By AM - 31/08/2015 21:46

Today, it was my birthday and I have no children. My father bluntly says, "Well, I guess if I get any grand-babies out of you now, they will have Down's Syndrome." I just turned 30. FML
I agree, your life sucks 25 623
You deserved it 1 945

Same thing different taste

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Your dad is an ass. 35+ is when women are most at risk. And besides, there are plenty of women who successfully deliver passed that point with no issues.

It's a lot better than having kids when you're not ready for them.

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True, but I wouldn't have really classed 30 as a particularly high risk age. Isn't it more like mid thirties when it actually becomes quite a possibility? Besides, what he said was pretty nasty anyhow D:

I am only going off my experience. My wife is 31, we have no children and not a week goes by where the topic of age and children is not bought up.

ShirtlessWonder 17

My mom had me when she was 41 and my brother when she was 37, no downs here though. It becomes more of a risk, sure, but it's still not huge.

#21 at 41 years old the risk is actually pretty high, almost 10%, if I'm not mistaken. When you get to 45 the risk is something like 25%. Still it doesn't mean it will happen, it's only a mathematical chance.

#25 You are mistaken, your percentages are way off. At age 30 the chances are about 0.1%, 35 it rises to 0.2/0.3%, at 40 it's about 1.2% and at 50 it's about 4%.

Talis99 26

My mom had me when she was 32 and my sister when she was 34 because no one thought she'd be able to have kids. We both have college degrees. My sister had her kid when she was 20 and while he's not stupid or afflicted either way, he does not appear as smart. Age is not the only indicator and her dad was just an ass.

Could have not been phrased at all on her birthday.

Your father is a jerk. Who cares if they do have a mental disability? He should still be happy if he has grandkids. If he chooses to treat them differently because of it, just don't let him see them.

I don't know why this is being down voted. I have two 9yr old brothers with Autism (one quite severe) and if any of the family treated them differently or with any kind of disrespect they wouldn't see them either. He should love them the same whether they are disabled or not.

My brother has Down syndrome and he is one of the best people that I know. It sickens me when people use Down syndrome (or other disabilities) as an insult. My brother is much happier and a better person than a lot of people who don't have disabilities. I wouldn't change him for the world.

While this is all true, one should also take into account that choosing to persue a higher-risk pregnancy can be considered unfair to the potential child. Adoption is always an option too and can be a very rewarding choice at that age!

Really? Early 30's isn't too old to have children. I'm 26 and would NEVER have a child in my 20's. Not ready.

#2 is so right. people are people no matter what size, shape, chromosome order, or color. I think we tend to forget just how human everyone is at heart. we all have love and other crazy emotions and we all make mistakes and terrible choices. a child isn't a bad nut because of a chromosomal disorder and a person is not more likely to kill me because his body protects him from the sun. it's when we start to consider these differences that we actually create problems but the only ones who view these as things that make people are less are simply lesser people by fact of being week of mind

Your dad is an ass. 35+ is when women are most at risk. And besides, there are plenty of women who successfully deliver passed that point with no issues.

my mom had me when she was 36 and my brother when she was 38, amd there were no complications

My mom had me when she was 40! Almost 41 actually

My mom was 28, 30, and 37 respectively when my brothers and I were born. None of us have any major disabilities.

saraaa2552 15

Say at least they will look like him

I love how the positive comments are getting down-voted while the childish ones are getting thumbs-up. Way to be mature, guys.

MzZombicidal 36

It's still early in the comment and voting process. No point in getting snippy just yet. Not to mention that it's just an app and not the end of the world is a comment is up-voted when you disagree.

I don't care if mine is. I just think it's ridiculous. People need lives if that's how they get their entertainment.

Defending your comment, that's a paddlin'.

And then this has more downvotes 🤦🏻‍♂️

All i can say is a very happy birthday to you Op :)

NineeCat 32

Your pops has a ****** sense of humor.

I don't think he was trying to be funny though, just heartless I guess.

He may be poorly educated, a while ago it was generally thought that over 30 meant you weren't likely to have a healthy baby. Now it is known that age does increase the rick of complications, but over 40 is when the insistence of Down syndrome is meant to significantly increase.

Happy Birthday, OP! And I hope that you have less irritating people to celebrate with :P I think your father needs some extra education. I believe that you aren't quite at the highest risk age yet ;) Incidentally, my mother was past 35 when she had me, and I've always been healthy. My older sister on the hand, has had some health issues, so it is most definitely not a given anyway!