Until recently, women who dared to give birth after the age of 30 were considered old women. But the world is changing, and so is our worldview. Childbirth after 30 and even after 40 is no longer surprising.
In this article you will learn:
Is it always possible to trust statistics?
Which of the common stereotypes about late pregnancy are not entirely true?
Tips from a gynecologist
In May 2021, 50-year-old British actress and supermodel Naomi Campbell became a mother for the first time. In her Instagram, she wrote: “There are not enough words to describe my commitment to this angel. There is no better love.”
Yet many women are deeply concerned about the possibility of having children at a later age. Unfortunately, myths and stereotypes, often based on the experience of past generations, still exist in society. But, as we noted above, the world is changing, medicine is evolving, and therefore it is worth reconsidering our attitude to this issue.
Indeed, many experts agree that the ideal physiological age for childbirth is from 22 to 27, and psychological – from 27 to 35. But in many developed countries, such as the United States and Britain, the number of women who gave birth after 40 already exceeds the number of those who learned motherhood before the age of 20.
What should you believe and what not?
Is it difficult to get pregnant after 30?
Gene M. Twingg, a professor of psychology at San Diego State University, told TEDx Talks: “There is a widely spread statistics that one in three women between the ages of 35 and 39 does not become pregnant after a year of trying. There is even some evidence of it an article published in 2004 in the journal Human Reproduction. But the source of the data is not mentioned: these are French birth records from 1670 to 1830. In other words, millions of women are told when they should get pregnant, based on statistics from the time before electricity, antibiotics or infertility treatment …
At the same time, the professor notes, there is a study published in the magazine Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2004, which examined the chances of pregnancy among 770 European women. This study showed that 82% of women aged 35 to 39 having sex at least twice a week, had a babby during the year (the same study among women aged 27 to 34 years – 86%). That shows that women’s fertility is almost identical.
Of course, we must not forget that the biological clock is ticking. In young women, the quality of eggs is really better and fertility does decrease with age. But this decline does not mean at all that the vast majority of women after the age of 35 – 40 aren’t able to get pregnant.
Professor Tweng is now the mother of three children, all of whom were born after she turned 35, all conceived in a natural way. The probability of conception in each case depends not on age but on the reproductive health of the expectant mother, she said.
Does childbirth in adulthood mean a sick child?
It is known that the older the mother is, the more often she might give birth to a child with genetic disorders, such as Down syndrome. According to the gynecologist of the highest category L. Pilipenko, a 30-year-old mother’s chances of giving birth to a baby with Down syndrome are about one in 800, up to 40 years the ratio is of one to 100, and at 44 – one to 25. So,the doctor says, all the categorical statements that a child of a 40-year-old mother will probably be diagnosed with Down syndrome are greatly exaggerated. The risk increases, but the probability is not critical, the doctor said. Especially since young mothers are also not insured against the birth of a special child.
Will a late pregnancy harm the health of the expectant mother?
Some observations show that this is not the case. On the contrary, pregnancy in adulthood improves blood composition, reduces the risk of inflammatory diseases of the genitourinary tract as well as the risk of osteoporosis and stroke. Women who give birth at the age of 35-40 and later maintain physical vigor and intellectual activity for longer.
It is more difficult for parents to understand late-born children
It does not. According to modern research, the maximum emotional readiness for childbirth in women occurs no earlier than 35 years. At this age, she is ready to raise a child more effectively, to communicate competently with him or her. Unlike young mothers, who often have postpartum depression and depression associated with caring for their babies, mature women who have consciously chosen motherhood are less likely to experience such troubles.
Psychologists tell several arguments “for” and “against” pregnancy at the age of 35+
So, among the “pros”:
- Financial stability: Most women who did not have children in their youth have a stable source of income until the age of forty.
- Personal realization: Mature women know what they want in their life.
- Advanced medicine: modern medical technology allows you to carry a pregnancy and give birth to a child even if the mother has certain problems.
Among the disadvantages:
- The risk of giving birth to an unhealthy child, which we mentioned above;
- The fact that up to forty years, many women have chronic diseases, and during pregnancy and childbirth the body experiences severe stress.
- With age, a woman’s body begins to change hormonal background, grows a layer of endometrium, which prevents the fertilized egg from attaching itself normally in the uterus.
- Young women are helped by their mothers, who are themselves still quite young, while a woman who gave birth after 30 or 40, has less hope for help with a child from a grandmother.
“We must give birth in joy and hope”
Listen to the story of one real woman. She gave birth to a beautiful girl Emily at the age of 45. By the time she learned of her pregnancy, she was already the mother of two adult sons and even became a grandmother for the first time. She shared her secrets: “Although I already had two sons born in my youth, this time everything was different… It was painful to visit a gynecologist, who advised me to terminate the pregnancy, convincing, that there is a threat to my life, and that a child will be born sick … Yes, Emily and I had some health problems, but other children also may have them. I love and am proud of my daughter, who is now 12 years old. And to all expectant mothers, who became pregnant at the age of 40, I can advise the main thing: have no fear. Because pregnancy is always stressful, even if you are young enough. Fear is added by others: doctors, acquaintances. Fear enslaves. And you need to give birth in joy and hope. “
Expert advice:
Gynecologists say it is wrong to think that it is impossible or dangerous to get pregnant at the age of forty. You just need to know the risks and properly get ready for giving birth. Here are the basic steps to take:
- If you decide to conceive in adulthood, be examined by an obstetrician-gynecologist and undergo pre-pregnancy training (a set of diagnostic, preventive and curative measures for expectant parents). The action plan will be written by your doctor.
- Start taking folic acid three months before your planned conception. It reduces the risk of neural tube defects in the fetus.
- If you are over 40, consult a geneticist. He will assign karyotype research to both partners and calculate the risks of chromosomal abnormalities in the child. If they are high, do not panic. The decision – in vitro fertilization and preimplantation genetic diagnosis of the embryo before transfer to the uterine cavity. It is performed on the 3-5th day of development and avoids chromosomal abnormalities.
- Have a healthy lifestyle: give up tobacco and alcohol, get enough sleep, give your body moderate exercise, eat a balanced diet and keep your weight within normal limits.
“A doctor calculates the degree of perinatal risk for any patient,” says Lira Karayanidi in her blog. “If it is low, the management of pregnancy will not differ at all, it does not matter whether the woman is 20 or 40.”
And, of course, it is important to be psychologically positive.
And finally, an interesting fact. It turns out that the older a woman is, the higher her chance of giving birth to twins is: with age, more than two eggs mature in one cycle. So the family can be replenished with two kids at once.
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