Increasing Maternal Age
Many people around the world are known to wonder, “When is it too late to try for a baby?” For a variety of reasons, some couples postpone their plans to start a family, only to find it difficult to conceive later in life because fertility varies with age. According to experts, the late twenties and early thirties are the most fertile years for women. And conceiving after the age of 35 is referred to as ‘advanced maternal age,’ which is associated with complications, making a pregnancy risky. Although aging is a natural process, once a woman reaches her mid-30s, her ovarian reserve begins to decline. Fertility begins to decline after the age of 45, making it difficult to conceive naturally.
Maternal age extremes are associated with poor pregnancy outcomes. This definition is satisfied if the mother’s age at the time of delivery is less than sixteen years or greater than thirty-five years. Premature birth, high blood pressure, and small infants are more common in young women. Chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure become more common in women over the age of 35.
Furthermore, the aging of developing eggs in the ovary is linked to an increased risk of spontaneous miscarriage and the birth of infants with chromosomal abnormalities like Down syndrome and Edwards’s syndrome. Pregnancy at 35 or older is referred to as advanced maternal age.
However, keep in mind that even if you aren’t 35, you may still be considered “advanced” by the standards associated with various pregnancy risks. You are considered advanced maternal age if you turn 35 on or before your due date.
Risks associated with age
- Genetic risk
In older women’s pregnancies, genetic risks are more prevalent. One of the most serious risks we discuss with mothers over 35 is the possibility of having a child with Down syndrome. As previously stated, a mother’s risk rises with age.
- Fetal Risk
The genetic counseling session is always followed by an ultrasound. If a family decides to have screening, the ultrasound is frequently included. It’s also used to start talking about fetal risks during pregnancy. Expect your doctor to examine early fetal anatomy, as every mother, regardless of age, has a 3% chance of having a baby with a congenital anomaly (birth defect, disorder, or malformation).
Labs will be drawn after the ultrasound to complete any testing. When the results are ready, the nurses or genetic counselors will contact you to determine the next steps. If your results are normal, your next appointment will be in 20 weeks.
- Maternal Risk
Routine prenatal care is intended to detect medical complications of pregnancy, so it is critical that you continue to see your primary care physician. Many maternal risks, like genetic and fetal risks, tend to rise with age, as do genetic and fetal risks.
- Birth before the due date
- C-section
- Hypertension
- Diabetes in pregnancy
Each family’s risk profile is unique. Your perinatal team’s most important job is to communicate the ones that is most relevant to you.
As from the above, it is summarized that Maternal age is significantly associated with poor obstetrical and perinatal outcomes. As a result, health care practitioners should advise couples who want to start a family later in life about the hazards of pregnancy at an advanced maternal age.
Given the above issues in advanced age maternity, you should contact your physician immediately and seek treatment from a highly qualified, experienced, and successful Gynecologist in Wanowrie Dr. Vaishali Chavan. She has an illustrious experience of over two decades in the area of women’s well-being and is associated with many leading hospitals in Pune.
