# old woman gives birth

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-woman-gives-birth/21164>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 1, 2000, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-woman-gives-birth/21164 "2000-06-01T23:37:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2000, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-woman-gives-birth/21164/1 "2000-06-01T23:37:20Z")

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How old is too old to have children? I know some women have been reported to at older than 45, but thats just not healthy or wise, I think.  
I’m 41, will be 42 in November, and want one more.  
What are my odds of having a healthy baby?

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**Author:** ![Devil\_In\_Disguise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Devil\_In\_Disguise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Devil_In_Disguise)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-woman-gives-birth/21164/2 "2000-06-02T01:04:53Z")

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The Guiness Book of World Records lists a woman over 60. For someone who has had children before, the highest recommended age is higher than for someone who has never had children.

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**Author:** ![Alphagene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Alphagene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alphagene)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-woman-gives-birth/21164/3 "2000-06-02T01:55:24Z")

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This really is an “ask your doctor” question.

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**Author:** ![Louie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Louie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Louie)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 9:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-woman-gives-birth/21164/4 "2000-06-02T09:30:03Z")

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My mom was 43 when she gave birth to my little brother, and everything went fine, no complications, no problems.

But Alphagene is right, go to the doctor about it.

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**Author:** ![Fiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Fiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiver)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-woman-gives-birth/21164/5 "2000-06-02T13:43:43Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> I’m 41, will be 42 in November, and want one more.  
> What are my odds of having a healthy baby?

I’m no doctor, but I’ve read that, while the risk of complications during pregnancy and birth defects in the baby increase after age 40, the odds are still very high throughout a woman’s childbearing years that there will be no problems and a normal baby.

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**Author:** ![Kiki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kiki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiki)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2000, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-woman-gives-birth/21164/6 "2000-06-02T13:48:27Z")

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I think they say you can have more complications and the baby is at higher risk for birth defects after the age of 35. I guess they just monitor you more closely, I don’t know. I wouldn’t let the fact that your 41 stop you from having a baby if you want one. I would definitely check with your doctor first though.