More women are choosing to get pregnant later in the life either to construct a great career or pursue further education or enhanced methods of contraception. This data is increasing day by day. The slow down of the economy last decade has forced couples to wait and get financially settled before becoming a parent. Therefore, it has become a trend. Another reason is older mothers are financially settled, matured enough to take care of a child and can spend more time. Holding on to start a family is possible but this can come with some risks and complications.
Pregnancy Risks After the Age of 35 Years
A woman’s peak reproductive period is between 20 to 30 years. Women becomes less fertile as they grow with age. They are born with all the eggs they will ever have in their ovaries. As they grow older, the number of eggs decreases.
A man’s fertility also declines with age due to declining sperm counts, motility and semen volume but not as predictably as a women’s fertility.
Women who get pregnant over 35 years are likely to face more complications which includes:
Premature birth
In this, the baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Premature babies are more likely to have health issues at birth and later in life.
Birth defects
The chances of having a baby with down syndrome also accelerates. A birth defect occurs when a baby is growing in the womb. They can be minor or major.
Miscarriage
With age, chances of miscarriage also increases. Declining rate of women’s egg can be a reason behind this.
Difficult labor
The older you are, the more likely you are to have pregnancy complications that make a C section necessary.
Gestational diabetes
It is a condition in which a women begins to suffer from high sugar level during pregnancy. Many older women suffer from gestational diabetes during pregnancy.
Chances of multiple pregnancy
In multiple pregnancy a mother deliver twins, triplets or more babies. Older women have more chances to get pregnant with multiples. Being pregnant with multiples can lead to several issues like premature birth, preeclampsia and problems with your baby’s growth.
High blood pressure
When the blood pressure increases to an extreme level it is called hypertension. An older women can faces this health issue along with other complications.
Fertility problem
Women are born with number of eggs. An egg is released each time they ovulate. As they get older, the eggs are reduced in number and the remaining eggs aren’t easily fertilised by a man’s sperm. It becomes very difficult to get pregnant.
Still birth
It is a condition where babies die inside the womb after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Low birth weight
In this, the baby is born weighing less than 5 pounds.
If you are above 35, it is advisable to get prenatal screening tests to check if a fetus is at risk for certain birth defects or genetic disorder.
If you are above 35 and not getting pregnant, visit a gynecologist.
If you are older than 35, what can you do to help you have a healthy baby:
1. Get a preconception checkup.
This is a medical check up to help make sure you’re healthy before your get pregnant.
2. Get treatment for any health condition you are diagnosed with.
3. Start taking multivitamins with 400 micrograms of folic acid (or as described by your doctor). Folic acid is required for healthy growth and development.
4. Maintain a healthy weight.
5. Stay away from chemicals at home or work.
6. Don’t smoke and drink .
7. Work on your stress level.
During pregnancy:
Get all your prenatal care check ups done.
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