatric mother at NY Hospital when I went in to have my first one at age 37 and was surprised to discover that I was about average. I was told many women were waiting to have kids until they were along in their career or were financially ready to support a family. When I went back at 42 I was older than most, though not by much, but I was in far better shape than the woman who was there to have her 16th child. I had just been on the cover of a magazine and she looked like hell. She looked beaten up by childbearing and rearing, and had ropey veins hanging down her legs and huge ankles that looked like they were going to explode. Thank goodness most of us choose to have fewer children nowadays. It must have been awful before birth control when we had to have as many as our bodies were able to have.

I am so very happy I have my kids. Both are young adults now (not all of us on this forum are young). I can tell you absolutely that at 63, which I am now, I would not be able to care for a young child the way I was easily able to in my thirties and forties. It would have been harder in my fifties, but doable. Could I raise a child now if I had to? Absolutely, and I would do it well, but I would have to make provisions for that child should I not be able to at some point.

From my point of view, it is downright selfish to give birth at 60 to a child that will require the energy that someone in her 60 and 70s will not have. Imagine a 78 yr old helping a kid with high school sports, SATs, college visits and applications. It's not realistic.

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

How old is too old to give birth?

I don't know, I really don't have an answer.

I guess as long as you can physically sustain the process of pregnancy (including L&D) and can parent your child in a responsible manner, well, then rock on with your bad self!

I look at it this way, any parent of any age can be killed or die at any time so who is really to say at what age any of us should stop having children? Life is full of uncertainty.

How old is too old to give birth?

I didn't read through this thread so I don't know if it's been said...

Not my body, not my choice, therefore I do not have an opinion on what someone else does.

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

Sometimes life isn't perfect. You can plan all day long and it just doesn't happen.

Is 61 too old, maybe, but I'm not judging.

I will most likely be a 46 year old first time mom. I'm fine with it.

I run circles around younger people with my schedule now and I'm certain I could handle it. Not alone but with my DH.

Will it be exhausting..yep..I'm ok with that.

I will be 66 when my kid is 20. I plan on being around a long time and hopefully my health will stay good. I think having a child could actually keep me feeling younger and active. I won't slow down.

Re: How old is too old to give birth?

Re: How old is too old to give birth?