Chezzi Denyer has the perfect clapback for all the people questioning her pregancy at age 40

Television host, Grant Denyer and his wife Chezzi announced their exciting pregnancy news last month, via an adorable video on their respective Instagram pages starring their two daughters, Sailor, eight and Scout, four.

The couple’s third child is due in March next year.

Since announcing their baby news, Chezzi Denyer has been sharing her pregnancy journey with followers, recently admitting she’s been bed-ridden with Hyperemesis Gravidarum, which is also known as extreme morning sickness.

Now, in her most recent Instagram post, the 40-year-old has put a spotlight on all the comments she is receiving from people regarding her age and her pregnancy.

“I am 40 years old and having a baby,” Chezzi begins her emotional post.

“I live in country NSW and get comments like.. “Why, would you at your age?’ ‘Was it an accident?’ ‘Are you worried something will be wrong with the baby?’ ‘I went to School with you, and my 2nd grandchild is due the same month as you!’…”

Chezzi goes on to highlight the stark difference between a woman in her forties who is pregnant in the country versus one who is pregnant in the city.

“But on the flip side, many of my friends 40+ living in Sydney or Melbourne are only now trying to have their first child..
I hear comments from them like this… ‘You’re so young to have 3 children!’ ‘How did you manage to have a baby at 30 years of age? I just wouldn’t have been ready!’ ‘How great that we’re creating families in our 40’s after building our careers’”

The television producer then opens up about her and Grant’s struggle to fall pregnant with their third child and the heartbreaking miscarriages they have suffered along the way.

“I didn’t set out to have such a big gap between Scout and this baby… we tried for over 12months to fall pregnant, and we endured 3 miscarriages throughout that period. It was the first month we stopped trying that we actually fell pregnant this time,” she explains.

“When I had Scout 5 years ago I was labelled a “geriatric mother” in the medical profession. And again this time I have that sexy label – “geriatric mother”!”

Thankfully for Chezzi, with age comes wisdom and she’s pretty happy to be pregnant at this age and stage.

“But I’m pretty calm and confident this time around.. there’s something you don’t have when you’re really young and that is wisdom.. and my ripe old age of 40 I feel I have plenty.”

The pregnant mum-of-two finishes the post asking her followers, “Are you a ‘geriatric mother’?”

Chezzi’s post was met with an outpouring of support with comments flooding in from mums who also conceived later in life.

“I got the geriatric comment when I was pregnant at 41 with my son. He is nearly 4 now! Funny thing is the same person ended up pregnant at 41 a year later. Funny haven’t heard that comment since. Good luck to you and your beautiful family, can’t wait to see your new bundle of joy,” wrote one follower.

“You’re so right that it seems to change depending on where you live. I had my first at 32 and that was fairly young compared to a lot of my journo friends living in Sydney/ Canberra. But then a lot of women I know online had their first babies in their mid 20s so I’m really old compared to them. I was 38 when I had my third so yep, total geriatric over here and couldn’t be happier with the way it all turned out. I was wild in my 20s and packed in A LOT of partying, work and travel. I couldn’t have had a baby!! 😆 I don’t regret waiting at all,” added another mama.

What’s the reality of conceiving in your 40s?

According to the stats, women in their mid-40s have a five per cent chance of conceiving naturally.

Why, you may ask? Fertility is the most important factor.

You see, a woman is born with all the eggs she will ever have. As she ages her eggs age with her and their number and quality reduces over time.

Women younger than 30 have about a 20 percent chance of getting pregnant naturally each month. By age 40, the chance of pregnancy is about five percent each month.

Some people may believe fertility treatment is the answer to pregnancy later in life but with age, treatments like IVF (in vitro fertilisation) and ICSI (Intracytoplasmic sperm injection) success also declines.

Using donor eggs or frozen embryos to try to conceive is another option.

Pregnancy itself can also be more challenging as you age and any pregnancy over age 40 is considered high risk. Your doctor will monitor you and your baby closely for the following:

• high blood pressure – this may increase your risk of a pregnancy complication called preeclampsia
• gestational diabetes
• birth defects, such as Down sydrome
• miscarriage
• low birth weight
• ectopic pregnancy, which sometimes happens with IVF

If you are in your forties and wanting to conceive, it might be challening but it’s definitely possible!