Pregnancy Risks After Age 40
Getting pregnant later in life has its complications and its perks. However, being aware of the risks of late pregnancy helps in being prepared, taking adequate precautions and in ensuring that the risks of complications are minimized. The first step of course, is in understanding what exactly are the risks involved in pregnancy after an age of 40.
In recent years, it has become more and more safe for women to have pregnancies later in their lives. In fact, statistics show that in recent years there has been a doubling in the pregnancy rate of women over 35. However, the fact remains that as age advances, the risks associated with pregnancy also increase. If you are over 40 and pregnant, you could have a slightly greater risk of these following complications during your pregnancy.
· If you become pregnant after the age of 40, there is an increased risk of you suffering from a miscarriage.
· You are more likely to give birth to a baby with low birth weight (babies who weigh less than 5.5 pounds at birth are considered to have low birth weight) or probably even deliver pre-term (before completing 37 weeks of pregnancy).
· Women who are over 40 are less likely to have normal deliveries than younger women. They may have to go in for a cesarean delivery. Also, if this is the woman’s first baby, chances are she will go in for prolonged labor and that the fetus may suffer from distress.
· One of the greatest causes for concern in pregnant women over 40 is the increased risk of the baby suffering from Down syndrome. Studies have shown that while the chances of a baby developing Down syndrome is a mere 1 in 10000 for a twenty-year old, it increases to about 3 in 1000 for a thirty-five year old and a high 1 in 100 for a forty-year old. It is possible that an older woman has been through many more infections, exposed to more x-rays and drugs causing this increase in the rate of occurrence. Sadly, Down syndrome is not preventable. However, it can be identified during prenatal exams.
· Older woman are more at risk to develop diabetes, high blood pressure as also other cardio-vascular diseases during pregnancy. The good news is all these can be monitored carefully and kept under control during the pregnancy, through suitable medications and diet.
We would also like to mention here that despite the fact that the risks of certain complications arising during pregnancy increase with age, many more women are having successful pregnancies over the age of 40. This has been made possible because of the great advances made in the field of medicine as also due to growing awareness among women about what steps they need to take to ensure a healthy pregnancy.
If you are over 40 and are pregnant, follow a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and make sure that you are following your doctor’s prenatal advice. This will help you minimize the risks of complications and have a safe pregnancy.