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29 weeks pregnant at 44

Catherine McDiarmid-Watt | Wednesday, January 24, 2018 | 2 comments

Image: Feeding the Doves, by Quang Nguyen vinh on Pixabay
I am 29 weeks pregnant with my first baby.

I turned 44 years old today.

I have had three miscarriages, and my last FSH [follicle stimulating hormone] (tested over 2 years ago) was 18 on day 10.

It was probably higher when we conceived this baby.

I was told by the first RE [reproductive endocrinologist] I saw, my chances of conceiving were pretty slim (based on the theory I would be a poor responder to treatment).

 Turns out I wasn't that great of a responder.

I got 9 eggs on my first IVF [in vitro fertilization], 8 on the second, 3 on the 3rd IVF and the last two cycles produced one egg each (both never fertilized).

I got pregnant once through IVF, but had a better success rate conceiving naturally.

Unfortunately, miscarriages were my issue.

The point of my long ramble, is that FSH is not an indicator of whether or not you will get pregnant or have a baby (especially conceived naturally), it's just a measure of how you MIGHT respond to the IVF meds.

I tell everyone I know not to give up, and to focus on trying naturally if male factor and other female issues are not a problem.

From my experience, IVF wasn't the best route to our baby, but thankfully I am beating the statistics and defying all the naysayers who told me a high FSH number equals never having a baby.

I wish everyone on this board much success in their journey to have a baby. - Anne


TODAY'S BOOK SUGGESTION:
Image: Ready: Why Women Are Embracing The New Later Motherhood, by Elizabeth Gregory. Publisher: Basic Books (December 25, 2007)
Ready: Why Women Are Embracing The New Later Motherhood
by Elizabeth Gregory

-- Over the past three decades, skyrocketing numbers of women have chosen to start their families in their late thirties and early forties.

In 2005, ten times as many women had their first child between the ages of 35 and 39 as in 1975, and thirteen times as many had their first between 40 and 44.

Women now have the option to define for themselves when they're ready for family, rather than sticking to a schedule set by social convention.

As a society, however, we have yet to come to terms with the phenomenon of later motherhood, and women who decide it makes sense for them to delay pregnancy often find themselves confronted with alarmist warnings about the dangers of waiting too long.

In Ready, Elizabeth Gregory tracks the burgeoning trend of new later motherhood and demonstrates that for many women today, waiting for family works best.

She provides compelling evidence of the benefits of having children later -- by birth or by adoption.

Image: Buy Now on Amazon.comPaperback: 336 pages
Click to order/for more info: Ready

Image: Buy Now on Amazon.comStart reading Ready on your Kindle in under a minute!

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Catherine

About Catherine: I am mom to three grown sons, two grandchildren and two rescue dogs. After years of raising my boys as a single mom, I remarried a wonderful man who had never had a child of his own. Unexpectedly, I found myself pregnant at 49!
Sadly we lost our precious baby at 8 weeks, and decided to try again. Five more losses, turned down for donor egg, foster care and adoption due to my age and losses - we have accepted there will be no more babies in our house.

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2 comments

  1. God for you. Personally I believe that if you have the will there will be a way. I had multiple problems conceiving my child. I have endometriosis, and problems ovulating... however I was able to conceive using IVF. I know IVF isn't for everyone but I'm glad I decided to go that route because it helped me finally get my beautiful baby.

  2. Unknown says:

    Congratulations and my admiration for your perseverance!!!

    All the best

    Bettina

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