Dr Oz: Moms Over 40
Dr Oz’s show centered on late in life motherhood, and he talked with real women as well as medical experts about a variety of concerns. They included aging pregnancy risks, fertility treatment costs, and Down Syndrome risks associated with older women’s pregnancies. Next, Dr Oz took the conversation in another direction. He wanted to talk about the social stigma of older moms. How do you really feel when you see an older woman with young children?
Doctor Oz: Too Young To Be A Mom?
Dr Oz discussed Infertility Embarrassment and other social factors affecting the decision to pursue a late-in-life pregnancy.
Do you see an older woman playing with kids and assume she is a grandmother? Dr Oz talked to one woman who has gone through six rounds of IVF treatment, and has yet to successfully concieve.
She said that she intends to keep trying until she has a baby, no matter how long it takes. (Where do people find the money for this? You could go broke getting pregnant, and then you have 18 years of childhood expenses on the way!) The woman said she was not mature enough to have a baby earlier in life, around age 27.
She also added that her husband, in his younger years, was definitely unprepared for fatherhood. But now she feels that they are both ready to make the change together, because they are emotionally and financially secure in their relationships. She would advise her own daughter (and presumably other young women) to freeze their own eggs early.
Dr Oz: Infertility Embarrassment
Psychologist Dr Jennifer Hartstein said we need to remove shame and insecurity from the conversation about infertility. Women are conditioned from childhood to expect to get married and have children, but social behavior patterns are evolving, allowing women to focus on career goals too.
Dr Oz: Doctor Stigma & Late-In-Life Motherhood
Audience member Maddie is 32, and she said her doctor advised her to find a good relationship before pursuing pregnancy, claiming that was the paramount factor. He advised her to come back at age 37 if she was still looking to have a baby. (She needs to fire her doctor, right?)
Dr Oz disagreed with Maddie’s consultation, saying the doctor should’ve been more thorough in discussing her options and the risks of having a pregnancy in later years. But Maddie did agree that it would be difficult to raise a child on her own; she saw how hard it was for her own mother, so she didn’t feel she was ready just yet.
Maddie thanked Dr Oz for shining a spotlight on this conversation to let other women make better decisions for their health.
Leave a Reply