Trying after HELLP at 40?

[bordergurl72]

This year is the big 4-0 for me. I have almost resigned us to being "one and done", but then I look at the mantle with my daughter's picture and feel like there should be another one. I feel like we should have another child in our family, yet I am still struck with fear 7 years after the birth of our daughter. I know it is irrational and I just don't have the courage, and I probably sound whiney after complaining of fear for the last 6 years.

So I have seen 2 MFMs before, had all the tests, though I have not had the tests in a few years, but I saw the last MFM a year ago. They said to go for it. Well, now here I am almost 40, and I got a new dr today for a regular GYN appt, and she tells me, no, I would not get pregnant at your age, you should have done it 5 years ago (oh gee, thanks).

So, has anyone on here had a successful pregnancy after HELLP at 40?

[sam10]

To me this does not sound like a very sensitive response from your new doc! Did she give you any reasons; did she link age to PE/HELLP? If it is any consolation, despite my age, I have not given up trying quite yet. All of my docs have been more than encouraging. Will be hitting 40 this year too!

[ktsl123]

Sounds like the Dr was being insensitive. Some people have personal feelings about how old is too old to have a baby. I think as long as your are healthy that it's all good. In my family I have had most of my Aunt's and Gma's have healthy babies and pregnancies in there 40's. My GGma was actually was 49 when she was pregnant and didn't know she was pregnant till she gave birth! One Aunt had a healthy baby at 40 and her 2nd recently at 45. I think some women are just lucky and are still really fertile in their 40's.
If you came to the decision of wanting another kid then I would not wait, time is aticking and getting pregnant can take up to a year even for 20 year old's, you just never know when it will happen. You also have to remember that on these PE boards you are only seeing post from a select number of women who had PE or HELLP there is 1000's of women that had PE and have no idea there is a PE website. I am sure there are plenty of women who had a sucessful pregnancy in their 40's there is just really not that many women that make post on these PE forums to hear about it. I mean that fact is most of the time women have a normal pregnancy after PE. I met 3 high risk Dr's and they all said 20% of getting PE, but most likely less severe and 5% of HELLP too.

[ktsl123]

Also just because that is one Dr's opinion doesn't mean anything. It's just one person in the world's opinion. Most importantly find a Dr you are comfortable with. Sometimes you have to meet a few or 10:) to find the right one.

[mom29]

I'd take the opinion from a mfm over a reg. OB any day.

I had my youngest three months ago at the age of 46. Was admitted to the hospital to r/o pre-e at 30 weeks and we made it to 33 weeks before having to deliver. I'd do it all over again for this little sweetie!

[GeorgiaGirl]

I had my youngest three months ago at the age of 46. Was admitted to the hospital to r/o pre-e at 30 weeks and we made it to 33 weeks before having to deliver. I'd do it all over again for this little sweetie!

I love this!! Congratulations!!

Although I'm not in this situation yet (I am 40, will be 41 in two months, and 25 weeks pregnant with our first, and headed toward pre-eclampsia, but no HELLP at this point), my DH and I have already decided we most definitely will be trying for a second baby even if I do get full-blown pre-e or HELLP. I never wanted to start my family this late, but we had no choice (we've been trying since soon after we were married nearly ten years ago). If our son survives (and I pray he will -- I'm being monitored very closely), I hate the thought of him being my age with his parents being either elderly or dead, and without any siblings in the world. We want to give him a brother or sister even if it's risky. BTW, I consider the risk a PE recurrence, not age... as in ktsl's family, I have quite a few older relatives and ancestors who gave birth in their 40's (both my grandmothers, and my great-great-great grandmother gave birth to her last two babies at 42 and 46).

So needless to say, my opinion is that if you want another child, go for it... obviously you'll know what to watch out for and will be closely monitored, so it can't be any more dangerous than the first time, can it??

[sarahkm]

Hello,

I just turned 40 and we are TTC with blessings from my OB and MFM! I actually just miscarried at the end of December but that had nothing to do with my previous history. My OB prepared us by being honest when the 7 week ultrasound did not look right. The positive was that I was able to get pregnant again (within 5 months) despite my age and previous history! So after losing our son 5 years ago and waiting to adopt for 3 years with no luck, we just decided that we'd regret it if we didn't try again! They will be monitoring me very closely once I do get pregnant again and I'll be on LDA and possibly Lovenox.
My sister had her first at age 41 and my grandmother had her 5th at age 42 back in the 60s! It can be done!

Find a new OB!

Take care, Sarah

[holly3372@msn.com]

well her's tp turning 40!!! i will be in march. We lost our first due yo pre-e soit's now almost 2 years later and I am ready to try again~

[holly3372@msn.com]

ooops I meant here's to turning 40!!!