42 And 1/2 Years Old and Just Found Out I Am Pregnant!

A. congratulations how exciting. I am sure that everyone has you worried saying you should see a Dr right a way and while ideal you will be just fine and so will the baby if you can't see someone right away. The most important thing is to eat well lots of protein 80-100g a day, lots of veggies and if you are a processed food eater try to reduce that. You want to take prenatal vitamin with 400 mg of folic acid to ward off neural tube defects. Try to find a vitamin that is only one pill and says it is easy on the stomach. If you get morning sickness you will be pleased to only have to take one, some of them are huge. Also you might consider taking omega3 fatty acids (DHA's) which help with neuro development. Try to find one derived from plants not fish as there is some concern about the mercury that can be from fish. You are often advised not to eat soft cheeses because of listeria and also shell fish too. Look for fish with a low risk of mercury.

Down the road there will be testing that you want to do. Over 35 you are labeled as advanced maternal age and do have an increased risk of conditions such as downs syndrome. These tets can have a fairly high false positive so if you get positive results don't panic.
As you say you are fit already you are fine to keep exercising. The main thing is not to get too hot. For that reason hot tubs and saunas are not advised.

You don't need extra calories until the 3rd trimester so no eating for two yet :) But you may get quite hungry and tired during the first trimester. Getting off the couch can seem like an effort.

Remember many women don't realize they are pregnant until they are 3 months and everything is fine so get to a Dr when you can and just use common sense to look after yourself. Pregnancy is not an illness it is a state of being. Don't worry and enjoy the ride.

Good luck
C.

Go right away. Congratulations!!! That's so cool.

Congratulations!
call a local Dr as soon as you can. Most OB's want to see you around 8-12 weeks but maybe sooner with you since you are a little older, but if you feel okay, besides the usual nausea and fatigue you could wait and ask other mamas in your town where they go. Depending where you are, seeing a midwife may be an option Do not worry too much about your age I have multiple friends who gave birth after forty and had and have healthy births and babies
good luck

It can't hurt to see a doctor sooner rather than later. I don't know how you feel about genetic testing or what is available where you are, but there are some tests that can be done pretty early (CVS and nuchal fold screening), so if you waited until you were 12 weeks pregnant, it might be too late.

In some situations doctors like to measure blood levels of hCG right away to make sure the pregnancy is establishing itself as it should be, but I'm not sure what is gained by that, since there isn't much intervention possible in the early weeks anyway. Definitely get enough folic acid now.

I had my first at 38, my second at 40, and anticipate a possible third at 42 or older. While there is an increased risk of chromosomal defects the older your eggs are, the odds are still by far in favor of a normal healthy fetus. As far as I can tell, most of the increased risks of pregnancy at "advanced maternal age" are related to general declines in health. I think you are far better off being fit at 42 than, well, unfit in your 20's when it comes to having a good pregnancy. Congratulations!

Congratulations A.!
Typically doctors want to see a new mom at about 6 weeks, but you should call right away for an appointment.
I would suggest checking out Angie's List (or someting similar)on-line to find a good doctor near you.
Again congratulations!! You are very blessed! What a miracle!I hope things go very smoothly for you! :)

A. - congratulations! Go when you return from your trip unless you are staying abroad for a while. Then go where you are if you are comfortable with the area's midwife/medical facilities. I recommend visiting a certified nurse midwife to consider a homebirth or birthing at a center.

My doctors have usually said to come in at 8 weeks or so. Do you have a good idea of when you conceived? Typically, one conceives about two weeks after your period. Good luck and congratulations!

You should go to a doctor asap to confirm the pregnancy and to discuss your pregnancy plan. Good Luck

Dear A.,

I hope you and the father are equally happy, excited and committed about the baby, and perhaps marriage is in your future. I found motherhood to be the most fulfilling experience, but going it alone is not easy.

Get to the doctor; eat right, exercise (not too hard--yoga, walking, bike rides) and rest. Congratulations, what a nice Christmas present.... one that will last a lifetime!

Blessings.....

eight weeks is a good time to start our care . the sooner the better.S.

Hi A.,

I became pregnant at 42 also. My daughter is now 6. And I had been off birth control for about 2 years when it happened. I think I was in denial at first. I went to my annual check up and they called me that evening and told me I was pregnant. I had not done a home pregnancy test or anything. I just made an appointment to see my doctor cause i could feel something was different. I went to see my ob/gyn a week later. They sent me to a specialist to do the ultrasound and suggested I get an amniosytisis. I did NOT get one. I felt that if there was something wrong with the baby I would not love it any less. I already knew I would probably end up being a single parent and I am. I took it all on. But she is awesome and amazing and the best thing that ever happend to me! Good luck to you!!!

Go the the doctor now. At your age and it being your first pregnancy, it would be good for you and the baby to see a doctor as soon as possible.

Blessings and Congrats!

B.

A.,
it is best for the health of you and your baby to get into a doctor as soon as possible, your doctor will confirm your pregnancy recommend lifestyle changes if any, do some blood work and will suscribe prenatal vitamins and within about 12-15 weeks will begin to monitor the growth and development of your baby. about this time they'll do your first ultasound, which is an incredible experience. typically mothers over 35 are considered to be a chance for a high risk pregnancy but there are plenty of women over 35 who deliver perfectly healthy babies all the time.
good luck with your little miracle!

S.
registered nurse and mama x3

Congratulations!!! I would set up an appointment ASAP. You want to have the pregnancy confirmed and there's a whole battery of tests they do to rule out potential dangers to the developing pregnancy and / or you.

There are many wonderful Ob/Gyns and midwives out there. I would ask the local women who they recommend, check with your health insurance and start right away. At the very least you want to confirm the pregnancy and have a pelvic exam / tests to confirm everything is healthy. Later you can find a long term Ob/Gyn or midwife to carry you through the pregnancy.

Blessings!

Congratulations A. you are in for the best experience ever. It is imperative to go to a doctor right away with any pregnancy to get checked out and get started on the vitamins. The dr will be able to tell you if you need to do anything different for a late pregnancy.

Congratulations!!!!
You should probably make the first appointment soon to get bloodwork done, and also start taking those prenatal vitamins! So much development happens in the first 3 months.
I usually refuse tests such as amniocentesis, and the alpha fetoprotein test, which measures a statistical chance of certain birth defects - the amniocentesis is accurate, but carries risks with the test - and the AFP test is a LOT less accurate. For me, it didn't matter what the tests said - I was excited for whoever came to me.
You are in for a wonderful ride! Good Luck!

First of all, you need to find a doctor who will take you as a new patient and type of health insurance you have. You need to get in as soon as possible for a better prenatal care. You'll be fine. Just find a doctor in your area.

God bless!

You should schedule a doctor's appointment as soon as possible. It's never too early to start caring for the health of your baby! By the way, congratulations!

CONGRATS!
Just do a confirmation visit to prove that you are pregnant, and then they will schedule you for a follow up and regular visitation. Don't worry too much, just go in and they will tell you.
My mom is about your age and just had a baby too! So congrats! You can and will do it!

Hi A.,

Congratulations. You don't say where you're living, but if you happen to be in the UK I can recommend a website called netmums. There is a great network of American Moms who I am sure will have heaps of advice on how to get the proper care on the NHS.

I am also an older mom and we live in London right now. I had my son on the NHS and received amazing care.

The site is http://www.netmums.com/coffeehouse/make-friends-netmums-m...

Good luck and congratulations again. You are in for the adventure of your life.

All the best for a healthy pregnancy. D.

Congratulations! Welcome to the world of children. Sounds like you are living abroad and not visiting. If you are in the military see your base physician ASAP. Otherwise ask your aquaintances for dr recommendations or ask your insurance if they can recommend a dr or facility that is covered in your country/area. Normally here in the US, OBGYN's want to start seeing you about 8 weeks along. You need to start on prenatal vitamins ASAP -either get them from the dr or buy them over the counter if you can. An ultrasound is usually done at 8 weeks to establish due date and then around 18-22 weeks to evaluate growth. Many women have healthy children at age 42, however it is recommended you undergo some additional testing due to your age. You need to see a dr to understand the development of a normal pregnancy and discuss any issues related to your age. Usually an anmiocentesis at approx 16 weeks is recommended to check for genetic defects. Genetic defects are conditions produced by the genes such as Down syndrome. There is no real testing for developmental/growth disabilities such as a cleft palate (you are not at any higher risk for these type of abnormalitites, only the genetic ones). Some people opt not to do amniocentesis because they would not terminate the pregnancy anyway, even if there was a birth defect. However, it is good to know if there is a problem so that you can set the proper resources in place ahead of time if you need to (specialty dr's etc.). This would be especially true in your case, since you probably do not know what resources, if any, are available in the country you are in for various conditions. I would advise returning to the US if possible, especially if you are in a third world country. This advice is not meant to scare you, as I said many, many women have uncomplicated pregnancies and bear healthy children at this age. However I do want you to be informed. Congrats and good luck!

A. CONGRATS!!!!! WOW THAT IS WONDERFUL!

I hope this response finds you happy and well with the news. You need to find an OB/GYN Physician and make an appointment.
They will do the pregnancy test and start you on monthly appointments etc. The one thing I would say is take things a little more easy as child bearing after 40 is a little tricky and a tiny bit more fragile. Right now, after your look up an OB/GYN...take a cup of tea and SMILE A BUNCH!!!
You will be BLESSED!~

Best Wishes
C.

A., I believe you have heard from many sisters about the importance of various things, including vitamins and other nutritional considerations. I just want to congratulate you - CONGRATS! - and express that I would love to be in your shoes in a few years. My fiance should be home by then ... but I am 39 and I certainly do feel the clock ticking, so it is wonderful to hear of your success - best of luck to you! Much love!

As soon as you can. At 42, yours will be considered a "high risk"
pregnancy. Your OB-GYN will let you know how often you should have prenatal visits. It's never to early to start taking prenatal vitamins and learning all you need to know to have a healthy pregnancy/birth. Good luck. I had my second child at 42 without a problem