I turned "the big" 35 yesterday! This birthday was bittersweet for me. I was 31 when we got married and always said that I wanted to close down the baby making factory by the time I turned 35. I figured we would have a couple of kids by that time and we would be perfectly happy with that. As you all know, it didn't exactly work that way. On the other hand, I know we are very close to getting that call from our adoption agency and we will welcome our new son/daughter home very soon. So I will be a mom at age 35 and I am thankful for this blessing. I ask, is there a "magic number" that you should keep in mind when deciding to cut things off? Is 35 that "magic number?"
While this may not necessarily be a milestone birthday like 21, 30 or 40, it is a big number in the "fertility" world (or so I've been told). When we started the whole process with our reproductive endocrinology (RE) specialist, I was 32. I remember him emphasizing the fact that since I was approaching the midway point to 40, that we shouldn't waste any time. (as if I couldn't already hear my biological clock ticking away, he had to add to my stress) :) Apparently, at age 35 and above the risks of genetic abnormalities increase, as do miscarriages, etc etc etc. Since your body is typically on the down slope of it's reproductive life, there may be ovulation or hormonal problems as well. Honestly, I don't know how ANYONE gets PG without the sun, moon and stars being aligned just right at that very moment! LOL
So this brings me to my next quandary. Now that I'm 35 and am fully aware of all the risks associated with getting PG at this age, do I do something to prevent it from happening (even though it would be an absolute miracle if it did)! I find it ironic that after almost 4 years of trying desperately to get PG that I'm actually thinking about trying to prevent it from happening. I mean, is it irresponsible on my part to not take precautions and then at age 40 have a surprise pregnancy where there may be (god forbid) something wrong with the baby? I know many women nowadays wait longer to start their families and have perfectly healthy babies, but given my track record I'm not so sure this is the right decision for me. Any suggestions?!
P.S. Thanks to many family and friends, I had a great birthday! D and I spent the day at the lake and got some much needed relaxation. :)
Happy Belated Birthday, Jamie! Sorry I missed it!
ReplyDeleteNo one can tell you what the right thing to do is. We are very adamant that after our second baby, we will be preventing pregnancy. It's crazy to even think about that after all we have gone through to GET pregnant. It's a tough decision. I would wait until your first little one is in your arms, and let your heart guide you from there. Good luck!!