Pregnancy after 35 pros and cons. Pregnancy and age. Does age affect conception? Invasive methods for diagnosing fetal pathology

Pregnancy at any age requires responsibility, especially if this is the first pregnancy at 35 years old. The opinions of doctors in matters relating to the optimal age of the woman in labor often differ. And yet, in recent years, there has been a growing number of women who decide to give birth to children at a later age.

Possible difficulties

The risk of a difficult course of gestation and the development of fetal pathology is present at any age. But this is not a reason to refuse the opportunity to experience the happy feeling of motherhood.

An important and decisive factor is the psychological side of the issue, because by the age of 30, many women are already quite independent in terms of material and career growth. In a woman at this age, maternal instinct begins to manifest, but someone thinks that it is no longer possible to get pregnant after 30 years.

Is it possible to get pregnant at 35? Doctors believe that the optimal age for childbirth is 20-30 years, this is due to female physiology. However, even at 35, childbirth is successful if certain preparation methods are taken.

The female body is capable of childbearing as long as certain hormones and collagen are produced. Thanks to collagen, muscles are strengthened, the skin becomes more elastic, and the body as a whole is rejuvenated.

Advantages and disadvantages

As a rule, planning a pregnancy at the age of 35 already speaks of the consciousness of future parents. A married couple discusses in advance the issue of the birth of a future baby.

There are pros and cons of being pregnant at 35.

The benefits include:

1. responsibility;
2. the presence of a family;
3. financial savings;
4. career growth.

In adulthood, the relationship between husband and wife becomes more stable and calmer. So, the child will grow in perfect harmony. Despite these advantages, the birth of a child after 35 years of age has its drawbacks.

What are the difficulties of pregnancy after 35 years:

• toxicosis from the beginning to the end of gestation;
• acute or chronic lack of fetal oxygen;
• premature discharge of fetal water;
• premature detachment of the placenta;
• insufficient divergence of the hip bones;
• risk of ectopic pregnancy, high miscarriage rate;
• placental problems and bleeding;
• premature or premature fetus.

Complications during pregnancy can appear at any age, so it is important to prepare yourself for childbirth. But after the age of 35, the risk of various complications increases, as more bad habits and chronic diseases appear with age. Also, with age, the state of health worsens, so it becomes harder to cope with the direct duties of the mother.

Preparation

How to get pregnant after 35? Preparing for conception helps to avoid complications associated with age. The doctor will prescribe tests that identify possible health problems. If the woman is healthy and there are no contraindications for childbirth, the doctor will give the necessary recommendations for further pregnancy planning.

Preparing for pregnancy is necessary as follows:

1. give up alcohol and smoking;
2. do physical exercises regularly;
3. maintain proper nutrition;
4. observe the daily routine;
5. walk at least two hours a day;
6. avoid stressful situations;
7. monitor the norm of weight;
8. make all vaccinations prescribed by the attending physician;
9. attend courses for expectant mothers.

Medicine today has stepped far forward, so any woman with an established menstrual cycle has a chance to give birth. The main thing is to listen to the characteristics of your body.

The chances of IVF at 35 years old are 33.9%, making happy motherhood possible at this age.

How to prepare for pregnancy after 35? The main preparation at this age is the examination and implementation of all doctor's recommendations.

Second child

However, a woman's body after 35 years of age needs additional medications. Vitamins for men 35 years old also contribute to the early conception.

What to take to get pregnant after 35 years:

• folic acid;
• Multivitamins;
• potassium iodide;
• Iron preparations.

Why is it difficult to get pregnant after 35? As women get older, it becomes more difficult to get pregnant, especially if this is the first child. After the age of 35, egg production decreases, blood flow to the ovaries decreases, hormones change, ovulation is disrupted, and more health problems appear.

Second births have a risk of passing on their diseases to the baby. There is a possibility of having a child with Down syndrome. A second pregnancy after 35 years of age can lead to the unwanted complications described above, but this does not mean that you need to give up the opportunity to become a mother. Getting pregnant after 35 years with a second child is not only possible, but also necessary, because during gestation the cells in the body are updated, the woman begins to feel younger.

third child

A third pregnancy at 35 has many benefits, such as experience. Parents already know how to raise a child. And also they are more calm about the various pranks of the baby.

If the previous birth was recent, then the risk of having a child with injuries decreases, since the birth canal and pelvic muscles are already prepared for childbirth.

There are risks of pregnancy both up to 35 years and after. Therefore, this fact should not prevent a married couple from becoming happy parents. Everyone gives birth to children at the age when they are ready for this serious step.

Today, modern medicine can help any woman give birth, the main thing is to have a desire. After all, age is not a hindrance, but just a small nuance. If you start to be examined in time and follow all the instructions of the attending physician, then soon the couple will hear children's laughter in their apartment.

For the first time thinking about the role of a mother after 35 years is one of the trends of our time. What do experts say about this? Some are indignant and sound the alarm, while others (and there are many of them!) Are sure that there is no reason for concern: pregnancy after 35 is possible and today doctors have the opportunity to help a woman in her desire to become a mother.

Causes of Late Pregnancy

But why are modern women in no hurry to cross the threshold of antenatal clinics and push the role of mother, so natural for them, into the background, and sometimes even the third plan? Here is what follows from the results of a survey conducted in the UK in the mid-90s: many of the fair sex simply do not want to spend their “best years” on having and raising children! This trend can be traced mainly in developed countries, and sociologists name several reasons that guide women when making plans for the near future.

• The first and main thing is that in their youth, potential mothers want to get an education and make a career that will make it possible to arrange the financial situation of the family and provide the child with a decent future.
• In addition, business women do not always have a personal life, and sometimes the same busy partner cannot come to terms with the role of a potential father!
• On the other hand, we should not forget about those couples that take a very long time to the desired motherhood and fatherhood - we are talking about spouses who have known the problem of infertility. Sometimes the desired result - pregnancy - occurs only after many years of treatment, and the age of future parents by this time crosses the border of 30-35 years.

Some facts: Statistics show a record increase in the number of women who have given birth to a child after 40 years. Over the past 20 years, the number of women in their forties who have become mothers in England and Wales has almost tripled. Experts attribute this to several factors: we put off having a baby because of our career, our men do not want it, or the “long teenage period” that has dragged on after 30 is to blame.

Pregnancy after 35 and objective reality

Of course, for "biological" reasons, the best time for a woman to have a baby is the age of 20-30 years. After the age of 35, it becomes more difficult to conceive a baby, as hormonal changes begin in the body, ovulation (the release of an egg from the ovary in the middle of the menstrual cycle) happens less often, and a fertilized egg sometimes fails to gain a foothold in the uterine cavity.

Plus, with age, women begin to "grow old" eggs. To understand why this happens, you need to remember that every girl comes into this world with a certain supply of female cells that are given to her for life. Each of the eggs for the time being is in a "sleeping" state and begins to mature only when it receives the appropriate impulse.

If conception does not occur during the menstrual cycle, the egg dies, and the next “traveler” sets off on the same path the next month. The older our cells become, the greater the risk that there will be fatal errors in the complex process of their growth and division. That is why, for example, the risk of having a baby with Down syndrome increases in those women who become mothers after 35-40.

However, doctors are not inclined to sound the alarm: the technical means available to modern medicine make it possible to recognize dangerous disorders at an early stage and, if necessary, terminate a pregnancy.

Before getting pregnant after 35

What is the best thing to do for a 35-40-year-old woman planning the birth of her first child?

1. Be sure to consult a doctor and try to do this before the onset of pregnancy.

ATTENTION! Find a doctor you completely trust. This should be done in order to establish psychological contact between you.

Why is it important? If you trust the doctor, it will be easier for you to follow the recommendations that he will give in order for the pregnancy to come and end successfully. As a rule, patients after 35 years of age are fully formed individuals who, at the time of making important decisions, for example, on the appointment of diagnostic or treatment procedures, it is important to consider all the arguments. Most likely, they will want to enter into a dialogue with the doctor, perhaps they will try to challenge his decisions, and the doctor should be ready for such a “discussion”.

2. Before the onset of pregnancy, take the time to examine the entire body in detail to find out if there are any health problems that have not yet made themselves felt. By doing this, you will be able to avoid unpleasant surprises for the next 9 months. Mandatory measures include blood and urine tests, determination of the blood group and Rh factor, examination for sexually transmitted infections, measurement of blood pressure, hormonal examination. Depending on the results obtained, the doctor will prescribe treatment for the patient or send her for a consultation with a narrow specialist, for example, an endocrinologist or a cardiologist. If everything is in order with the well-being of the expectant mother, the doctor will give her general recommendations, that is, tell her how best to plan the day, what to eat, what vitamins to take, whether it is possible to play sports.

3. If the patient is familiar with any chronic disease and she is forced to constantly take medication, she should consult with her doctor and find out if it is necessary to continue using them for the next 9 months. Maybe the doctor will advise you to reduce the dose of the drug or replace one drug with another, safer for the baby. Remember that during pregnancy, in no case should treatment be canceled even with the best of intentions: in the event of an exacerbation of a chronic illness, the doctor will have to prescribe something more serious to the patient, and it is possible that it is not very useful for the child.

Observation of pregnancy after 35 years - studies and analyzes

Immediately after pregnancy occurs, in addition to conventional studies, a woman after 35 years of age will be prescribed special procedures.

• Firstly, doctors recommend undergoing a detailed examination in order to exclude deviations in the development of the baby. What is it about? First of all, about ultrasound examinations, which are prescribed for periods of 11 and 18-20 weeks. In addition, it is recommended to undergo a "triple" test, to determine the biochemical parameters of blood.
• If the doctor needs to know for sure if the child has Down syndrome, the patient may be prescribed an examination of amniotic fluid (amniocentesis), a study of the baby’s blood obtained from the umbilical cord by cordocentesis or choriocentesis (taking for examination of the villi of the future placenta, which is done at the very beginning of pregnancy, if there is no threat of interruption). ATTENTION! In all situations, the decision on whether to undergo an examination or not is made by the future parents.
• In addition to the above, the doctor will carefully monitor the patient's health: measure blood pressure, monitor the results of a blood test, urine and hemostasiogram (blood clotting test), control weight gain, pay attention to the individual characteristics of the future mother's body.
• Toward the end of pregnancy, specialists will monitor your baby's condition very carefully. A pregnant woman will do cardiotocography (study of the baby's heartbeat and movements) and, based on it, judge whether the baby has enough nutrients and oxygen.
• A few weeks before the onset of labor, the doctor usually advises the expectant mother to go to the maternity hospital. This will definitely have to be done by pregnant women aged 35-40 with high blood pressure or chronic diseases. In addition, the attention of specialists will require the slow growth of the child or its incorrect position in the mother's abdomen.

Pregnancy and childbirth in adulthood is a fairly common phenomenon of our time. And often for a woman - this is the first child.

It just so happened that now we are more careful about family planning. It is difficult to judge whether this is good or bad, but the psychological readiness of a woman for the birth of a baby plays a decisive role here. Yes, the fact is that, with age, the risk of fetal pathologies increases.

But there are a lot of successful examples of pregnancy and childbirth among mature women. In this case, it is important to be more attentive to yourself and know how to prepare for pregnancy after 35 years.

Positive aspects of mature pregnancy

• First of all, it is readiness for motherhood;

When planning a pregnancy at a later age, women usually clearly understand that they want to have a baby. For many, the baby even becomes long-awaited. Mature men are also more ready for the appearance of children, their desires and intentions become more stable, their attachment to the family is stronger.

• Usually, the financial situation of spouses at this age is more stable;
• The psychological age of a woman is changing. She becomes, as if younger, there is an influx of energy, new forces. And, therefore, such women grow old later;
• Late childbirth has a positive effect on the health and condition of the woman's body. A large role in this is played by the production of the hormone estrogen during pregnancy, which tones muscles, strengthens bones and reduces the risk of stroke and hypertension;
• If a woman's pregnancy after 30 years is the second or third, then usually childbirth is easier than the first time, since the body is already more prepared.

Disadvantages of Pregnancy After 35

1. Nature provides that women should realize the childbearing function at a young age: it is easier to bear a baby, more strength to give birth to him and more time to have time to raise a child before he becomes completely independent;

The older the woman, the higher the risk of pregnancy complications and pathologies in the development of the fetus.

1. With age, various chronic diseases often develop, the work of internal organs and systems is disrupted. This directly affects the course of pregnancy, the process of childbirth and the recovery of the body after the birth of the baby;
2. The production of hormones is slower, all processes in the body are no longer as dynamic as at a younger age. Therefore, during late pregnancy, unpleasant companions appear more often: preeclampsia, edema, fetal hypoxia (read the article on the topic: Preeclampsia during pregnancy >>>);
3. The likelihood of delivery by caesarean section increases;
4. It becomes more difficult to conceive a child after 35, because the ovaries are no longer so young and healthy and the number of eggs is constantly decreasing.

Risks that increase with pregnancy after age 35

• According to statistics, in adulthood, the likelihood of miscarriage, placental abruption, the appearance of diabetes and hypertension is higher;
• Often, late pregnancy turns out to be premature or overdue, which can threaten the deterioration of the quality of amniotic fluid, fetal hypoxia;
• The older the woman, the higher the risk of chromosomal abnormalities in the fetus, such as Down syndrome, Edwards syndrome, etc .;
• Mothers, in adulthood, more often than young mothers, have children with a lack of weight or, conversely, very large ones.

But all these are just risks and trends.

And in young mothers, in the absence of proper preparation for pregnancy and inattention to themselves, the above problems may arise.

And for mature women, with careful planning of the child and following all the recommendations, everything can, just the same, go well and have a healthy baby.

How to increase the chances of conceiving a child after 30-35 years?

1. Of course, you need a positive attitude and a strong desire to get pregnant and give birth to a baby. This is what helps the expectant mother direct female energy in the right direction and find resources for such an important task. Try to achieve emotional calm and avoid stress;
2. Menstruation should be regular. If you have a clear problem with this, then you need to solve it by consulting with a specialist;
3. Try to bring your weight back to normal. Difficulties with conceiving and bearing a child can be associated with extra pounds or, conversely, severe thinness;
4. It is necessary to give up bad habits a few months before the expected pregnancy. How to eat right, the book will tell you the secrets of proper nutrition for a future mother >>>;
5. Reduce physical stress on the body, try to rest and relax more;
6. If pregnancy does not occur for several months, consult a doctor and go through the necessary examinations with your husband.

How to prepare for pregnancy after 30

• The older a woman is, the more attentive she should be to herself and her health, especially if she decides to become a mother;
• In general, the preparation for conception, pregnancy and childbirth at maturity should be the same as at a young age;

In particular, it is important to pass all the necessary tests. Among them: a blood test (general, for biochemistry, blood type and Rh factor, for sugar, hormones), urinalysis, analysis for genital and TORCH infections, smears, ultrasound of internal organs).

• In case of detection of diseases, it is first important to undergo appropriate treatment;
• Be sure, at the stage of pregnancy planning, you should visit not only a gynecologist, but also a therapist, an ophthalmologist, a dentist;
• Abstract from criticism addressed to you and negative statements in the style: “Where are you going - it’s too late!”, “Dare if you want to give birth to a handicapped person” or “I would not risk giving birth at your age”;

It is better to be charged with positive examples of mature women who have small healthy children. There are many such examples.

• To exclude the possibility of pathologies in the fetal nervous system, it is recommended to take folic acid a few months before pregnancy (read the article about vitamins in early pregnancy >>>);
• When preparing for pregnancy after 40 years, special attention should be paid to physical exercises. The elasticity of tissues (perineum, vagina and uterus) deteriorates with age.

It is important to engage in accurate muscle strengthening in preparation for childbirth, especially if this is the first pregnancy. But also consider the fact that at a later age a caesarean section is often indicated. Fear not, many women go through this.

There are a lot of examples of successful birth of children after 35 years. And, if you have already decided to become a mother at this age, discard doubts and fears.

If you approach conception correctly, prepare and understand that it is important for you to give birth to only a healthy child, then there should be no problems.

where we will discuss all the rules for a healthy conception and bearing a strong baby.

Now your main allies are faith in yourself and the successful course of pregnancy and childbirth, active actions to improve health and maintain a comfortable, trusting atmosphere in the family.

The new trend may have many causes, but the facts are clear: many women are postponing pregnancy until their 30s and beyond. If you're worried about getting pregnant after 35, then you should know that your chances of conceiving and having a healthy baby decrease after age 30. But that doesn't mean you can't have a healthy baby.

First of all, if you are over 35 and have never been pregnant, there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of having a baby.

Increasing your chances of pregnancy

You can improve your chances of conceiving in several ways.

Men should:

• Avoid tight underwear and wear loose-fitting boxers.
• Avoid hot baths and saunas.

Men and women should:

• Decrease activity level if both are normally active in sports.
• Have sex every 36 hours maximum.
• Do not use lubricant during sex.
• Monitor ovulation and plan to have sex at this time.

Women of any age who want to get pregnant should start taking 400 micrograms of folic acid every day, preferably before conception. Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps prevent birth defects of the brain and spinal cord (called neural tube defects) in the fetus. While these types of birth defects are the most common, you can greatly reduce your baby's risk by starting folic acid right away.

The next step is to consult with a gynecologist to discuss your health and medical history. If you have ongoing health issues such as high blood pressure or diabetes, you will need to keep them under control. After pregnancy, both you and your baby will need to be closely monitored to help prevent complications from developing, or deal with them early if they occur.

If you have been unsuccessfully trying to get pregnant for one year or longer, you should contact a specialist for help.

Features of late pregnancy

Once you become pregnant, you should follow your doctor's advice to improve your baby's chances of having a healthy baby. The importance of good prenatal care is often underestimated by pregnant women over the age of 35. However, even if you follow your doctor's instructions, you still won't be able to control everything that happens during your pregnancy.

Pregnancy after 35 carries certain risks. For example, women at this age are more likely to have children with Down syndrome. They are also more likely to develop complications such as preeclampsia, a condition in which a woman's blood pressure rises sharply during the third trimester of pregnancy. This condition can cause premature labor or a low birth weight baby, as well as cut off the baby's blood supply and cause him to get insufficient amounts of nutrients.

Gestational diabetes is also a concern. In this condition, as a rule, healthy women develop high blood sugar levels. Women with gestational diabetes often have very large babies, which makes childbirth more difficult.

Additional tests

During pregnancy, your doctor may recommend additional testing to see how your baby is developing. Amniocentesis is usually given to women who will be giving birth over the age of 35. For this test, the doctor takes a sample of the amniotic fluid, which is then examined to see if there are chromosome problems, such as Down syndrome, and check for other conditions, such as spinal fissures and others. neural tube defects.

Now that you understand the risks and challenges you may face, it's important to take care of your health while you're pregnant.

Getting pregnant after 35 is a challenge for many women. Those who manage to conceive a child, quite normally survive all 9 months and childbirth, but there is always a risk and in adulthood it increases. If you become pregnant with your first child only after 35 years, then there is a risk of developing breast cancer.

According to information from the health of the United States of America from 1977 to 1998, women in adulthood became pregnant much more often and the rate increased to 89%. By the beginning of the next century, the overall percentage was 90% and patients with late pregnancy were no longer at risk as they used to be.

Difficulties

Reproductive function decreases in women after 30. The probability of becoming pregnant at 39 years of age decreases, and it takes more time to conceive. This may be due to the rare release of the egg from the follicle and the deterioration of the quality of oocytes. After 30-35 years, patients are often diagnosed with endometriosis, which is also an obstacle to fertilization. It is necessary to contact the clinic for examination after six months of fruitless attempts.

Before getting pregnant at 35, a woman needs to see a specialist. The gynecologist will conduct an examination, give a referral for tests and study the anamnesis to determine the cause of infertility.

A visit to the doctor makes it possible to move one step towards the desired pregnancy and cure diseases that may accompany the patient. Talking to a gynecologist is especially important in chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes.

These diseases often accompany patients who ask themselves: “How to get pregnant after 35?” Diabetes mellitus, hypertension and other chronic diseases are a threat to the health of the mother and child, but will not harm if the process is controlled by doctors.

These diseases can develop when a woman becomes pregnant with her second child after 35 years. According to statistics that were derived in the 90s in New York, during pregnancy in 30-40 years, diabetes mellitus developed much more often than in the age group before that.

But the study did not end there, and already in 95, for women after forty, during pregnancy, elevated glucose levels appeared three times more often than in 30, and hypertension twice. With early diagnosis of chronic diseases, irreversible consequences can be avoided.

Risks

At conception after 35 years, the risk of chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo increases. The most common is trisomy 21, also known as Down syndrome. Others include: Klinefelter's syndrome, 45X - Shereshevsky-Turner, XXX.

The risk of mutation increases after age 26. At this age, the chance of developing pathology is 1:1300, at 31 - 1:955, at 36 - 1:380, at 41 - 1:110, and at 46 - 1:25.

That is why patients who want to get pregnant at 35 need to undergo a preliminary diagnosis. And during pregnancy, additional studies may be required: amniotic fluid sampling, examination of the villi of an unformed placenta. This is done for early anomaly detection. Only 5% of women get positive results, which indicate deviations, so you should not worry ahead of time ..

After 35 years, the frequency of miscarriages also increases, which occur in women before the 12th week of pregnancy. According to statistics, in the period from 20-30 years, the risk of miscarriage is 15%. And in women after 35 - 25%.

Complications

In most cases, women who become pregnant at age 36 with their first child go through childbirth normally, but there are complications. In addition to chronic diseases and chromosomal pathologies, there may be problems with the placenta. Premature detachment, delayed detachment or closure of the cervix by the placenta. Doctors avoid the latter by caesarean section.

Scientists conducted research at the University of California and found that women after 35 years of age have 8% more complications than in their 20s.

If you postpone the birth of your first child after the age of 36, then this is fraught with the birth of a child with insufficient weight (less than 2.5 kg) or premature birth. In addition, Canadians have found that the risk of stillbirth increases with age. There is no exact explanation for the cause of the stillbirth, in all documents it was defined as unknown.

Complications that are isolated in women with late childbirth are suffocation or hemorrhagic stroke. Such data was provided by one of the universities in California, which compared pregnancy at 20 years of age and later. But patients at 45 are not much higher than the figure to categorically prohibit pregnancy at that age.

The main thing is not to be nervous, so as not to harm the child. Everything else can be cured by doctors. Since thanks to modern technology, almost all complications are easily eliminated.

Conception

If after six months of trying to get pregnant naturally, everything went to no avail, then you should consult a doctor. After the examination, the gynecologist will prescribe treatment.

If the problem is global, then in this case, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is used. This procedure helps with both female and male infertility.

With the help of IVF, you can get pregnant even during menopause, at 45-50 years old, if women do not have concomitant diseases that interfere with pregnancy. But do not delay the birth of a baby, because his health depends on the age of the mother.