Of all the factors determining a healthy pregnancy, age is one of the most crucial. More and more couples are becoming aware of the effects of age on conception. There are difficulties in conceiving for women older than 35, but there are many women beyond their 30s and delivering healthy babies. One can work closely with our specialists at ZIVA Fertility clinics to achieve a healthy pregnancy.
Let us understand why it is difficult to get pregnant after 35.
Women are born with a finite set of eggs at birth. Women ovulate about 14 days before their periods once every month. So as women’s age progresses, they have fewer and fewer eggs. The quality of the remaining eggs is not good for fertilization, making it harder for you to get pregnant. He may recommend fertility treatments that can help you get pregnant.
Complications due to getting pregnant after the age of 35
Gestational diabetes: Diabetes that women get during pregnancy.
High blood pressure – hypertension: High blood pressure is when the force of blood against the walls of your blood vessels is too high.
Preeclampsia: In the 20th week of pregnancy or right after pregnancy, women have high blood pressure, which means organs like their kidneys and liver may not work properly. There is a protein in the urine, changes in vision and severe headaches. If a woman is older than 40, her risk is higher for preeclampsia than for younger women.
Issues during delivery:
Premature birth: The baby is born soon, before 37 weeks of pregnancy. Premature babies have health problems at birth and later in life.
Low birthweight: The baby is born with very low weight.
Being pregnant with multiples: As age progresses more than 35, there are more chances of getting pregnant with multiples. Chances of multiple pregnancies are because of hormone changes and possible fertility treatments to get pregnant. Pregnancy with multiples causes premature birth, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and problems with your baby’s growth.
Congenital disabilities: Children may be born with Down syndrome. Congenital disabilities mean that there is an abnormal function in the shape or function of one or more parts of the body.
C-section for delivery: The baby is born by a cut on the woman’s belly and uterus. C-Section has risks such as infection and reaction to anaesthesia. For women over 35, the pregnancy complications that make a C-section necessary increase.
Miscarriage: Even after successful conception, the mother might lose the baby in the womb before 20 weeks.
Stillbirth: In this case also, the mother loses the baby in the womb after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Screening tests: Cell-free fetal DNA screening or maternal blood screening is done. Blood tests are done to see that the baby will not have any congenital disabilities. Further diagnostic tests are done if the screening test indicates any chance of congenital disabilities. Diagnostic tests are chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis.
How do you ensure a healthy pregnancy if you are older than 35?
PLEASE REPLACE THIS PIC WITH DECENTLY DRESSED PREGNANT WOMAN PIC
Pre-pregnancy care
Get a preconception checkup: In this medical checkup, talk to your provider about your overall health, lifestyle, and concerns about being able to get pregnant. Inform about your and your partner’s family health history. Your vaccinations and medication should also be properly informed. If you already have diabetes, high blood pressure, and depression, please ensure they are under control.
Take medications: After consulting with your doctor, take vitamin supplements, folic acid for healthy growth and development as per doctor’s advice. Taking folic acid during early pregnancy is advisable to prevent congenital disabilities in the baby’s brain, spine, and mouth.
Maintain fitness levels: Neither is overweight good nor underweight. Manage your diet well to reach a healthy weight and engage in an appropriate exercise regime.
Give up smoking, drinking, street drugs, or abusing prescription drugs: If you find it challenging to change these habits yourself, please consult a healthcare specialist.
Check your chemical exposures: Even if you are not working in a factory you can be exposed to chemicals. Check the cleaning products, paints, and home fertilizers if you have a home garden. Switch to more organic and plant-based home cleaning products.
Reduce your stress: Lastly, having a peaceful state of mind is essential to conceive and have a healthy pregnancy.
During pregnancy care if you are pregnant after the age of 35
As mentioned earlier, many women can conceive and deliver a healthy child even after age 35. Still, one should be careful and go to all prenatal care checkups, even if you’re feeling fine.
- Regular checkups mean constantly monitoring you and your baby, which is very good for detecting any issues early on. Enquire about any necessary vaccinations. In the ZIVA fertility clinic, we give a complete list of vaccines and medicines that expecting mothers should take.
- It is a healthy symptom of gaining weight during pregnancy. However, one should also be mindful of it. Hence, work with your doctor about your weight, and you can join fitness programs designed for pregnant women.
- During the entire course of pregnancy, the expecting mother should be given healthy, well, balanced, nutritious food. Nutritional deficiency during pregnancy affects the baby’s development and the mother’s health after delivery.
- Stay away from smoking, including second-hand smoke. Don’t stand near smoke zones in public places. Alcohol, street drugs, and excess prescription drugs harm the baby. So if you are used to any of these, plan to quit them even before getting pregnant since it might be difficult to give up just after you get pregnant.
- Depending on the pregnancy stage and your health condition, ask your doctor about exercising. It is good to work with a pregnancy fitness expert. Working out during pregnancy helps easy delivery and return to your pre-pregnancy body.
We at ZIVA fertility clinics have helped numerous women above 35 to realize their dream of becoming a mother, so one doesn’t have to lose hope. Please visit our website or contact us at +91-9100002737, +91-9392834024 and info@zivafertility.com.
