Concerns Of Pregnancy After Thirty
Medical science is moving onward and upward and that is good news for women over the age of 35 who yearn to have a baby. Even so, it pays to become familiar with the associated risks for pregnancy in women over 35 so you can be ready to cope with any and all complications. There are four main categories for complications of pregnancy in women over 35.
*Medical conditions that affect both the mother and the fetus
*Chromosomal abnormalities which result in birth defects
*Pregnancy loss or miscarriage
*Complications of labor and delivery
Happy Outcome
This article treats the final two categories, though the risk for all four categories increases with the age of the mother. Despite the dangers, preconception counseling and good prenatal care go a long way toward ensuring a happy outcome for your pregnancy.
Up to half of all first trimester miscarriages occur as a response to fetal chromosomal abnormalities. The overall rate of miscarriage during pregnancy is 15%. After the age of 40, the incidence for miscarriage almost doubles. There is also a significant increase in the number of stillbirths in over-forty pregnancies which tend to result from a combination of preexisting medical conditions that impact on pregnancy and birth defects.
Most of the complications of labor and delivery in the over forty crowd can be resolved through Cesarean delivery. The most frequent complications in women over the age of 40 are:
*Early labor
*Placenta previa
*Early separation of the placenta resulting in hemorrhage
*The presence of meconium in the amniotic fluid
*Postpartum hemorrhage
*Abnormal presentation (malpresentation)
Multiple Births
Later-life pregnancies have a higher incidence for multiple births, even where fertility drugs were not in use. Multiple births are, by nature, considered to be high risk.
Important Steps
There are important steps you can take to reduce the risk for the many complications of pregnancy, though some complications are unavoidable. Here are some proactive steps you can take to increase the likelihood of a healthy mother and baby:
*Preconception care—See your doctor before you become pregnant. Your doctor can determine any preexisting maternal medical conditions and factor this into your prenatal care once you are pregnant. Your doctor can also assess your personal risk and advise you against becoming pregnant if the risks are high. In most cases, good prenatal care can forestall any perceived risks.
*Health tune-up—Before you get pregnant, get healthy. Quit smoking, and quit drinking alcohol and caffeine. Eat a balanced diet and start taking prenatal vitamins. Get moderate exercise. These common sense actions are the best way to end up with a healthy mother and child.
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