Planning a baby after 35? Experts explain risks, fertility changes and ways to have a healthy pregnancy

Thinking of having a baby after 35? Expert explains fertility changes, possible pregnancy risks, and practical steps women can take to support a healthy pregnancy later in life.

In today's day and age, women are choosing to delay childbirth for many reasons like longer education, career, financial stability to simply the idea of doing something when they feel the time is right. This has contributed to the rise in babies born to mothers in the late 30s and even 40s!

What is 'Advanced Maternal Age'?

According to Dr Siddesh Iyer- MBBS, DGO, DNB, MRCOG (UK) Saukhyam Hospital, Borivali East, Mumbai, "This phrase ' advanced maternal age' , does come with its anxieties and risks of complications to mother and the baby, but with changing times, medical science has tried to minimise this risk."

Fertility declines gradually after 30, more so after 35 - so getting pregnant may be harder. Older age groups have higher risks of chromosomal abnormalities and genetic defects like Down's syndrome- the risk being as high as 1 in 350 at 35 and 1 in 100 at 40! The risk of miscarriage also follows a similar pattern.

Health Risks That May Increase With Age

The risk of gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid diseases, weight management issues and low birth babies are higher as age advances.

Why Pregnancy After 35 is Not Always High Risk?

However, this doesn't mean all pregnancies over 35 will have all the conditions mentioned above.in recent times, more awareness, better healthcare, improved screening and better nutrition have changed this scenario.

One must realise that pregnancy is influenced by a number of factors like overall health, medical conditions, weight and access to healthcare. Age is just one of these components.

Importance of Early Pregnancy Screening

There are a number of screening and definitive methods to detect if the baby has any chromosomal or genetic issue. The healthcare starts as soon as pregnancy is diagnosed and not at the 7th month as the age old customary practice. So health is optimised from the very start. In fact, many women over 35 have started pre pregnancy check up to make sure they are in the best health before even planning a baby.

When Women Over 35 Should Check Fertility?

But fertility decline is real, and it is recommended to evaluate fertility earlier if a woman over 35 hasn't conceived in 6 months. Also, all women are offered screening for chromosomal conditions to identify those at risk

So the narrative around pregnancies over 35 needs to change from just labelling every pregnancy as high risk and portraying it as potentially dangerous to optimising, educating and letting women make their choices so that they can have a healthy pregnancy and a smooth delivery.

Disclaimer: Dear readers, this article provides general information and advice only. It is not at all professional medical advice. Therefore, always consult your doctor or a healthcare specialist for more information. TheHealthSite.com does not claim responsibility for this information.