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Despite her recent miscarriage and being 45 years old with 19 kids already, TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting, Michelle Duggar, says she would still consider having more children. The odds–and a lot of people–may be against her, but she’s not too old and it’s not right to judge her for wanting more children.
On the Today show this morning, Michelle described the loss of her 20th baby at 18 weeks as “devastating”, but saying that she and her family look forward to seeing their baby again one day in heaven. Michelle’s husband, Jim Bob, said their family grew closer as a result of this loss and couldn’t have gotten through it without their faith.
I don’t see how somebody could get through this without their faith in God.
Michelle also says that they have learned to cherish their moments with the 19 kids they do have and not take anyone or anything for granted.
And despite her many critics who say she’s too old and should focus on the 19 children she already has, in a pre-interview moment in the green room, the reality star admitted that she would like to get pregnant again:
Every child is a blessing from the Lord. I would do it again.
While it can still be safe to get pregnant at 45 years old, it can also be risky for both mother and child. According to Dr. Rebecca Brightman, an OB-GYN at Mount Sinai hospital in New York, 20 to 30% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage. And while having a lot of children, as Michelle has, doesn’t increase the risk of miscarriage, being over the age of 40 does.
Women over 40 are more likely to have babies with chromosomal abnormalities, which is a leading factor in miscarriage. Other possible risks include preeclampsia–a high-risk condition that usually occurs later on in pregnancy and is characterized by high blood pressure. It can cause serious complications for the mother (stroke, seizure) and baby (insufficient blood flow to the placenta). Other possible health risks are stomach cancer for the baby, birth defects and even stillbirth.
Whatever Michelle and Jim Bob decide, we wish them the best. It’s not our place to judge whether they should have more children or not. And honestly, she appears to be a really wonderful parent. Her kids–19 or possibly more–are lucky to have such a loving family and home environment.
Photo: zap2it.com
