Advanced Maternal Age

Advanced Maternal Age and Healthy Pregnancy:
How Important Is That?

Getting Pregnant after 35 is becoming very common and many new time moms are over 40, healthy and happy with their new babies

Advanced maternal age and pregnancy is not so much of an issue anymore because many women now start a family when they are in their mid-30s or older. Today 1 in 5 women has her first child after age 35. The good news is that most have no problems getting pregnant, have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies!

However, studies show that advanced maternal age can bring some pregnancy risks like high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, preterm babies, still births, low birth weight, C-section, congenital birth defects, genetic birth defects. These risks are calculated by the medical profession as a statistic value and may or may not take into consideration certain factors that are very important.

These factors are the parent's "biological" and not "chronological" age, past medical history and their life style before conception. Take care of your reproductive helath before getting pregnant is even more important if you are over 35.

Advanced maternal age does seem to affect fertility in women who have a poor diet, have been on birth control for many years and have a stressful life style. When these factors are improved, many couples achieve pregnancy naturally.

Yes, it is true that women over 35 may need more time getting pregnant, but many women are also very fertile during this time of their life, especially if they are not concerned with being told that they are in a advanced maternal age group and thus potentially having a high risk pregnancy or carrying a baby with a birth defect.

What I am trying to say is that your mental outlook at your situation, including your age, is more important than your actual age. Advanced maternal age is just a medical term and maybe a factor every couple should take into account when starting a family, but it should not prevent you from trying or worse make you feel like you are not capable of conceiving a healthy child. How you feel about yourself and your situation is also very important. In cultures were women give birth well into their late 40 and it is culturally acceptable, there is less concern about advanced maternal age and fertility. Of course these cultures also have a less stressful life style, eat a healthy diet and do not have a sedentary life.

A woman over age 35 should consult her doctor if she has not conceived after six months of trying. Studies suggest that about one-third of women between 35 and 39 and about half of those over age 40 have fertility problems. Many fertility problems can be treated successfully with natural health.

While women over age 35 may have more difficulty conceiving, they also have a greater chance of having twins. This may not be seen as a risk if what you want is a family!

What about advanced maternal age and birth defects?

Women over age 35 are at increased risk of having a child with certain common birth defects involving congenital birth defects, genetic birth defects and chromosomal defects like Down Syndrome.

If you are concerned about your age and pregnancy risks, the best way to approach it is to relax and take a deep breath, it is just a statistical calculation, but everyone is unique. What birth defects statistics do not keep into consideration is the state of health of both parents at conception. In fact, what seems to prevent genetic birth defects and chromosomal disorders is a pre conception diet which is high in antioxidants like Zinc, Selenium, Coenzyme Q10, vitamin C, A, and E. More conclusive studies are required but it does make sense that by preventing the genetic material from becoming damaged with nutritional support of minerals and vitamins, the likelihood of a birth defect can be reduced. This is very important, because antioxidants keep the eggs and the sperm genetically intact and prevent genetic mutations. The importance of natural vitamins on the health of the future baby is important because they can help repair DNA, the genetic material inside of your cells that carries the information of the phenotypic expression of the baby. This expression can be determined by the environment in which you live, that is why detoxification before getting pregnant is important and following a healthy diet as well.

What about the risk of miscarriage and advanced maternal age?

Most miscarriages occur in the first trimester for women of all ages. Studies show that the risk of miscarriage is high in cases of advanced maternal age. Here what plays a very important role, in preventing miscarriages in pregnancy, is a healthy hormonal system before pregnancy. There are many ways to achieve this with homeopathic medicine and acupuncture, before and during pregnancy. Homeopathic medicine helps maintain a healthy hormonal balance during pregnancy and also can treat the constitutional weakness that a woman has either inherited or acquired during her life as a result of trauma, injuries, or infections. Acupuncture helps maintain a healthy energy flow through the meridians preventing chi deficiency by nurturing the reproductive channel.

What about pre-existing conditions and advanced maternal age?

Advanced maternal age is often linked to high blood pressure and diabetes that can affect pregnancy. For example, if diabetes is not controlled, it can contribute to birth defects and miscarriage, and high blood pressure can affect fetal growth by slowing it down. During pregnancy, there are certain medical conditions related to maternal age which are gestational diabetes, placenta previa (the placenta covers part of the cervix causing bleeding during delivery and c-section), premature birth (delivery before 37 weeks of pregnancy), and stillbirth (death of the fetus before 20 weeks of pregnancy).

When planning a pregnancy, not matter at what age, it is always a good idea to have preconception visit with a medical physician to ensure that there a no medical conditions that can affect or prevent a healthy pregnancy. Practicing a life style that increases fertility is the best way to go. Most importantly do not forget to take folic acid in order to prevent certain serious neural tube defects.

How to reduce pregnancy risks and birth defects associated with advanced maternal age

Today, most women in their late 30s and 40s can look forward to healthy pregnancies and prevent a high risk pregnancy. Women of all ages can improve their chances of having a healthy pregnancy if they:

1. Have a preconception check-up with a health care provider.

2. Get early and regular prenatal care.

3. Take a natural prenatal vitamin supplements.

3. Begin pregnancy at a healthy weight.

4. Do not drink or smoke, even second hand smoke!

5. Do not use over the counter drugs. If you have to talk to your family doctor and let her know you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant.

6. Do not have x-rays or dental work that involves using toxic products.

7. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables.

8. Take anti-oxidants like Vitamin A, E, C, Pantothenic Acid, Zinc, and Selenium.

9. Drink and cook using only purified water.

10. Don not eat undercooked meat or change a cat s litter box. Both are possible sources of toxoplasmosis, an infection that can cause birth defects.

11. Do not eat shark, trout, tuna, swordfish, king mackerel tilefish or seafood. These fish can have high amounts of mercury. It is all right for a pregnant woman to eat a limited amount of fish that have small amounts of mercury, including, salmon, pollock, sole, tilapia, catfish and limited amounts of canned light tuna.

12. Make sure you are tested for rubella (German measles) and chickenpox before pregnancy. If you choose to be vaccinated, wait a couple of months before trying to conceive.

13. Relax and have a happy attitude. Your emotional wellbeing can also affect your pregnancy. The mental state of the mother can affect the health of the child!

Pregnancy Is Not A Diseas!

Pregnant women who are classified as having advanced maternal age are not sick, this is not a disease, so do not get alarmed, just do your best to have a healthy life style to ensure a healthy pregnancy.

It is important to keep in mind that the increased risk, even for the oldest women, is modest. Enjoy your life, your pregnancy and your baby.

Someone I know one day told me: "I know I am in my forties, but advanced maternal age does not apply to me! I feel like a twenty year old woman and I am just that in my mind."

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