Pregnancy pre-35 vs. post-35

[curlywig]

I know there is a thread for women over 35 TTC, but I couldn't find anything on the pregnancy itself.

Wondering for any moms out there who have been pregnant before age 35, and also after, how the post-35 pregnancy was different than the other? Or, if there are moms who are 35+ who can tell me how their pregnancy was handled (procedures, dr. visits, etc). My pregnancy with DS was when I was 33-34. I'll be turning 35 this spring, and any future pregnancies will be when I'm 35+. So, it's been on the back of my mind.

Happy to move this thread, or delete if any mod thinks it's a duplicate or if it's better posted elsewhere.

TIA!:)

[knzbound]

Hello!

I was 34 when DD1 was born, 36 with DD2. Although I was automatically considered "Advanced Maternal Age," there was really no difference b/w the two pregnancies and two births. I was very lucky with both and didn't experience any complications (except, oddly enough, meconium in both girls' amniotic fluid necessitating NICU staff attention in the birthing room, but I don't think that has anything to do with age). Same appt. schedule and pretty much the same screenings although I opted to do the nuchal translucency/integrated screening the second time around. I was offered the option of an amnio and would have done that if anything had come up with the NT/IS. If we were to have a third child (BIG IF!), I will likely be 37 or 38 and might consider more invasive screening (CVS or amnio) at that point, although I've never been sure what I would do with the information.

I know that your risk for all kinds of things (hypertension, gestational diabetes, premature birth, twins, etc. etc.) goes up with age but my OB was not concerned since I had had a healthy pregnancy w/#1.

[Southlooper]

I am 35 and 10 weeks pregnant with my first child. In talking with my friends and family who had their children under 35, the only difference in the monitoring my my pregnancy is that it is recommended to do genetic testing as knzbound mentioned. It's an important and stressful decision, we go back and forth about it all the time.

Other than that, my doc tells me that as long as I stay healthy there is not reason why I shouldn't have a healhy baby.

[lawyerwifemom]

I turned 35 a few months before the birth of my first child. and had my second child 22 months later. My OB treated me no differently with either my first pg or second pg (at 36-37) than she would have for an under 35 mom except I automatically got a level II ultrasound rather than a less thorough one. I did not opt for any invasive testing with either pregnancy. Both pregnancies were uneventful and smooth.

I am now 7 weeks pregnant with my 3rd child. I turned 38 last week. I do not anticipate considering an amnio this time either, unless the level II ultrasound raises serious questions of risk.

My OB said that she doesn't really consider age much of a risk factor in of itself until 40 and she wishes the advanced maternal age label wasn't automatically applied at 35.

[Orange]

I was 33 when DD was born and now at 36 I'm 8 weeks pregnant. I am finding pregnancy more difficult this time around but I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that I have a toddler at home to take care of rather than my age. Hopefully once I get out of the first trimester I'll get more energy.

[curlywig]

Thanks everyone for the replies. For some reason, I really thought that the label "Advanced Maternal Age" meant that it was handled differently. Sounds like that's not necessarily the case.

[bottleored]

At one point on the WC, there was a separate pregancy group for PG and 35+. I'm not sure what happened to it - maybe there just wasn't enough chatter going on.

I'm a member of the TTC & 35+ group - well, now that I'm pg, I guess I'm not TTC anymore, but I'm still 35+ ;) (39 actually)

I don't know if it's any different because this is my first pregnancy and I've also gone through infertility treatments, so my monitoring will be different anyway.

[curlywig]

Thanks for the 411, and congratulations bottleored! :D