Life Begins at 35

With the changes in life and the advance that women are making, many are choosing to start a family later in their lives. The amount of women in their mid 30's to later 40's conceiving children have dramatically been on the rise. The advances in medical technology have made childbearing later in life a whole lot easier. However, women should be aware of all the risks involved so they can make informed decisions about their pregnancy.

Conceiving children begins to become harder for women in their early 30's than it is for younger women. In your 30's ovulation is less frequent and problems with endometriosis may occur. Women over 35 have a difficult time getting pregnant; they also have a greater chance of bearing twins. If after six months and conception has not yet happened, the women should consult a physician for possible fertilization methods.

A big concern is the risk of miscarriage. A recent Danish study found that about 9 percent of pregnancies for women in their 20's ends in a miscarriage. Whereas, the risk for women ages 35 to 39 rose 25 percent, and continued to rise more than 50 percent once over the age of 40.

A contributor to the increased number of miscarriages is partially due to chromosomal abnormalities. As a woman ages the risk of chromosomal disorders increase. Usually, each cell has 46 chromosomes inherited in 23 pairs, however, as the women's eggs age they are more likely to make a mistake in the number of chromosomes they carry. The most common form of chromosome abnormality is Down syndrome. When a baby receives three copies of the 21st chromosome instead of the normal two when Down syndrome will occur. Other abnormalities that can affect the baby are Trisomy 13 and Trisomy 18. Trisomy 13 occurs in 1 out of every 10,000 people, it contains an extra 13th chromosome. Birth defects caused by the extra chromosome are; head size, eye development and heart defects. Trisomy 18 occurs in 1 out of every 6,000 people and contains an extra 18th chromosome. Birth defects related to the extra chromosome are underdeveloped fingers, arms and sternum; club feet and extra skin at the back of the babies head. There are many different test that are made available to detect birth defects such as; Ultrasound, Expanded AFP Test, and Amniocentesis Sampling.

Other risks that can affect your pregnancy are; high blood pressure, diabetes, harder deliver, premature labor, placenta previa and pre-eclampsia.

Pregnancy at an older age may see overwhelming and scary, but many of the above risks can be managed with good prenatal care. So don't let the red flags deter you from starting a family. Just remember to follow the basic rules to ensure a healthy pregnancy; see your health care provider regularly, eat healthy, take a multivitamin containing folic acid during you first month of pregnancy, and do not drink alcohol, smoke or do drugs.

_____________________

Written by Nicole Brockman - http://www.cvcc.edu - Copyright 2005, eMaxHealth.com