Well, it can be quite hard to get pregnant if you are really a man.

SCNDLS said:

I will be 38 when I give birth for the first time. I am healthy and in good shape for my age, the dr's have not been the least bit concerned with my age.
Many celebrities women get pregnant well into their forties these days.
I have a feeling her eggs have dried up and she has been unable to conceive.

bboy87 said:

HAHA! Matt was like "wha, you want more kids? aww fuck! well ok, but i'm not making them with your horseface ass! UGH! i don't even want my semen to touch you with a turkey baster!"

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

More like lemon Pledge.

shanti0608 said:

They still call it "high risk" after 35 regardless of the mother's condition because the chances of certain issues go up. Most of my girlfriends had their kids in their mid-30s and although the babies were fine almost all of them had gestational diabetes or high blood pressure which probably wouldn't have happened if they got pregnant in their 20s. Matter fact the few of them that had kids in their 20s then again in their 30s have said that it was much easier in their 20s. But everyone is different. Regardless, SJP is 44 so that's definitely increasing her chances for difficulties if she carried twins.

SCNDLS said:

Yay me then, no diabetes and my BP is still low. Here in the UK, they do not consider me high risk.

Just because the surrogate is having twins, it does not mean SJP would have twins.
You see lots of actresses having babies well into their 40's since they have personal chefs and personal trainers.

I read an article that they had been trying for several years to conceive, maybe they gave up trying.

http://www.kyivpost.com/g...news/40560

They turned to a surrogate last year, the magazine said. The surrogate's name and details have not been disclosed.

"They had a lot of unsuccessful tries," the friend was quoted as saying. "They came to the conclusion that this was going to be the best alternative for expanding their family."
[Edited 4/29/09 8:55am]

shanti0608 said:

If they did artificial insemination, which is likely, she might have gotten stuck with twins in her oven is what I'm saying, since they would probably implant multiple embryos.

SCNDLS said:

Yep, I guess she did not want 8 babies at once.

Sure as hell, not me. I guess if you have the money and someone wants to have babies for you, why not?

Hopefully all will be happy & healthy.

shanti0608 said:

novabrkr said:

not if you are born in a womans body

shanti0608 said:

i don't think that after 35 is high risk anymore, just because a person is younger doesn't make them healthier anymore.

angelcat said:

You are right. My midwife told me that I could have a home birth with no worries and that I am in better shape than most women having babies in their 20's.
Research shows that women that are a bit older take better care of their bodies, eat better, exercise and do not drink as much.
It all depends on the person of coarse.
Though interesting fact:
A baby girl is born with egg cells (oocytes) in her ovaries. Between 16 and 20 weeks of pregnancy, the ovaries of a female fetus contain 6 to 7 million oocytes. Most of the oocytes gradually waste away, leaving about 1 to 2 million present at birth. None develop after birth. At puberty, only about 300,000—more than enough for a lifetime of fertility—remain. Only a small percentage of oocytes mature into eggs. The many thousands of oocytes that do not mature degenerate. Degeneration progresses more rapidly in the 10 to 15 years before menopause. All are gone by menopause.

Only about 400 eggs are released during a woman's reproductive life, usually one during each menstrual cycle. Until released, an egg remains dormant in its follicle-suspended in the middle of a cell division. Thus, the egg is one of the longest-lived cells in the body. Because a dormant egg cannot perform the usual cellular repair processes, the opportunity for damage increases as a woman ages. A chromosomal or genetic abnormality is thus more likely when a woman conceives a baby later in life.


So, it tends to be harder to conceive as we get older, science tells us why.

shanti0608 said:

wow! very informative. a friend of mine who is 42, is 20 weeks pregnant with her 2nd child. she doesn't drink or smoke, is pretty fit so she is hoping for the best as she refused to do any tests. another friend of mine, who is a mid-wife told me that most of the recent cases of Down Syndrome births in her hospital have been in women under 30!

angelcat said:

Physical fitness has nothing to do with why these pregnancies are termed high risk it's due to the age of the eggs.

Pregnancy After 35

Many women now start a family when they are in their mid-30s or older. Today 1 in 5 women has her first child after age 35 (1). The good news is that most have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies.
However, studies show that women in their mid-to-late 30s and 40s may face some special risks. Women should be aware of these risks so they can make informed decisions about their pregnancies, including when to become pregnant.

Does age affect fertility?
Women usually have some decrease in fertility starting in their early 30s. It often takes a woman in her mid-30s or older longer to conceive than a younger woman.

Women over age 35 may be less fertile than younger women because they tend to ovulate (release an egg from the ovaries) less frequently. Certain health conditions that are more common in this age group also may contribute. For example, women over age 35 are more likely to have endometriosis, a condition in which tissue attaches to the ovaries or fallopian tubes, sometimes interfering with conception.

A woman over age 35 should consult her health care provider if she has not conceived after six months of trying. Studies suggest that about one-third of women between 35 and 39 and about half of those over age 40 have fertility problems (2). Many fertility problems can be treated successfully.

While women over age 35 may have more difficulty conceiving, they also have a greater chance of having twins (3). The chances of having twins increases naturally with age. Women over 35 also are more likely to undergo fertility treatment, which also increases the chance of twins (as well as triplets and other multiples).

Are women over age 35 at increased risk of having a baby with a birth defect?
Women over age 35 are at increased risk of having a child with certain birth defects involving chromosomes (the structures in cells that contain genes). Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal birth defect. Affected children have varying degrees of mental retardation and physical birth defects.

At age 25, a woman has about a 1-in-1,250 chance of having a baby with Down syndrome.
At age 30, a 1-in-1,000 chance.
At age 35, a 1-in-400 chance.
At age 40, a 1-in-100 chance.
At 45, a 1-in-30 chance.
At 49, a 1-in-10 chance (1, 4).
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that women who will be 35 or older at the time of delivery be offered prenatal testing to diagnose, or far more likely, rule out Down syndrome and other chromosomal problems (4). Prenatal tests include amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS). Most women who have these tests learn that their baby does not have a chromosomal problem.

Both amniocentesis and CVS pose a very small risk of miscarriage (pregnancy loss before 20 weeks of pregnancy). Some women choose to have a first- or second-trimester screening test (a blood test, sometimes with a special ultrasound exam) to get more information on their risk of having a baby with Down syndrome before deciding on amniocentesis or CVS. Women who learn they are at low risk may choose not to have amniocentesis or CVS, whereas women at increased risk may decide to have CVS or amniocentesis. A screening test, however, cannot definitively diagnose or rule out Down syndrome and other chromosomal problems as amniocentesis and CVS can.

Does the risk of miscarriage increase as a woman gets older?
Most miscarriages occur in the first trimester for women of all ages. The risk of miscarriage increases with age. Studies suggest that about 10 percent of recognized pregnancies for women in their 20s end in miscarriage (5). The risk rises to about 20 percent at ages 35 to 39, and about 50 percent by ages 40 to 44 (5). The age-related increased risk of miscarriage is caused, at least in part, by increases in chromosomal abnormalities.

Can preexisting health conditions affect pregnancy?
Women over age 35 are more likely than younger women to have a health condition that began before pregnancy. Some health conditions, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and kidney and heart problems, can affect pregnancy. For example, poorly controlled diabetes can contribute to birth defects and miscarriage, and poorly controlled high blood pressure can slow fetal growth.

At any age, a woman should see her health care provider before trying to conceive. A preconception visit helps ensure that she is in the best possible health before conception. A preconception visit is especially important if a woman has a chronic health condition. Her provider can treat the condition and make any necessary changes in her medications to help assure that she has a healthy pregnancy. The provider also can recommend that a woman planning pregnancy take a daily multivitamin containing 400 micrograms of folic acid to help prevent certain serious birth defects of the brain and spinal cord (neural tube defects).

Are women over age 35 more likely to have pregnancy complications?
Women in their late 30s and 40s are very likely to have a healthy baby. However, they may face more complications along the way than younger women.

Some complications that are more common in women over 35 include:

Gestational diabetes. This form of diabetes develops for the first time during pregnancy. According to a 2005 government study conducted at many medical centers, women over age 35 are about twice as likely as younger women to develop gestational diabetes (6). Women with gestational diabetes are more likely to have a very large baby who is at risk of injuries during delivery.
Placental problems. The most common placental problem is placenta previa, in which the placenta covers part or all of the uterine opening (cervix). A 2005 government study found that women in their late 30s were almost twice as likely, and women in their 40s nearly three times as likely, as younger women to have this complication (6). Placenta previa can cause severe bleeding during delivery, which can endanger mother and baby. A cesarean delivery often can prevent serious complications.
Premature delivery. A 2005 government study found that women over age 40 were 40 percent more likely than younger women to deliver prematurely (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) (6). Premature babies are at increased risk of health problems in the newborn period and of lasting disabilities. Other studies have found that women between 35 and 39 also have an increased risk of premature delivery, though their risk may be lower than that of women over age 40 (7). Some studies also suggest that women in their 40s may be at increased risk of having a low-birthweight baby (less than 5½ pounds) (4, 5, 6).
Stillbirth. Stillbirth is the death of the fetus after 20 weeks of pregnancy. A number of studies have found that women over age 40 are about twice as likely as women in their 20s to have a stillborn baby (4, 5, 7). The reasons for these tragic losses in the over-40 age group are poorly understood.
As with diabetes, high blood pressure can develop for the first time during pregnancy. This may be referred to as pregnancy-induced hypertension (high blood pressure) or, in its most severe form, preeclampsia. Some studies have found that pregnancy-induced high blood pressure is more common in women over age 35 (6, 7).

Are women over 35 more likely than younger women to have a cesarean delivery?
The chances of a cesarean delivery rise with age. First-time mothers over age 40 appear to be more than twice as likely as first-time mothers under age 30 to have a cesarean delivery (9). In 2003, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 47 percent of first-time mothers over age 40, 33 percent between ages 30 and 39, and 21 percent under age 30 had a cesarean delivery (9).

How can a pregnant woman reduce her risks?
Today, most women in their late 30s and 40s can look forward to healthy pregnancies. Women of all ages can improve their chances of having a healthy pregnancy if they:

Have a preconception checkup with a health care provider.
Get early and regular prenatal care.
Take a multivitamin containing 400 micrograms of folic acid daily, starting before pregnancy and in early pregnancy, to help prevent certain serious birth defects of the brain and spinal cord (neural tube defects).
Begin pregnancy at a healthy weight (not too heavy or too thin).
Don't drink alcohol.
Don't smoke and avoid secondhand smoke.
Don't use any drug, even over-the-counter medications or herbal preparations, unless recommended by a health care provider who knows they are pregnant.
Eat a variety of nutritious foods, including foods containing folic acid, like fortified breakfast cereals, leafy green vegetables, dried beans, legumes, oranges and orange juice.
Don't eat undercooked meat or change a cat's litter box. Both are possible sources of toxoplasmosis, an infection that can cause birth defects.
Don't eat shark, swordfish, king mackerel or tilefish. These fish can have high amounts of mercury. It's all right for a pregnant woman to eat a limited amount of fish that have small amounts of mercury, including shrimp, salmon, pollock, catfish and canned light tuna. But she should not eat more than 6 ounces of albacore (white) tuna per week.Women also should check local advisories about the safety of fish caught in local waters.
In addition, the March of Dimes recommends that all women be tested for immunity to rubella (German measles) and chickenpox before becoming pregnant and consider being vaccinated if they are not immune. After being vaccinated, a woman should wait one month before becoming pregnant.

Pregnant women who are 35 or older face some special risks, but many of these risks can be managed effectively with good prenatal care. It's important to keep in mind that the increased risk, even for the oldest women, is modest.

angelcat said:

When they did my 12 week scan they did the Nuchal translucency test for Down Syndrome. Once they did the measurement, the chances went well below normal. The age factor does not always mean the risk is higher. It depends on many other things and they are finding it is getting higher in younger women these days.

The body is an amazing thing especially when you take care of it properly.

When I first saw the first bit of headline about this, I thought they were divorcing.

Hope all goes well with them, the surrogate and the babies.

Nothinbutjoy said:

That's the announcement I've been waiting for too.

shanti0608 said:

Your age alone will not determine your down's syndrome risk. A US government agency goes so far as to say that trying to use age alone to determine Down's syndrome risk would actually miss 75% of the cases. Newer research quoted by the National Association for Down Syndrome points out that 80% of babies born with Down Syndrome are born to women under 35 years of age.

If you're over 35 and are pregnant or considering pregnancy, then you've probably been told that you should undergo down syndrome screening. Should you do it? Consider these down syndrome facts...

So then why all the fuss about down syndrome screening for older mothers? Well, there are other down syndrome facts to consider too. This is where statistics can get hard to follow...

The fact is, younger women are more likely to become pregnant. The National Institutes of Health reveals that women over 35 only account for 9% of total births. But, this same group accounts for 25 % of the total instances of Down Syndrome.

The down syndrome facts on risk associated with age are much easier to understand when the information is presented as probabilities based on mother's age. Then, the pattern for increased down's syndrome risk is clear.

novabrkr said:

You should have said a horse.

very informative guys, ye both seem to know a lot more than me on the subject. here's to happy healthy pregnancies.

angelcat said:

There's a lot of information out there. Plus having a great gyno is crucial.

SCNDLS said:

Amen to that.

angelcat said:

I have a close friend that is a wonderful OB/GYN and her hubby is a scientist that knows lots about Women's health.


[Edited 4/29/09 10:49am]

shanti0608 said:

I really think that American doctors are the ones who are totally obsessed with the "high-risk" thing. The truth is that statistics for not being able to conceive as we get older are the highest - not those that relate to birth defects.

applekisses said:

It sure does seem to be an American thing.
No one here in the UK has labeled me high risk. I guess the insurance companies in the states make more money off of what they classify as high risk so they can run more tests and see patients more often.
My sis in law here just had her baby on Easter Sunday at 3:10pm, was home with the baby by 7pm and wanted the family to visit that evening. I saw her and the baby at 9:30, she was breast feeding and momma was feeling great. No drugs, all natural.
Sunday a friend of ours had a healthy drug free delivery and was home in a few hours feeling wonderful.
They do not stress about childbirth here like they do in the states.
It is a much more relaxed atmosphere.

Great so NOW it's an anti-American thread.

SCNDLS said:

Nope. I blame it on the health insurance companies...breeding fear to make money, just like Fox News.
I am American, always will be, I would just like to see the health care system learn some lessons from other countries, that is all.

shanti0608 said:

Ditto.

shanti0608 said:

I think that's wonderful - and it should be that way because the statistics actually back it up. WOW - it's amazing that your sister-in-law was home in 4 hours! That's fantastic! It sounds like having a baby in the UK is a much calmer experience.

Cuddles said:

Most men would disagree with you.