A baby after 40

What does being a mother at 40 change?

A little luck, a lot of patience

First difficulty: being pregnant. At 40, it usually takes longer to become pregnant, at least a year. From this age in fact, a woman has a 10% chance of being fertilized, which is three times less than at 25 years old. But these are of course only averages. In fact, how many women of 40 or 42 were pregnant less than six months after stopping their contraception?

Second difficulty: pass the fateful milestone of the first trimester. At this age, early miscarriages (interruptions in the development of the egg even before the date of menstruation) are more frequent. So after 40 years, 30% of pregnancies do not go beyond the second month stage. In question, the aging of the oocytes which are stored in the ovaries since the fourth month of the embryo’s life! And five or ten more years, that counts, in the oocytes too.

Years go by, so what?

Getting pregnant at an old age has become a common occurrence. The number of births after 40 has more than tripled in the last XNUMX years! In 15% of cases, it is a very first, but most of the time, it is the family that grows. ” In France, more and more couples are deciding to do the third or fourth, not to mention the households that are recomposed! “, Evokes Professor Michel Tournaire, head of the maternity ward of the Saint-Vincent-de-Paul hospital, author of The Happiness of being a mother – Pregnancy after 35 years. And then, simply, the ages are shifting! That of the first child reaches almost 30 years in women, therefore, the latter will come out a little later as well as a few years ago. 

Late pregnancy, it’s trendy!

Madonna gave birth to Lourdes at 39 and her son Rocco at 41. Isabelle Adjani had her last boy, Gabriel-Kane, at 40 years old. Lio gave birth to his twins Garance and Léa at 37, and had her baby Diego at 41. When you lead the life of a star … babies come later! While they are common today, these late pregnancies are not to be taken lightly! They require special attention and women who are considering it must ask themselves the right questions before getting started. : “How will those around me react? “,” Will I hold out physically? »,« Am I able to take such a difference in age between my child and me? “…

Getting your late pregnancy accepted 

To the elders. They may hide their excitement when they find out that you are pregnant. What will the friends think? And then, a little bit at home, it makes noise! Do not be worried, once the little brother or sister is born, they will love to pamper him …

A son entourage. “She is oblivious to the risks she takes! “,” It is undoubtedly an accident … “… The anxiety of some, the judgment of others … not easy for the future mother to face certain reactions. Focus primarily on your well-being and that of the baby!

Having a baby later, what are the advantages?

We are better installed. First in her relationship, but also in our work and therefore, at home! “These future mothers generally have a better socio-economic position. It is easier for them to welcome a little bit ”emphasizes Prof Tournaire.

We are wiser. “At 40, you manage your pregnancy well. 40-year-old women take more precautions than young mothers… probably because they are aware of the seriousness of the matter and have a little more knowledge! ” 

We take his fatigue with humor! “When I see them arrive in my office, they are flat! They hurt when they get up, when they go to bed, but they put a big smile on these pains. They are more motivated, maybe … ”

Another privilege of age: after 35 years, we have fewer stretch marks, because the skin is more mature! (That’s always good news to take!)