What you should know about pregnancy after the age of forty
Pregnancy after the age of 40 increases day by day, and such cases require increased attention and care. To maintain the overall safety of the pregnancy, pregnancy at a later age is associated with numerous health problems that can affect the safety of both mother and fetus.
This is in addition to the usual problems that a pregnant woman may suffer from for physiological reasons related to the woman’s ovulation rate, according to (Sayidaty).
Q&A: Medication Prescriptions During Pregnancy
Fertility rates vary by age.
Fertility gradually declines with age, reducing the number and quality of eggs, which significantly affects the development and maintenance of pregnancy.
Poor egg quality is one of the most significant risks to pregnancy after age 40, along with medical conditions such as endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and fallopian tube defects.
Complications of pregnancy itself include high blood pressure during pregnancy, preeclampsia, an increased risk of gestational diabetes, and a significant decrease in the number and quality of a woman's eggs. The larger the egg, the greater the risk of birth defects in the fetus.
High blood pressure in pregnant women increases the risk of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, birth defects, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, low birth weight, stillbirth, premature birth, and cesarean section.
Tips for maintaining pregnancy after the age of forty
Talk to your doctor about a possible pregnancy and make sure the mother does not have any health problems that could affect the overall health of the pregnancy.
Get comprehensive care during pregnancy, especially the first eight weeks. It plays an important role during fetal development.
Get regular checkups. Check your blood pressure, blood sugar, urine protein or sugar, etc.
Some medical tests are performed to detect birth defects in the fetus.
Women are advised to take folic acid during early pregnancy to prevent problems that can affect the fetus's brain and spinal cord.
The dosage of folic acid is determined by your doctor. Doctors may prescribe higher doses for pregnant women over the age of 35 or women who have given birth to a baby with a neural tube defect.
Risks of pregnancy after the age of 40 on the mother's health
Pregnancy after the age of 40 puts women at this age at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Pregnant women at this age are more likely to develop high blood pressure than women in their twenties.
Pregnant women over the age of 40 are at risk of ectopic pregnancy. For example, the pregnancy occurs in the fallopian tube and can bleed, potentially life-threatening.
Pregnant women in their 40s are at risk of obesity and rapid, excessive weight gain, which not only affects their heart but also puts them at risk of premature birth and miscarriage, which harms the mother and can lead to many pregnancies. Health problems: Pregnant women after the age of 40 are at risk of miscarriage, which increases by 25% compared to women in their 30s.
Risk of pregnancy after age 40 for the fetus
Pregnancy after the age of 40 increases the risk of giving birth to a child with Down syndrome, Down syndrome, and other congenital abnormalities in the fetus, leading to the birth of a low-birth-weight fetus, and increases the rate of fetal death among older mothers. Pregnancy at a later age also leads to stillbirths, and fetuses not only suffer hearing and vision problems, but also pulmonary and respiratory developmental abnormalities.
Conditions requiring medical attention
In such cases, it is recommended to consult a doctor and take appropriate measures if attempts to conceive fail.
One year for women under 35.
6 months in women over 35 years old.
Women who have given birth to a child with a genetic disorder or have had a previous miscarriage.