Pregnancy Alert: Does Pregnancy At 40 Affect The Mother and The Child’s Health?

Dr. Michele Hakakha answers a couple's question who planned to have another baby now that the wife is 41 years old. She says that some women who opt to delay pregnancy at a later age like 40 or older, may experience health risks like Gestational Diabetes, Pre-eclampsia, miscarriage or even stillbirth. The risks are even higher as the mother gets older.

Some working class women opt to get pregnant at a later age or stage in life for quite a number of sensibilities. From deciding to settle down for professional priorities and consideration of maternal emotional readiness, moms today have other important priorities than having a baby.

Others consider spacing between children as necessary so having another child could get more complicated as the mother's age increases. Aside from shooting up of sugar levels and blood pressure, late pregnancy could have complications like placenta previa and make the mother's condition so sensitive, some doctors advise for complete bed rest. This mother's condition sometimes results to premature deliveries.

A Light At The End Of The Tunnel

The best that ever happened to mankind is that technology and science updates continue to evolve. Dr. Hakakha mentioned that tests for genetical anomalies or RNA could now be done through a plain blood examination as early as 10 weeks into pregnancy. Previous analysis done for RNA could not be done this way, and a chance of getting accurate results is slimmer with increased age.

Although brain damage issues in babies could not be detected earlier, autism in children is not a result of the mom's age, rather, the dad's age, increases probability as dad gets older. Genetics and some other issues are also taken into consideration. Statistics show that mothers giving birth at 40s or older are mostly successful.

So what is the best age for pregnancy? Psychology Today shows that it is between 30 to 40. Agree or disagree?