| Since at least two or three decades ago, | | | | pressure, etc. |
| women over 35 in age are having healthy and | | | | |
| successful pregnancies giving birth to | | | | Existent medical conditions can lead you to |
| healthy babies with no birth defects, despite | | | | preterm labor or preeclampsia, a condition |
| medical advice suggesting that pregnancy must | | | | that affects both, you and your unborn baby. |
| take place before the 30's. | | | | Some diseases may develop along with your |
| | | | pregnancy, even if you are actually a healthy |
| The number of women who get pregnant after 40 | | | | woman. |
| is increasing every day, and physicians have | | | | |
| found that a woman can have a healthy | | | | In general terms, you will not need special |
| pregnancy, labor and delivery, although the | | | | care, unless your obstetrician detects a |
| risk of complications increase as a woman is | | | | potential health problem during the early |
| getting older. | | | | stage of your pregnancy. First-time mothers |
| | | | can have complications during labor, or it |
| The National Center for Health Statistics | | | | might be more a bit more difficult than labor |
| says that the percentage of women conceiving | | | | for younger woman. |
| between ages of 30s and 40s increased in 1970 | | | | |
| and has not stopped since then, thanks to the | | | | Even though common childbirth complications |
| advances and discoveries in the medical | | | | are prolonged during the second stage of |
| field. | | | | labor and fetal distress, any of these |
| | | | conditions can be stressful for the expectant |
| However, fertility decreases with age, and if | | | | mother, more susceptible to mood swings than |
| you are between 40 and 44, your risks for | | | | women under the 30s. |
| complications during pregnancy are higher | | | | |
| than women between 35 and 39, and double the | | | | After 35, it is more likely that women will |
| risk over younger women. | | | | undergo cesarean surgery, and the older you |
| | | | are, the highest risk of c-section you might |
| Staying aware of potential problems during | | | | face. With the benefits of amniocentesis |
| the different stages of pregnancy is the clue | | | | during pregnancy your chances of |
| for a happy pregnancy. The most common | | | | complications including c-section lowers. |
| problem is closely related to chromosome | | | | |
| developing in your baby known as Downs | | | | Once you decide to get pregnant after age 40, |
| syndrome. | | | | planning your pregnancy is your best aid to |
| | | | prevent complications at any stage. A |
| Other complications can be the obvious result | | | | gynecologist or obstetrician can determine |
| of your age, such as problems to conceive as | | | | your medical condition, and suggest |
| your fertility begins to decrease when you | | | | immunizations or medications to increase your |
| were 30, and those arising as consequences of | | | | chances to give birth to a healthy baby and |
| health problems such as diabetes, high blood | | | | stay healthy yourself. |