The times have indeed changed and if you have spent a large part of your twenties chasing your career or finding the right guy, you must know you can still have a baby, because the biological clock is still ticking and with a little help from medical science, you can very well have a baby after you turn 35 and even 40.
The only issue is that the risk factors are higher, having a baby after 35 can be complicated and it could affect your health and the health of your baby as well. However, if you are indeed looking forward to having a baby after the age of 35, you should keep the following things in mind.
It May Take Some Time to Conceive
This may sound a little unfair, but it is true. Female fertility starts decreasing the moment you hit your thirties, and when you are thirty-five, it spirals down in the wrong direction. At 30, one has a 20% chance of getting pregnant in every cycle, but by the time one hits 40, the chances swindle down to 5% per cycle. If it’s been over six months that you have been trying, and have had little luck, you must check with a fertility specialist to learn more. This way, the problem can be diagnosed and appropriate action can be taken to address the problem. A few problems are easy to treat once identified like uterine fibroids and irregular periods.
Genetic Defects
You may look fit and young on the outside, but as you age, your eggs have become really old and are unable to divide as they would in your earlier years upon conception. This could lead to chromosomal problems with the embryo, which could result in birth defects and a miscarriage as well. It is important that you get yourself tested as the pregnancy progresses: a blood test at week 10, an ultrasound at week 12 and a full anatomy ultrasound at 20 weeks can indeed help pick up some genetic abnormalities to learn if the baby is developing well.
Pregnancy-threatening conditions
High Blood pressure and gestational diabetes are just a few issues that can affect moms who plan babies after 35. If these problems are not treated, they could cause serious health problems in the babies. It is important that your doctor is well aware of your family history or any other chronic condition. The right time to send out all this information to your doctor is pre-conception, when your overall health is evaluated.
Tough Delivery
A few problems can develop during pregnancy, and these tend to affect older moms more. Problems such as placenta previa, a condition where the cervix is blocked by the placenta may arise. Pregnant women over 35 could face excessive bleeding during delivery and could also experience prolonged labor of more than 20 hours, and this could lead to them needing a C-Section, as apposed to most younger moms, who will easily go in for a normal delivery.
More Kids!
Post 30, it is more likely that you may have twins or triplets, even if no fertility treatments are taken. This may not sound all that bad, but what it means is that there is a higher risk of delivering early and having babies with lower birth weight, who may have health issues.
Preparing your body for a health pregnancy is extremely important. So, get in touch with a Registered Holistic Nutritionist to learn what measures you can take to stay healthy before and during your pregnancy. You could also consult homeopathic specialists to look for alternate routes to build a healthy body.
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