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A woman's chances of giving birth to a child with Down syndrome increase with age because older eggs have a greater risk of improper chromosome division. By age 35, a woman's risk of conceiving a child with Down syndrome is 1 in 400. By age 45, the risk is 1 in 35.
(emphasis added)
I get that 1 in 35 is almost 3%, and that that is substantial (especially compared to less than 1 in a thousand, for example), but I'd say that hitting the 34 in 35 chance of our kid not having downs is hardly "very lucky"
Having an older father (being 40 or older) may increase a child's risk of autism. There may also be a connection between children being born to older mothers and autism, but more research is necessary.
(emphasis added)
So, so much for the terrible increased risk of autism if one gets pregnant over age 40.
Sorry, but I'm a bit of a stickler about actual statistics.
I get that 1 in 35 is almost 3%, and that that is substantial (especially compared to less than 1 in a thousand, for example), but I'd say that hitting the 34 in 35 chance of our kid not having downs is hardly "very lucky"
Does the risk of Down syndrome increase with the mother’s age?
Yes. The risk of Down syndrome increases with the mother’s age (7):
At age 25, the risk of having a baby with Down syndrome is 1 in 1,250.
At age 30, the risk is 1 in 1,000.
At age 35, the risk is 1 in 400.
At age 40, the risk is 1 in 100.
At age 45, the risk is 1 in 30.
I note that they put the risk of Down at age 45 as 1 in 30, rather than 1 in 35, so my "about 3% is probably as close as one can guesstimate.
Now, yes, I get that 1 in 30 is much higher than one would like. But to say one got "very lucky" not to have a kids with Down syndrome implies something other than a 29 in 30 or 34 in 35 chance of, ya know, Not Having Down Syndrome. Normally, 97% constitutes "the vast majority" of a population.
Are there considerably higher risk factors to having a kid at age 45? Yes. Are the VAST MAJORITY of children born at age 45 perfectly healthy? Yes.
If one doesn't want to have a kid at age 45, for whatever reason, then they shouldn't. But people doing so aren't dodging incredible odds to have a healthy, normal child (assuming that they are able to conceive, which is generally the most difficult aspect of having a kid at an advanced age).
I was very careful to have my last child by age 30 for this very reason
Again, others are free to play the odds if they wish.
Well, my wife and I didn't even meet until she was 36, so that wouldn't have worked for us.
I know, she could've married someone when she was in her 20's and had a kid then. Of course, had she done that both her and her then-husband would've been miserable and likely divorced before very long and that wouldn't have been very good for whatever kid they would have had then, but hey, at least she would've dodged the 1 in 1,000 chance of Down syndrome.
Just saying, everyone's life is different, for various reasons.
Well, my wife and I didn't even meet until she was 36, so that wouldn't have worked for us.
I know, she could've married someone when she was in her 20's and had a kid then. Of course, had she done that both her and her then-husband would've been miserable and likely divorced before very long and that wouldn't have been very good for whatever kid they would have had then, but hey, at least she would've dodged the 1 in 1,000 chance of Down syndrome.
Just saying, everyone's life is different, for various reasons.
Yep, in life timing is everything.
I was highly motivated to have a husband and children, so I arranged my life that way from a young age.
But I completely understand that others have their own path to take!
We adopted an 4 week old infant with Down syndrome 25 years ago when we were in our early 30's. Our son was born to a 17 year old mother. I think that anyone becoming pregnant, especially these days, has to think about the possibilities as so many more issues are showing up, especially autism. I'm thinking that if there is a disability that you find so off-putting that you could not accept your own child with it, you should consider never having children. There is actually a woman in Ohio, herself an adoptive mother of special needs children, that coordinates adoptions of babies/children with Down syndrome and she is at this website along with a wealth of information about our children: Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati and she has a waiting list of people waiting for babies/children with Down syndrome. Yes, people standing in line filled with hope that they will get "the call". It is tough to be a mother of a child with Down syndrome and read threads like this and even tougher knowing that many of these children, once conceived, never see the light of day. I will always remember the day that we the got the call saying a baby, a little boy was available and the agency wanted to meet us - seems like yesterday. We have two wonderful children of which we are very proud.
When our genetic counselor gave us the list of syndromes our daughter might have I was praying for Down syndrome. It turned out to (probably) be another type of chromosomal abnormality. I was 33 by the way. Not exactly a spring chicken in reproductive terms, but not considered advanced maternal age either.
In thinking about trying again my husband and I are considering our financial situation versus the risks of my aging eggs. I used to really freak out about having a baby after 35 but having been on the bad end of very tiny odds, they just don't mean that much anymore. It's just one factor among many to take into consideration. I would loved to have been married and ready for kids in my early 20s. If I could have "arranged" to meet my husband any sooner I surely would have!
We could not imagine my parents without kids in the home. We -my two siblings and I -convinced them (after we had all decided) it was time for them to have another addition to the family. Dad and mom loved the idea.
As we had all left home and were on our "own" and independent of financial stresses upon them, my little brother arrived through an uncomplicated and natural birth and brought so much joy into the family we could never imagine it any other way.
Mom was 45 and dad was 48 at the time. Both have passed today and although each of my siblings live on different continents, have remained to be extremely close and never a three day period goes by without being in touch, as well as yearly get-togethers with their families and extended families.
The happiness that my little brother (now 43) has brought each of us has been something we all cherish.
...... The positives that this will bring are far more enjoyable and don't pay too much attention to the naysayers and negatives remarks.
If it feels good, and it's what you want, then go for it.
I don't understand this at all. I would think empty nesters would look forward to pursuing their own hobbies and interests, and just plain resting after 20 something years of raising kids. I really don't understand why you and your siblings were the ones to come up with the idea To each their own, but this makes no sense to me at all.
We adopted an 4 week old infant with Down syndrome 25 years ago when we were in our early 30's. Our son was born to a 17 year old mother. I think that anyone becoming pregnant, especially these days, has to think about the possibilities as so many more issues are showing up, especially autism. I'm thinking that if there is a disability that you find so off-putting that you could not accept your own child with it, you should consider never having children. There is actually a woman in Ohio, herself an adoptive mother of special needs children, that coordinates adoptions of babies/children with Down syndrome and she is at this website along with a wealth of information about our children: Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati and she has a waiting list of people waiting for babies/children with Down syndrome. Yes, people standing in line filled with hope that they will get "the call". It is tough to be a mother of a child with Down syndrome and read threads like this and even tougher knowing that many of these children, once conceived, never see the light of day. I will always remember the day that we the got the call saying a baby, a little boy was available and the agency wanted to meet us - seems like yesterday. We have two wonderful children of which we are very proud.
You are an amazing mom and I'm so happy that you and your family are happy, and I hope healthy
I was always prepared to love every baby I had, irregardless of any health issue.
My point was that I did not want to purposely risk having children with issues by planning to have them over 40. To do so is extremely irresponsible to me.
If I had not married until later I would have either adopted or just accepted the fact that I was not meant to be a mother (not everyone is and it's not a "right" as some people seem to think).
Down's syndrome children are the sweetest of the sweet and having one would not been upsetting because of how I would have been impacted. Instead I would have been extremely upset for the child and the way he/she would have suffered.
Having a special needs child is not for the faint of heart, as I know you know But I am so glad to know there are parents like you in the world who were up to the challenges and rewards.
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To each their own, but this makes no sense to me at all.
