Welcome back, beautiful listeners, to The Meredith Patterson Podcast. Today, we continue the deeply personal journey I shared in my last episode—'Pregnant at 49.' If you haven't listened to Part 1, I encourage you to do so because today, we're diving into what happened after that life-altering moment. The reactions, the doctor's follow-up, the emotional rollercoaster, and even the unexpected and, at times, shocking responses from certain people in my life. Let's get into it.
When I first shared the news, I expected a mix of emotions, but nothing could have prepared me for the spectrum of reactions I received.
The Supportive Ones:
Many people—especially close friends and family—met my news with love and excitement. There was genuine awe at the sheer rarity of conceiving naturally at my age. The overwhelming consensus was, "Wow, this is a miracle!" And in many ways, it was.
The Medical Reality Check:
But then came the doctors. I had a follow-up appointment, and while my OBGYN was compassionate, the science was clear. The odds of natural conception at 49 are less than 1%. Fertility declines dramatically in your 40s, with most pregnancies at that age resulting from IVF or donor eggs. And yet… here I was. But my doctor was also realistic—pregnancy at this stage carries significant risks, not just for the baby, but for me.
We ran tests, monitored everything closely, and ultimately, as I shared in Part 1, the pregnancy wasn't viable. But even in that short-lived experience, I felt what it was like to carry life again, even if just for a moment.
The Religious Reaction:
This one surprised me.
A select few individuals responded with something I did not expect—disapproval. Comments like,
"Maybe this was a sign from God that you weren't meant to have another child."
"You should be grateful. At your age, this was probably a warning."
"If you were meant to be a mother again, this pregnancy would have lasted."
I was stunned. I wasn't seeking approval, nor did I feel like I had to justify what happened. My body, despite all odds, had done something that medical professionals deemed almost impossible. And yet, here were people framing it as something I shouldn't have even considered a possibility.
It reminded me of how quick people are to insert their beliefs into someone else's deeply personal experience. And for anyone out there who has ever had an unexpected pregnancy—at any age—you know how isolating that can feel.
Let's talk facts.
At 49, the chances of conceiving naturally are less than 1%.
The average age of menopause is 51, meaning many women are still technically able to conceive in their late 40s, but it's extremely uncommon.
Women who do conceive naturally at this age often have a history of previous pregnancies (which I did), but even that doesn't guarantee success.
The risk of miscarriage is over 75% in pregnancies conceived at 49 or older.
So when people called this pregnancy a miracle, they weren't exaggerating. Even my doctor said, "This is rare, and you should be proud of what your body did, even if it didn't last."
And that really stuck with me. Because for all the outside judgment, for all the emotions I processed, I kept coming back to one thing—my body still had the ability to create life. That, in itself, was something to honor.
So, where does that leave me now?
I'd be lying if I said this experience didn't change me. There are still moments when I think, What if? But more than anything, I have deep gratitude.
For my body. For science. For the lessons this experience gave me.
To those who supported me—thank you. To those who judged—your beliefs are your own, but I won't carry them with me.
And to anyone out there who has experienced an unexpected pregnancy, a miscarriage, or the emotional weight of what it means to bring life into this world, I see you. Your journey is yours alone, and no one has the right to tell you how to feel about it.
www.meredithpatterson.com
