Advanced Maternal Age

All this talk about the new Republican Vice Presidential nominee, Sarah Palin, had me thinking about this today.

I REALLY hate the term, "Advanced Maternal Age."! It's as if we're saying that women have an expiration date of 35 (or younger!) if they're to be able to have a child. That is just nonsense to me! We live in a society where people are living longer and delaying marriage and childbirth. As a result, we see women- like a good friend of mine- who are having their first children at the age of 43. Yeah, I know all about diminished ovarian reserve and the higher incidences of chromosomal abnormalities such as Down's Syndrome, but still-- we are hearing more and more often about women extending childbirth years well into their fifties. Heck, a couple have even been upwards of 70! (Although, that is taking it waaaay too far, in my opinion).

No, I'm not looking at trying for just one more. There will be no more for us, at least not of the biological variety! I have several friends who are or will soon be cycling (two are doing IVF and one is doing a medicated IUI right now). Plus, one friend is talking about doing another cycle within the year to add a sibling, and one of my partner teachers has suffered many losses and is looking at having a child. Each of the people I'm thinking of are considered advanced maternal age in medical terms, although to know them would suggest no such thing.

Traditionally, a woman is labeled AMA when she becomes pregnant at the age of 35 or older. However, when I (finally!) became pregnant with my twins, I was sent to see a maternal-fetal medicine specialist, or perinatologist, because I was considered high risk for several reasons. I do suffer from hypertension and knew that would be an issue in addition to my carrying multiples, but the doctor put AMA on my chart as well.

Oh, hell no! Pump the brakes!

Me (oh, so sweetly): Excuse me, Doctor, but you put 'AMA ' on my chart, but I am only 33. When I have the babies I will only be 34.

Doctor: Yes, that's true for a singleton, but with multiples, we consider people AMA at the age of 33.

Well, I'll be damned! Women are in the news often these days for having babies at 58, 62, and even 70. So, how did I get to be considered "Advanced Maternal Age" at 33? They offered me an amniocentesis and everything! I declined that, though, because the results had no bearing whatsoever on whether or no we would keep the babies, and the pregnancy proceeded pretty well. It's just that that label stuck in my craw the entire time. Humph! Advanced maternal age my eye! Some days I'm a bigger kid than my (now) toddlers!

Of course, I usually have to take a long soak in a hot bath of lavender-scented epsom salts after all that youthful exuberance, but still...