No. I had my children at 37 and 39 years old. Both were and are healthy! It was really hard to get pregnant the first time: it took 14 cycles. I was terrified that I had waited too long. It turned out I was timing the sex wrong. Back then (1998) I was using an ovulation test kit. Hopefully they’re better now. I was supposed to try when the line appeared. At some point I told my OB-Gyn friend about what was happening and she said to estimate when the line would appear and start trying several days before that. I was pregnant within six weeks! 😄 I thank her for my baby😊 And! I got pregnant the second time just after I stopped breast feeding. It turns out that a woman is primed to get pregnant then. No one tells you that. Back then we didn’t really have the Internet, or at least I never used it. I got my information from books/magazines/newspapers. In the several thousands of pages I read on pregnancy and childbirth I came across that little factoid exactly twice.
I live in Silicon Valley and it’s quite common for women to get pregnant late here. When I had my kids there were nine children on our cul-de-sac. Four were from invitro fertilization because the moms had waited too long. But I got mine naturally! 😁 Every single cycle, though, is precious when you’re older and trying for a baby. Don’t waste them! If you’re on the fence, I say, just try. And let the chips fall where they may. It’s not easy to get pregnant in your early forties, but if you can get pregnant, that’s the hard part. Once you are, you will most likely have a healthy child.
They have really good testing nowadays. You can let the pregnancy go if there’s something really wrong. OK, people, don’t shoot me. I am pro-life AND pro-choice, if that’s possible. I’m telling you, there are plenty of healthy children in the world you can help and mentor rather than devoting your life to one who is extremely sick. Those who have such a child, and I know a few women who have adult children with special needs, deserve all the support we can give them. Their lives are very hard.😕