Help - 42, thinking of TTC, know nothing!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Ten years too late

Dumbass.

[Anonymous]

Get a clearblue fertility monitor and start having unprotected sex when it tells you to. I think it takes a month to "learn" your cycle, so might as well get started on the unprotected sex sooner rather than later.

I would also make an appointment with an RE given your age. Don't bother with your OB/GYN.

[Anonymous]

Everyone is different, but I'm 42 and pregnant with my 3rd (5th month trying with a chemical at month 3). No intervention other than vitamins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Ten years too late

Dumbass.

+1000

[Anonymous]

OP,
Run don't walk to an RE.
In the meantime have your PCP test for thyroid and vitamin D levels and get those corrected if necessary. Ideally your TSH should be around 1.0 while TTC. It might be a good idea to line up an endocrinologist too.
Start on a good prenatal with folate immediately. I have been taking ubiquinol to improve egg quality, on my RE's recommendation.

[Anonymous]

I am currently 41, will be 42 when I deliver, and am at 14 weeks with an unplanned, health (so far) pregnancy, don't give up hope.

[Anonymous]

I'm 42, and just like you, never really thought about having kids but wasn't opposed to the idea either. Met husband late and then life got in the way. We have been TTC for a few years now and have done IUI and one cycle of IVF. We're about to do our second cycle of IVF this week. It is an unbelievably uphill battle. There is a ton of information out there and it can be really daunting to figure everything out. I still find things I didn't know before and wish I did.

With that in mind, I can't agree more with everyone here about going straight to a reproductive endocrinologist for an initial visit. We're at Shady Grove and they have tons of free seminars (in person and online) for first-timers. Wherever you go, they will walk you through the process. Insurance is a battle in itself, especially in states that don't have mandated coverage for IVF. Don't be offended when they refer to you as "a woman of advanced maternal age," it happens to all of us!

If you want to try naturally, I would still make an appointment right now. I can't emphasize enough how important it is to have as much information up front as possible. For us older ladies, egg quality is the biggest issue. Definitely start taking prenatals and ubiquinol now. It takes three months to help egg quality. I take Rainbow Light Embrace Prenatal 35+ (best prices on Amazon, Whole Foods is ridiculously expensive). Ubiquinol is also known as CoQ10, but you want Ubiquinol, which is the form of CoQ10 that is already broken down. I take 600 mg daily, Naturewise brand I got on Amazon. Both of these are soy-free (you want that, too). Tell your doctor you are taking these. Omega-3/DHA fish oil doesn't hurt either.

Despite all that, it can be done. There are tons and tons of over-40 success stories in forums like this one. I wish you the best on your journey, and no, you are not an idiot. You were clearly happy, living your life and that is awesome.

I also recommend reading Rebecca Fett's It Starts with the Egg. I also found this slide show (first one on egg quality) from Pulling Down the Moon to be eye-opening:

http://www.pullingdownthemoon.com/learning-center.aspx

I hope you will let us know how you are doing. Good luck!