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There seems to be a growing trend among women of getting pregnant in forties, thirties, fifties and many of them go on to have a healthy pregnancy. The undeniable truth is that the more the age of the expectant mother especially 35 and above, the more the chances for various pregnancy complications.
Getting Pregnant Above 35 Years
Pregnant women who are above 35 years of age are prone to various pregnancy risks as age and the health of the mother plays a very important role during pregnancy. The older a woman is the less her chances of being fertile as fertility may decrease with age. But with the advancements made in fertility treatment it is now possible for women to consider getting pregnant in forties, thirties, fifties.
It is also a fact that older moms may have an increased chance of having twins due to natural factors as well as perhaps due to fertility treatment. Some consider it risky getting pregnant in forties, thirties, fifties as the chances for complications increase with the advanced age of the expectant mother.
Older expectant moms are at risk as they have greater chances of suffering from health problems such as hypertension, diabetes and diseases of the heart, kidney and reproductive organs. If you have a seizure disorder and are on medication, it is required that you consult your healthcare practitioner before getting pregnant.
They have a much higher chance of giving birth to low-weight, preterm babies. Miscarriages and still birth are fairly common in older women. Placental problems may arise such as placental pervia which may require a C-section. Babies with chromosomal birth defects and other congenital abnormalities are other risk factors. If there are any doubts, tests such as amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling are done, but these tests may slightly increase the chances of a miscarriage as well.
The fact is that there are many older moms who have successfully given birth to healthy babies. If you are considering getting pregnant in forties, thirties, fifties, you need to follow a healthy lifestyle from the prepregnancy days. Avoid smoking, drinking and drugs. Eat nutritious meals at regular intervals and do mild exercise as per the advice of your health care practitioner. Include supplements of vitamins especially folic acid before and during pregnancy as it is said to reduce the risk of birth defects in babies. The women need to avoid fish that are rich in mercury and they should not eat uncooked fish or meat. Exposure to chemicals, heavy metals, toxic fumes and radiation has to be avoided. The mother has to stay relaxed, have a positive attitude and do everything as per the guidance of her physician. If proper care and attention is give getting pregnant in forties, thirties, fifties can be a less risky procedure.
Pregnancy complications in women over thirty are several as age plays an important role in pregnancy. There has been a growing tendency to have children well over the age of thirty as nowadays in many families both partners are busy with their professional lives. This is also because many couples are unaware that the risks during pregnancy are higher in a women aged 30 and above. In fact these days it is not unusual for women above 40 and even 50 planning a pregnancy! It is a fact that many older women have successfully given birth to healthy babies and have had no complications, but there are a few risk factors associated with the advancing age of the expectant mother.
Factors That Affect Pregnancy In Older Women
The foremost pregnancy problem in women above 30 is getting pregnant itself! This is because fertility of women starts to decrease with age and in cases where women are over 30 they may even need fertility treatment which has the increased risk of inducing multiple pregnancies in some cases.
A few of the most common pregnancy complications in women over thirty are hypertension, gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, placental abruption or placental pervia and bleeding or spotting. Women older than 35 years also have a greater risk of carrying pre-term babies, low birth weight babies and in many cases the babies may be in need of neonatal care. Older expectant women also have an increased chance of having multiple pregnancies. The incidence of fetal death during the last trimester is also high in women older than 35.
Other pregnancy complications in women over thirty include the risks of giving birth to a baby with Down's syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities. Medical tests such as amniocentesis are done to determine risks to the unborn child.
One other risk during pregnancy in older women is the effect that disease conditions of the heart, kidney, or diabetes and hypertension have on the health of the pregnant women. The chances of still birth also increase with age as does the need for a C-section.
These are just a few of the pregnancy complications in women over thirty. It gives you a general idea of some of the risk factors associated with the advancing age of the expectant mother. Remember that women from all age brackets do have their set of pregnancy complications and that despite the high risk and complications involved, many of them have ensured that they have a safe and healthy pregnancy by following the advice of their consultants and by adopting proper pregnancy planning techniques.
Most pregnancy complications in women over thirty can be prevented and the chances of a health pregnancy and birth increased by following a regime of regular nutritious meals, recommended exercise, prescribed increased intake of folic acid and other supplements and by having a positive outlook and attitude.