Pregnancy After 40 is Not Dangerous If Take Necessary Precautions

Are you in the early 40s of your life and planning to conceive? Then there is nothing much to worry about. Women nowadays prefer to take care of their careers and settle down in life before having their first child. Usually, women are advised to have their baby before the age of 35 but there are a few advantages are having a child at 40.

Let us first understand the benefits

▪ Having a child at the latter half of your life has several advantages than having a child during the early 20s or 30s

▪ One of the most significant advantages is that at this point you will have more time for raising your child rather than establishing your career and life. Eventually, at this stage, you are more financially stable and in a favorable condition to support your child and family

▪ At this stage, you no longer have to deal with complications of relationships and settle on having a child with your partner

These are some of the most usual benefits if you plan to have your baby in your 40s. Studies have found that there are some other benefits as well

• Extended lifespan
• Better academic performance of the child
• Lesser cognitive issues

Is having a child in the 40s risky?

Advancements in the field of medicine improving fertility, supporting healthy pregnancy and delivery has made it possible for women to conceive and deliver the healthy child at the age of 40. However, pregnancy after the age of 40 is considered to be risky for both the mother and the child. The supervising doctor keeps a close eye on the health of the mother and child and monitors the following at regular intervals

▪ Blood pressure
▪ High blood pressure increases complications of pregnancy termed as preeclampsia
▪ Low birth weight of the child
▪ Gestational diabetes
▪ Miscarriage
▪ Birth defects like Down syndrome
▪ Ectopic pregnancy resulting from Invitro fertilization.

How fertility is affected with age?

The fertility rate of a woman starts to decrease rapidly after the age of 35 years. Following are the issues that pose a serious risk with an increasing age

▪ Unhealthy eggs
▪ A decrease in the number of available eggs
▪ Ovaries fail to release the eggs properly
▪ Increased chances of miscarriage
▪ Health condition often affect fertility

Currently, advancement in technology has given several ways to improve the fertility of older women expecting their first child. Following are some of the options available for women

▪ Surrogacy
▪ Infertility treatments like IVF (In vitro fertilization)
▪ Sperm/ Egg banks

Methods to conceive at the age of 40

▪ Consult with a doctor before conceiving
▪ Consider hypertension and diabetes caused at the time of gestation
▪ Have a clear idea of the health conditions during pregnancy

Today having a baby at the age of 40 has become very common among women. There are a few difficulties of having late pregnancy but advancements in technology are helping older women to have a safe and healthy pregnancy. Consider consulting with your doctor about the potential risk factors and your health conditions before you plan to conceive at this stage of your life.