About this episode

The episode discusses the challenges and joys of becoming a mother in mid-life, featuring insights from women who experienced pregnancy in their 40s and expert commentary on the associated risks and rewards.

Mid-life is hard enough, but what happens when you add a baby to the mix? The average maternal age has been creeping up over the past twenty years, with more women than ever becoming first time mums in their 40s, delaying motherhood to build careers, travel, find the right partner, secure housing, or navigate infertility. Having a baby later in life can be exhausting. Sleep is elusive, many women are edging perimenopause and the risks to both mother and baby can increase. Then there's the judgement — the sideways looks, the inevitable question: are you the mum or the grandma? Yumi Stynes meets two first time mums who fell pregnant in their mid-40s to talk about the challenges and the joys of being an older mum. Plus women's health expert Dr Karin Hammarberg weighs in on the risks- and rewards- of waiting. This episode will answer questions like: Can I get pregnant after 40? Can you get pregnant when you're 45? Why do women delay getting pregnant? Should I wait to get pregnant? What are the chances of getting pregnant over 40? What is a geriatric pregnancy Is it harder to get pregnant after 40? What to listen to next: Surrogacy: why women carry babies for others — ABC listen Is…

People in this episode

Host: Yumi Stynes

Guest: Dr Karin Hammarberg

Topics covered

• motherhood
• age
• fertility
• health
• judgment

Keywords

• mid-life motherhood
• pregnancy after 40
• perimenopause
• fertility
• geriatric pregnancy

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