Late age children and disability?

Question

I have heard if you have children at late age like in 50s there are more chanses that children will born with disbility.

I am 50 and my wife is 40 and she desperatley needs a child but I am scare if child is born with disability.

Answer 1

There are risks with any pregnancy but the risks do increase with age. At 40, your wife's pregnancy would be considered "high risk" for many reasons. With good prenatal care, the pregnancy can easily go to full term without any complications.

I got pregnant at 44 and gave birth at 45 with my last baby. It was a very difficult pregnancy with many complications (I am diabetic) which resulted in my daughters birth at 34 weeks. Although her birth weight was low, she was perfectly healthy and went home within 10 days with no complications.

Today, she is a healthy and happy 14 year old who is one of the greatest joys in our lives. We have enjoyed every single moment of her life and look forward to many, many more. Good luck and have fun!

Answer 2

at 40 she is at an increased risk of having a child with downs syndrome but still she's quite low risk.

then again a disability can happen at any time i was 25yr old when my daughter was born with Turner syndrome, i was just 20yr old when my son was born he's dyspraxic. I personally know 3 women who had downs syndrome babies at 18. so disability can happen at any age.#

often you never know till birth as i did with my daughter and with my son i first noticed "problems" at about 18 months.......my son is almost 17 now daughter 11 and i have a daughter 8 as well. I'd not be without any of my kids.....

Answer 3

Why does she "need" a child? That sounds really selfish, is she considering the child or just what she thinks she "needs"?

Yes the risks are higher the older you are.

Answer 4

Risks rise with age but still remain relatively low.  Many women in their early 40s do give birth to children with no problems. Your wife should talk to her doctor about particular risks in her case.  Together you can then evaluate whether it is worth the risk to you.  If not, you can consider adoption.

There's nothing selfish about wanting a child.  Most of us do.  I'm a bit taken aback at the idea that it would somehow be better if no one who had a slightly increased risk of having a child with any disability conceived at all.  Most people with disabilities are glad they were born.  

Answer 5

No one "needs" a child.  I assume she wants one?  Doctors do lots of tests to check for birth defects during pregnancy in older women.  Another option is you could adopt a child.

Answer 6

You're wife isn't at a high risk of having a child with a disability.

I don't think men have anything to do with that, I believe it's what goes on in the woman that decides.