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If you're older than 35 and pregnant, you're in good company as more women are having children later in life. A pregnancy after age 35 may require some special precautions, because it can be riskier than childbearing during the optimum years of ages 20 through 34. But advances in medical care have made it safer than ever before, and most women in their late 30s and 40s have healthy pregnancies and babies. Still, there are factors to keep in mind if you're considering a pregnancy after age 35: How does age affect fertility? It may take you longer to become pregnant because there's a general decrease in fertility that begins in the early 30s. That's when women typically begin to ovulate less frequently, or are more susceptible to endometriosis, a condition in which tissue similar to that lining the uterus attaches to ovaries or fallopian tubes, which can make conception more difficult. Other problems may also accumulate with age, which may decrease the chance of conceiving. So if you're older than |
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"First-time mothers older than age 30 typically have harder labor than younger women, including a prolonged second stage of labor and more fetal distress"
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35 and have been unable to conceive after six months, see your doctor or a fertility specialist because many of these "infertility" cases can be treated. As women reach their thirties, they experience a decline in fertility. Furthermore, complications during pregnancy are more common when women reach age 35. Age-related decline in fertility may be due, in part, to the following: - A decrease in the number and health of the eggs to be ovulated. Pregnancy after age 35, is it safe? While advances in medical care can help women over age 35 have safer pregnancies than in the past, health complications for this age group are higher than for younger women. If you have decided to delay having a child, you should understand the risks associated with this so you can take precautions to minimize risks and improve your chances for a healthy pregnancy and child. Pregnancy after age 35, do the risk birth defects increase? The risk of giving birth to a |
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child with a birth defect does increase as the mother's age increases. This is probably due to abnormal division of the egg, called nondisjunction. The traditional age at which a woman is considered to be at high risk for chromosomal abnormalities is 35. Approximately 1 in 1,400 babies born from women in their 20's have Down syndrome; it increases to 1 in 100 babies born with Down syndrome from women in their 40's. Pregnancy after age 35, will the risk of miscarriage increase? Women older than 19 have lower rates of miscarriage, premature delivery and stillbirths than pregnant women in their teens - because the bodies of teen-age mothers are still developing and these mothers are more likely to live in socially and economically disadvantaged circumstances, use illegal drugs and alcohol during pregnancy, have poor nutrition, and have inadequate access to health care. But women older than 35 face higher rates of miscarriage than women younger than age 35, while women older than age 40 may face substantially higher rates of miscarriage as high as 40 percent. Most of these miscarriages are caused by chromosomal abnormalities, which are more common in women older than 35. Studies show that the risk of miscarriage (loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks gestation) is 12% to 15% for women in their 20's and rises to about 25% for women at age 40. The increased incidence of chromosomal abnormalities contributes to this increased risk of miscarriage in older women. Pregnancy after age 35, what other problems can arise? Women older than 35 are twice as likely as those in their 20s to develop high blood pressure or diabetes during pregnancy - conditions that could adversely affect the mother and fetus during pregnancy. They also face a higher risk of placental and bleeding problems during pregnancy. As women age, the incidence of medical problems not necessarily related to pregnancy but that can complicate pregnancy increases. Chronic health problems, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, are more common in women in their 30's and 40's. Be sure to get these conditions under control before you become pregnant, since they pose risks to both you and your baby. Careful medical monitoring, begun before conception and continued throughout your pregnancy, can reduce the risks associated with these conditions. - High blood pressure and diabetes can develop for the first time during pregnancy, and women over the age of 30 are at increased risk. If you are pregnant and over age 35, this makes it especially important that you get early and regular prenatal care to ensure early diagnosis and proper treatment. Pregnancy after age 35, how can I increase my chances of having a healthy baby? Good health prior and during pregnancy will help you reduce your risk of complications. Here are some general recommendations. - Be sure to get enough folic acid in your diet. The current recommendation for women of childbearing age is to take a daily supplement containing at least 0.4 mg. of folic acid, in addition to consuming foods naturally rich in folic acid. Folic acid is naturally contained in leafy green vegetables, dried beans, liver and some citrus fruits.
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Author: Nancy
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