Sanjana and her husband were married late. She is 36 years old and is planning to go ahead with a pregnancy. Smriti and her husband, on the other hand, have been married for the past 7 years. She has conceived now after treatment for infertility. She is 37 years old. Shyamala is 35 and pregnant for the second time. Her first child is 13 years old. Will being 35 or older cause a problem in a pregnancy?

Social changes and career pressures are resulting in more and more women having children later in life. Most women over age 35 have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. The anxieties and concerns which plague all pregnant women are magnified when a woman has a child later in life. It is therefore important for a couple to be aware of the risks involved and stay informed of the consequences of a late pregnancy.

Age and fertility 

It is true that women have more difficulty in getting pregnant as they grow older. A woman in her mid-30s or older may take longer to conceive than a younger woman. At the same time, women over 35 have a greater chance of having twins.

Risk of miscarriage 

At any age, most miscarriages occur in the first three months of pregnancy. The rate of miscarriage in older women is significantly greater than that in younger women. This is mainly because of the increasing risk of chromosomal abnormalities.

Preexisting health problems and pregnancy 

At any age, when planning a pregnancy, a woman should consult her obstetrician before trying to conceive. A preconception visit helps ensure that she is in the best possible physical condition before conception. Diabetes and high blood pressure are two conditions which are common in Indians and much more common in women in their late 30s and 40s. Moreover, women over 35 are twice as likely as women in their 20s to develop high blood pressure and diabetes for the first time during pregnancy.

Careful medical monitoring is required and the appropriate medications must be started before conception and continued throughout pregnancy. This can reduce the risks associated with these conditions and, in most cases, result in a healthy pregnancy.