Does Your Age Really Matter? Risks, Advantages and New Facts about Being a Mom over Forty

It has been said that forty is the new thirty. If it is, does it affect your pregnancy?

If you are over forty, you probably heard about the risks of older pregnancies. A twenty year old has a 10,000 to 1 chance of giving birth to a baby with down syndrome, while a mom over forty has one in a hundred. Pregnancy diabetes, high blood pressure and decreased egg production are just some of the risks.  Another complication is the increased chance of premature labor and C-Sections.

Before you get discouraged, here are a few positive and new facts concerning mature pregnancy:

According to British statistics, there is a large increase in delayed pregnancies. In 1998, forty four percent of the births in England were by moms over thirty. The number of pregnant women over forty has gone up by sixty percent.

These statistics show that later pregnancies are becoming more common, which means that modern medicine can accommodate older moms.

Older moms are more aware of their bodies, their nutrition, and take better care of their bodies in general.

Despite risks such as miscarriage toward the end of the pregnancy, it is now known that according to Apgar scores, which assess the baby's well being immediately after birth and in later checkups, the results are higher among older women, meaning the baby is more developed.

Psychologically, older moms are less likely to suffer from postpartum depression and other post traumatic related syndromes. Older women are generally more relaxed, settled and less fazed by changes.

If you are an older expecting mom, just remember to get all your checkups in order, and don't worry.

Related Articles:

Does the Age of the Father Count?

Maternity  Leave - What Are my Rights? 

Taking Care of Youself After Delivery

More From SheKnows Explorer

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed