I’m a to be mom naturally pregnant in 40s, yet why does the antenatal team talk to us like we know nothing, especially when we ask questions on the advice they give? I’m tired of the cautions being ‘high risk’. I’ve been asking questions from the start. I question authority. I question the advice that is given? Yes, I am 42, but also have always engaged in regular cardiovascular and anaerobic exercise prior to getting naturally pregnant in 40s.
Prior to finding out I was pregnant in August 2022, I had just completed the Dog Days of Summer challenge on my Concept 2, which is a total of 100,000m throughout August. I took four pregnancy tests on my period due date and all were positive. To be honest, I kind of knew I was pregnant even two weeks before, not sure of why, but I just sensed it. My husband and I have been trying to get pregnant for about a year. I lost a baby to miscarriage around 7 weeks at age 39.
I guess I am controversial in my views. I mean they no longer recommend that women have liver or cod liver oil in their pregnancy due to the high levels of Vitamin A, yet I follow a high Vitamin A diet, take cod liver oil daily, and also eat a diet rich in healthy saturated fats like butter, eggs, liver, meat fats, bone broth, and whole raw milk. I guess it was drilled into me in Home Economics that you were to give a pregnant lady liver in her diet. If I didn’t give a lady liver in her diet, I was marked down in my exams. Yet today, the research they give the midwives and doctors is that all pregnant women should avoid both pre-formed foods high in Vitamin A, and high dose Vitamin A supplements. It was in fact the supplements that the Boston study was based upon, but they pushed high Vitamin A foods into the same category as prenatal Vitamin A supplements, saying that it lead to birth defects.
I’m one to question this demonization of nutrient rich foods high in Vitamin A. I question why there is suddenly a push to prevent pregnant women from consuming higher than average levels of Vitamin A. Fear is a huge factor, and even worse they state that high levels of Vitamin A cause birth defects, so most pregnant women will listen to the experts without even reading up on this subject. From what I have read on the importance of Vitamin A in pregnancy, it is of utmost importance.
Even worse than vitamin-A vagary is vitamin-A knavery in the form of concerns that vitamin A may be toxic in more than the minuscule RDA-recommended amounts. In fact, so great is the propaganda against the vitamin that obstetricians and pediatricians are now warning patients to avoid foods containing vitamin A!
Recently an “expert” panel recommended lowering the RDA (recommended daily allowance) for vitamin A from 5000 IU daily to about 2500 IU and has set an upper limit of about 10,000 IUs for women. The panel was headed by Dr. Robert Russell of Tufts University, who warned that intake over the “upper limit” may cause irreversible liver damage and birth defects—a ridiculous statement in view of the fact that just a few decades ago pregnant women were routinely advised to take cod liver oil daily and eat liver several times per week. One tablespoon of cod liver oil contains at least 15,000 IU and one serving of liver can contain up to 40,000 IU vitamin A. Russell epitomizes the establishment view when he insists that vitamin-A requirements can be met with one-half cup of carrots daily.
The anti-vitamin-A campaign began in 1995 with the publication of a Boston University School of Medicine study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.15 “Teratogenicity of High Vitamin A Intake,” by Kenneth J. Rothman and his colleagues, correlates vitamin-A consumption among more than 22,000 pregnant women with birth defects occurring in subsequent offspring. The study received extensive press coverage in the same publications that had earlier extolled the benefits of vitamin A. “Study Links Excess Vitamin A and Birth Defects” by Jane Brody appeared on the front page of the New York Times on October 7, 1995; on November 24, 1995, the Washington Times reported: “High doses of vitamin A linked to babies’ brain defects.”
When a single study receives front-page coverage, it’s important to take a closer look, especially as earlier research discovered the importance of vitamin A in preventing birth defects. In fact, the defects listed as increasing with increased vitamin A dosage—cleft lip, cleft palate, hydrocephalus and major heart malformations—are also defects of vitamin A deficiency.
In the study, researchers asked over 22,000 women to respond to questionnaires about their eating habits and supplement intake before and during pregnancy. Their responses were used to determine vitamin-A status. As reported in the newspapers, researchers found that cranial-neural-crest defects increased with increased dosages of vitamin A; what the papers did not report was the fact that neural tube defects decreased with increased vitamin A consumption, and that no trend was apparent with musculoskeletal, urogenital or other defects. The trend was much less pronounced, and less statistically significant, when cranial-neural-crest defects were correlated with vitamin-A consumption from food alone.
The study is compromised by a number of flaws. Vitamin-A status was assessed by the inaccurate method of recall and questionnaires; and no blood tests were taken to determine the actual usable vitamin-A status of the mothers. Researchers did not weight birth defects according to severity; thus we do not know whether the defects of babies born to mothers taking high doses of vitamin A were serious or minor compared to those of mothers taking lower amounts.
The most serious flaw was that researchers failed to distinguish between manufactured vitamin A in the form of retinol, found in supplements and added to fabricated foods, from natural vitamin-A complex, present with numerous co-factors, from vitamin-A-containing foods. It is well known that synthetic vitamins are less biologically active, hence less effective, than naturally occurring vitamins. This is especially true of the fat-soluble vitamins like vitamin A, because these tend to be more complex molecules, with numerous double bonds and a multiplicity of forms. Natural vitamin A occurs as a mixture of various isomers, aldehydes, esters, acids and alcohols. Pure retinoic acid, a metabolite of vitamin A used to treat adult acne, is well known to cause birth defects. Apparently pure retinol has teratogenic properties in high amounts as well.
Researchers found that cranial-neural-crest defects increased in proportion to the amount of retinol from supplements consumed during the first trimester of pregnancy (although the total number of defects remained stable up to 15,000 IU daily). Research into vitamin A has indicated that many factors interfere with its absorption and utilization. Inadequate fat in the diet, poor production of bile salts, low enzyme status, and compromised liver function can all interfere with the uptake and usage of vitamin A, especially when given as a supplement in the form of retinol, rather than as a component of whole foods. It may be that the teratogenic effects of commercial vitamin-A preparations are exacerbated in women whose dietary practices and general health status are poor. Some researchers believe that synthetic vitamin A interferes with the proper utilization of natural vitamin A from foods.
Source: https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/abcs-of-nutrition/vitamin-a-saga/#gsc.tab=0
I also question the efficacy of the Covid-19 ‘vaccines’ in pregnancy when there have been over 1000 adverse side effects and 23 fatalities in the area of pregnancy alone according to the MHRA yellow card scheme. It is concerning that the only advice they give pregnant women, the elderly and now children is that the Covid-19 vaccines are ‘safe and effective’. There is absolutely no mention of the vaccine adverse reactions, and that’s not honest. Same with flu vaccines. In fact, the way that our leaders have acted in the last three years, mandating masks and dangerous experimental gene therapy jabs, has been nothing about saving lives or boosting health, but compromising immune health and, sadly, reducing the population by making people dependent on pharmaceuticals for survival. The critical thought in people is driven away when fear causes people to act neurotic and take whatever solution is on offer by the authorities.
At my first midwife appointment, she frowned when I told her I did not want to take the recommended two daily aspirin. She warned about a lot of blood during birth. That appointment was awful. I considered paying for a private midwife. I also requested a home birth. Prior to this, my husband and I were elated that I had become naturally pregnant in 40s. We are trusting God to bring us all through. I also denied the bloods, but later had them done at week 12 after a brief ultrasound to find out if there was a viable pregnancy, which took less than a minute. I’ve avoided the 20 week ultrasound, due to the fact it is non-ionising radiation, even though they say it is only sound waves. I had the same conversation today with a consultant who was very condemning toward me. It was like he wanted to find a problem, and he did when my blood pressure presented itself as 137 over 74, and there was also protein found in my urine. Only last week my blood pressure was 110 over 60 and my baby’s heart rate via pinard was 152 beats per minute.
I’m currently 26 weeks pregnant, blood results at 12 weeks showed I had ferritin levels at 21 (should be around 30) but they haven’t done a blood test since. Also I’m rhesus negative and baby is positive, and it bothers me that the Anti-D they recommend is sourced from pooled blood, and most donors will be vaccinated with Covid-19 and its messenger RNA. I gave the consultant a notice of liability should anything happen to myself or baby in having to take this Anti-D due to sensitisation. Not enough research is out there on Anti-D, and after insisting that no one had given me any information on Anti-D, he gave me a three page leaflet. It’s not enough information for a pregnant women to make an informed decision. Is this what the health industry has come to. They act like they are Gods, and we are the stupid ones who know nothing when we ask questions. I am not unintelligent. Why should my unborn baby be exposed to dangerous prenatal ultrasound that is accepted today as common practice. Why should they be exposed to messenger RNA that is called a ‘vaccine’ that has caused over 1.5 million adverse reactions in the UK alone, and caused over 2200 fatalities, yet is still labelled by every mainstream health professional and Government agency as ‘safe and effective’. What happened to natural immunity? What happened to good nutrition? Why has it got to be about vaccines for every ailment? It’s not healthy!
I won’t lie. Being pregnant sucks at times, especially with the increase in coughs. I’ve had three lots of coughs, but have taken coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, and high doses of Vitamin C, oh and colloidal silver too, which has really helped with this last cough case. However, I’ve had no morning sickness, have gained around 25 lbs thus far, and still have a waist.
I’m sure the consultant wants to diagnose me with preeclampsia because of the higher blood pressure, and protein in my urine sample, today, for which I have to visit my community midwife for another test in two days time. It’s been a tough time emotionally. I already struggle with a diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder, my mother is not supportive of this pregnancy, and I keep thinking that people are laughing at me and just want me to fail as a mother. I never want to hurt my baby though. I’ve been asking for Dialectical Behavioural Therapy for years because I was found too unwell to access Democratic Therapeutic Communities for my condition. I also perhaps did a little too much exercise yesterday by going on the rowing machine and spin bike. where my heart rate increased to around 155bpm on the bike, but kept at a steady 120bpm on the rowing machine. So perhaps this high intensity exercise, together with the stress factors from my mother’s unkind words, caused the protein in the urine and the higher than normal blood pressure. Who knows!
All I want to do is to protect this baby as best I can. I do a lot of reading and research before I make any decisions. My husband is very supportive of this pregnancy. Even on the raw milk debate, I’ve been condemned by family members who think ‘they know best’ when the only sources they have gained within ‘their research’ was the BBC and Government sources, who always use fear to push their agendas. I’ve been drinking raw milk for several weeks now without any complications. I do not have a fear-based mindset, however the fear does get drilled into me when I visit these consultants within the pregnancy field. This fear and anxiety can last for hours, even days and it’s not fair.
He asked, what would I like them to do for me, considering that I am following my own non-traditional pregnancy path. I just asked for regular heart rate checks of the baby with the pinard, but he pretty much told me not to return to the antenatal section as they couldn’t help me. He couldn’t answer my questions on Anti-D and any impacts on the fetus. He couldn’t answer if Anti-D affects breastfeeding. Why should pregnant mothers have to stay silent on these issues and just accept the advice of the ‘expert’?
This is my first natural pregnancy in my 40s, I’m at 26 weeks, and have been trusting God this entire time. I’ve attended what I’ve needed to attend. I will attend antenatal clinic for a placenta check through ultrasound to see if i could delivery the baby naturally, as I’d love to give birth at home. I’ve invested in an AniBall device to stretch my cervix through various exercises to help the birthing process, but this can only take be used from around week 34, I think it is.
Are you also naturally pregnant in 40s, and question the advice that is given during pregnancy for ‘high risk’ mothers? Do you feel alienated for questioning authority? Pregnancy, to me, is such a miracle. Every single month, I had a 5 percent chance of conceiving naturally, according to my age, but when God is brought into the picture, He can bring blessings like opening up a woman’s womb. He can deliver this child to full term, if it’s His Will. Why does it always seem to be doom and gloom from the professionals because of my older age?
And please don’t judge me for my dietary choices, or anti-vaccine opinions? The way the leaders have acted with regards to Covid-19 and the vaccines, has been desperate and dark, nothing about improving health and It matters to me to do my own research. Yes, it takes time, but I do it to protect the health of my unborn child, rather than put them under unnecessary exposure to technology that is deemed safe by everyone and hardly ever questioned. Just like I read the excellent book on Anti-D by Sara Wickham.