Risks After Age 40

Getting pregnant later in life has its complications and its perks. However, being aware of the risks of late pregnancy helps in being prepared, taking adequate precautions and in ensuring that the risks of complications are minimized. The first step of course, is in understanding what exactly are the risks involved in pregnancy after an age of 40.

In recent years, it has become more and more safe for women to have pregnancies later in their lives. In fact, statistics show that in recent years there has been a doubling in the pregnancy rate of women over 35. However, the fact remains that as age advances, the risks associated with pregnancy also increase. If you are over 40 and pregnant, you could have a slightly greater risk of these following complications during your pregnancy.

1·If you become pregnant after the age of 40, there is an increased risk of you suffering from a miscarriage.

2·You are more likely to give birth to a baby with low birth weight (babies who weigh less than 5.5 pounds at birth are considered to have low birth weight) or probably even deliver pre-term (before completing 37 weeks of pregnancy).

3·Women who are over 40 are less likely to have normal deliveries than younger women. They may have to go in for a cesarean delivery. Also, if this is the woman’s first baby, chances are she will go in for prolonged labor and that the fetus may suffer from distress.

4·One of the greatest causes for concern in pregnant women over 40 is the increased risk of the baby suffering from Down syndrome. Studies have shown that while the chances of a baby developing Down syndrome is a mere 1 in 10000 for a twenty-year old, it increases to about 3 in 1000 for a thirty-five year old and a high 1 in 100 for a forty-year old. It is possible that an older woman has been through many more infections, exposed to more x-rays and drugs causing this increase in the rate of occurrence. Sadly, Down syndrome is not preventable. However, it can be identified during prenatal exams.

5·Older woman are more at risk to develop diabetes, high blood pressure as also other cardio-vascular diseases during pregnancy. The good news is all these can be monitored carefully and kept under control during the pregnancy, through suitable medications and diet.

We would also like to mention here that despite the fact that the risks of certain complications arising during pregnancy increase with age, many more women are having successful pregnancies over the age of 40. This has been made possible because of the great advances made in the field of medicine as also due to growing awareness among women about what steps they need to take to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

If you are over 40 and are pregnant, follow a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and make sure that you are following your doctor’s prenatal advice. This will help you minimize the risks of complications and have a safe pregnancy.

© 2008 Pregnancy Guide - All Rights Reserved.
▪ Pregnancy
◦ stage of pregnancy
▪ Early Pregnancy
◦ 1-3 weeks
◦ 4 weeks
◦ 5 weeks
◦ 6 weeks
◦ 7 weeks
◦ 8 weeks
◦ 9 weeks
◦ 10 weeks
◦ 11 Weeks
◦ 12 weeks
▪ Pregnancy Symptom
◦ First Signs of Pregnancy
◦ Early Pregnancy Symptoms
◦ Pregnancy Symptoms Week by Week
◦ Unusual Pregnancy Symptoms
◦ Sign of Pregnancy
▪ Teen Pregnancy
◦ Teen Pregnancy Statistics
◦ Teenage Pregnancies
◦ Teen Pregnancy Facts
◦ Teen Pregnancy Prevention
◦ Teen Pregnancy Help
◦ Unplanned Teen Pregnancy
▪ Pregnancy Test
◦ Early Pregnancy Test
◦ Home Pregnancy Test
◦ Free Pregnancy Test
◦ Best Pregnancy Test
◦ Pregnancy Test Result
◦ Digital Pregnancy Test
▪ Finding Support Through Pregnancy Forums
▪ How To Predict Ovulation
▪ Pregnancy Calculator
▪ Pregnancy Diet
◦ Pregnancy Diet Plan
◦ Post Pregnancy Diet
◦ Pre Pregnancy Diet
◦ Early Pregnancy Diet
◦ Diet Before Pregnancy
◦ Best Diet for Pregnancy
◦ How to Eat for A Healthy Pregnancy
◦ Foods to Avoid While Pregnant
◦ Caffeine and Pregnancy
▪ Healthy Pregnancy
◦ Healthy Pregnancy Diet
◦ Healthy Eating During Pregnancy
◦ How To Have A Healthy Pregnancy
◦ Healthy Pregnancy Weight Gain
◦ Healthy Nutrition Pregnancy
▪ Common skin conditions during pregnancy:
▪ Pregnancy Exercise
◦ Prenatal Yoga
◦ Prenatal Fitness
◦ Exercise After Pregnancy
◦ Exercise While Pregnant
◦ Exercise For Pregnant Women
◦ Great Exercises for Pregnancy
▪ Morning Sickness During Pregnancy
▪ Pregnancy and Nutrition
▪ Eating Well For You During Your Pregnancy
▪ Eating Right During Your Pregnancy
▪ Staying Fit During Your Pregnancy
▪ Pregnancy Weight Gain
▪ How Eating Well Can Help During Pregnancy
▪ Healthy weight gain for pregnancy
▪ Pregnancy: Dietary Precautions
▪ Nutrition and Exercise
▪ Role of Omega 3
▪ Exercise During Pregnancy
▪ Pregnancy: Handy Tips
▪ Health Issues
▪ Things To Be Avoided
▪ Common Complications
▪ Risks After Age 40
▪ Effects of Chronic Diseases
▪ Pregnancy dress
◦ The Survival Kit For Pregnancy Dresses
◦ Why Cotton Is The Preferred Pregnancy Fabric
◦ Pregnancy Dresses That Balance Style With Substance
◦ Pregnancy Dresses And Your Shopping Habits
◦ Pregnancy Dresses In Denim Are Stylish And Comfortable
◦ Save Big Bucks On Your Pregnancy Dresses
▪ Baby foods
◦ Is Organic Food Good For Your Baby?
◦ Food Allergies
◦ When To Switch To Solid Food
◦ Introducing Fish To Your Baby
◦ Include Eggs In baby Foods
◦ Tips for Making Baby Foods
◦ Getting Your Baby To Eat Foods
◦ Risks of Choking
◦ Getting Your Baby To Eat Vegetables
▪ Newborn Care
◦ Benefits of Breastfeeding
◦ Biodegradable Diapers
◦ Preparing For Your Newborn
◦ Measures To Be Taken For New Born
◦ Helping Your Newborn's Cold
◦ Do's and Don't's For New Born
◦ Dealing With Cranky Babies
◦ Avoiding Skin Rashes
◦ Guidance for Parents
◦ Products for Your Newborn
◦ Dealing with Colic
◦ Keeping Baby's Weight Up
◦ Soothing Baby With Music
◦ Getting Baby To Sleep
◦ Necessary Vaccinations
◦ Suitable Toys
◦ Caring for the First Cold
◦ When To Call A Doctor
◦ When To Wean Baby
▪ Common Pregnancy Discomforts Explored
▪ Experiencing Pregnancy Loss and Understanding Why It Happens
▪ Bodily Changes During Pregnancy
▪ Birthing Choice a Major Decision in Pregnancy
▪ Facing The Challenges of Being Pregnant After Age 35
▪ Pregnant and Over 40
▪ Getting Pregnant May Not Always Be Easy
▪ Getting Your Other Children Excited about Your Pregnancy
▪ Guidelines for Preventing Pregnancy
▪ Have a Successful Conception
▪ Important Things to Know When Pregnant with Multiples
▪ Infertility A Male Female Problem
▪ Info You Can Use On Ectopic Pregnancy
▪ Knowing That You Are Pregnant
▪ Physical Changes and Symptoms To Expect During Pregnancy
▪ Pregnancy is full of decisions
▪ Prenatal Testing is an Important Part of Every Successful Pregnancy
▪ Preparing for Your Little One
▪ Preterm Labor A Pregnancy Complication
▪ Preventing Teen Pregnancy
▪ Special Situations During Pregnancy
▪ Staying Fit and healthy During Your Pregnancy
▪ Staying Fit While Pregnant
▪ Staying Safe During Disasters While Pregnant
▪ The Common Discomforts of Pregnancy
▪ Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy
▪ Trusting in Home Pregnancy Tests
▪ Trying to Get Pregnant and Experiencing Infertility
▪ What Are The Problems That Can Develop During Pregnancy?
▪ What Causes Vaginal Bleeding During Pregnancy?
▪ What Kind of Pregnancy Problems Can A Woman Encounter?
▪ What To Avoid During Pregnancy for the Health of Mom and Baby
▪ What to do if You Are Unexpectedly Pregnant
▪ What to Expect the Last Few Weeks of Pregnancy
▪ Why is an Ultrasound Used During Pregnancy?
▪ You Can Stay Fit During Pregnancy
▪ You Are Pregnant and in Labor or Are You?
▪ Birthing choices midwife
▪ Complications you may face when you have a multiples pregnancy
▪ Fitness and staying well during pregnancy
▪ Getting the scoop on illegal drug usage while pregnant
▪ Is Caffeine Safe During Pregnancy?
▪ Pregnancy Testing What To Expect
▪ Safe Traveling While Pregnant
▪ pregnancy
◦ Pregnancy calendar
◦ Chinese pregnancy calendar
◦ Week by week pregnancy calendar
◦ Free pregnancy calendar
◦ Interactive pregnancy calendar
◦ Online pregnancy calendar
▪ Pregnancy symptoms
◦ Early pregnancy symptoms
◦ Tubal pregnancy symptoms
◦ Unusual pregnancy symptoms
◦ Common pregnancy symptoms
◦ Third trimester pregnancy symptoms
◦ Possible pregnancy symptoms
▪ Pregnancy calculator
◦ Pregnancy due date calculator
◦ Pregnancy weight calculator
◦ Free pregnancy calculator
◦ Pregnancy ovulation calculator
◦ Pregnancy trimester calculator
◦ Pregnancy nutrition calculator
▪ Personal Care of Health After Delivery
▪ Site Map
 
 
  pregnancy