Pregnancy After 40

They say life begins at 40. However, for a woman who is 40, she may not have the ability to give birth to a life. By this, I mean she may be infertile as the ability of the ovaries to produce good quality eggs declines with age, and practically all the women have lost enough of their ovarian reserve by the time they are 40.

This condition, known as diminished ovarian reserve (DOR)., characterized by a low number of eggs in the ovaries and/or impaired development of the existing eggs.

As a woman ages it takes longer to conceive and the risk of not being able to get pregnant increases. The risk of miscarriage and complications in pregnancy and childbirth also increase.

Women, Age and Fertility

Chances of a woman getting pregnant without IVF diminish as a woman ages.

-          A woman’s chances of conceiving decrease gradually but significantly after she is 32.

-          After 35, the fertility decline speeds up

-          By the time she is 40, fertility has fallen by half. The chances of conceiving are around 5% at 40.

Pregnancy and Birth Risks

-          The risks of pregnancy, birth complications and caesarian section increase with age. Complications include:

 Gestational diabetes – Diabetes that occurs during pregnancy, a condition caused by too much glucose in the blood.

 Placenta previa – This is a condition that is caused when the placenta has implanted at the bottom of the uterus, thereby covering the cervix, either partially or fully. This means that the baby cannot be born vaginally. It is a serious condition that could cause fetal distress from lack of oxygen, major hemorrhage for the mother, blood loss for the baby and sometimes even death.

Placenta abruption – This happens when the placenta has detached away from the wall of the uterus, either partly or fully. This can cause bleeding in the mother and also interfere with the baby’s supply of oxygen and nutrients. A severe case of placental abruption can have fatal consequences for both mother and child.

-          Older women are likely to have babies with birth defects and genetic abnormalities

-          A woman at 40 is more than five times likely to have a stillbirth.

-          At 40, the risk of a miscarriage is high for the woman

Age is the most important factor affecting a woman’s chance to conceive and have a healthy life