“I Had My Third Baby At 45 After Being Told I Was Premenopausal"
Despite her age, Andrea Chow experienced the most enjoyable pregnancy journey—and she credits it to a customised health makeover courtesy of her job
By Ng Mei Yan -
Her radiance was unmistakable, a fair rosy glow and sparkling eyes that a Zoom filter can’t possibly impart. It was hard to tell that Andrea Chow had just given birth eight months ago at the not-so-pinkish age of 45. She’s also an uber hands-on mum to her third baby.
“My husband thought I was crazy when I suspected I was pregnant,” recalls Andrea who made him run out to get a test kit at 11pm. Her period was by then about five days late. “I was not going to be able to sleep if I did not find out.”
Rest was definitely not on their minds when the couple saw the two red lines on the test kit.
The idea of being a new parent all over again was absurd and unimaginable at that point. Shaun, Andrea’s husband is 54.
Plus, it wasn’t too long ago that Andrea’s doctor had told her she was possibly premenopausal as her period was extremely irregular. “The message from the gynaecologist was that I was getting old,” says Andrea, who already has two children, aged 19 and 18.
Still, there had perhaps been more than an inkling that this surprising turn of events was plausible, thanks to her newfound commitment to good health in recent years.
In 2018, Andrea’s father’s late-stage lung cancer diagnosis had been a major jolt.
The then-69-year-old’s illness motivated Andrea to start committing to a more wholesome way of living. This meant bidding adieu to late night parties involving cigarettes and alcohol, a regular feature of her previous life as a real estate developer.
Taking things a step further in 2019, Andrea and Shaun (together with haematologist Dr Freddy Teo) started Regenosis, a therapeutics firm that helps patients counter the biological effects of ageing. There are currently centres in Singapore and Malaysia.
Being in the business of extending youth has its perks, as Andrea who helps with Regenosis’ sales and marketing can attest. She personally road-tested a number of the company’s offerings, including stem cell treatments (not available in Singapore) and the six-month RealHealth programme—a customised journey that she credits for her rejuvenated physicality.
It wasn’t that she wasn’t health conscious before—the greens-loving Andrea loaded up on at least eight different nutritional supplements daily—but she reckons she wasn’t going about it the right way. “Some people say eating this or that is beneficial, but this may not be true for everyone. The RealHealth programme takes the guesswork out for me,” says Andrea.
Designed to find out each patient’s unique condition and genetics, the programme includes a DNA test, biological age test, blood profiling and blood glucose profiling, all of which contribute to obtaining a comprehensive body composition analysis. This is followed by consultations with specialists and a dietitian to formulate suitable lifestyle modifications.
For a start, Andrea was alerted to an iron deficiency, the cause of her frequent giddiness. As such, she started adding red meat to her diet. “My DNA test also showed that it’s okay for my meals to consist of up to 60 per cent carbohydrates. I no longer had to feel guilty about eating my favourite noodles,” she says with palpable relief.
To cap things off, she replaced her supplements in the fridge for just one neat formulation that is chockfull of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, tailored to her unique needs based on the test results. Throw in intermittent fasting and hitting the gym on alternate days, Andrea was on her way to having a more energised body.
Most crucially, her new regimen also appeared to fix her menstrual issues over time. And just two regular cycles in, she found herself with child for the third time.
Given her age, Andrea’s first visit to the obstetrician was filled with trepidation to say the least. “We were the oldest couple in the clinic. It was awkward.” she said.
But that wasn’t the hardest part. When there wasn’t any foetal heartbeat picked up during the ultrasound scan, the doctor declared that she was probably headed for a miscarriage.
“It’s true we never planned to have a third baby, but when I heard there was no heartbeat, it made me cry,” she said, adding, “Before we left the clinic, they assumed we’d choose an abortion given our age. They didn’t even ask if I wanted any prenatal supplements.”
Andrea sought a second opinion a few days later; anxiety turned to joy when she heard the thumping of her baby’s heart and the doctor’s reassurance that all was well.
Still, the good news did not allay the concerns of those around Andrea. Her grown-up kids brought up the increased risks that came with a geriatric pregnancy, ranging from preeclampsia to abnormalities in the baby.
Andrea was unfazed and remained “at peace”, something she attributes to her faith. In large part as well, her physical wellness throughout the three trimesters added to her positive state of mind.
Compared to the first two times, marked by leg cramps, water retention and severe weight gain, Andrea’s third pregnancy was a walk in the park. “For my first pregnancy I weighed 74kg right before I delivered, up from 48kg. Everyone kept asking me to eat more, so I ate whenever I had a craving. And I didn’t exercise much,” she recalls.
With newfound knowledge this time, she kept up her active lifestyle, ate a sensible amount and snacked on low sugar fruits like berries—and gained just 10kg for the third pregnancy.
Not only was her C-section on Christmas Day uneventful, but she was also up and moving by the next morning. And when she got home, Andrea was the super mummy slash main caregiver to her newborn, opting to go without a confinement nanny and handling all the night feeds.
But surely, even the strongest mummy wasn’t impervious to the usual stresses that come with a newborn? “In the past I would cry after giving birth,” she reflects. “But this time around I reminded myself how strong I was to have carried this pregnancy to term. If I had worried or listened to others, I might not have had the chance to hold this baby in my arms,” she says.
If a healthy lifestyle was what brought her this bundle of joy, Andrea is now even more determined to stay the course. “When I feel lazy to head out to exercise, I tell myself it’s for my baby,” reflects Andrea, whose priority right now is to stick around for as long as she possible can.
“I want to see this little girl get married and have her own children. And I want to take care of her children. I want to experience all of this.”