Getting Pregnant after Forty

Getting Pregnant after Forty

These days, many women are putting off pregnancy to later age due to several reasons including relationship concerns and career. However, after forty, the fertility level of a woman drops significantly, and risk of malformations in the fetus is higher. Delay in motherhood could be because of careers or relationships not working out, but medical reasons leave many women with the dilemma of getting pregnant in their forties. Some of the problems due to late conception could be caesarian delivery, inability to conceive due to reduced fertility, complications during delivery and so on.

Folic acid is a form of folate that helps reduce the risk of birth defects that can affect the spinal cord and brain, hence as per recommendations by FDA, all women over 40 who are trying to conceive must take folic acid supplements to reduce the chances of serious birth defects. Taking drugs, alcohol and smoking reduce the chances of getting pregnant and may also lead to premature birth, miscarriages and low-birth weight babies. Much like teenage pregnancy, older women find themselves overwhelmed with several concerns and questions regarding their condition, including how is the pregnancy going to affect her health, how the father of the baby feel, what will it be like to raise a child at this stage of life and how the new born will impact the career and retirement plans. Though it is almost impossible to get pregnant with your own eggs after the age of 45, the fact remains that women at that age do get pregnant, some naturally, and others with the help of fertility treatments.

There are definitely certain advantages of having babies late in your life, as this gives you enough time and opportunity to see the world. Waiting to have children has some financial benefits, and working women save enough money every year for their kids, and are also more likely to return to their jobs after maternity leave, offering more financial security. Some of the symptoms of both pregnancy and menopause are missed periods, fatigue, mood swings, frequent urination or incontinence and tender and painful breasts. To have a baby after 40, a woman will have to consider many aspects regarding raising a child including her lifestyle, impact on the existing family, her future plans, and her finances.

There are also some financial benefits associated with late conception, and researchers have found that women with more experience in the workplace before having babies tend to return to the work much earlier after the maternity leave. As these moms usually are more connected to their employers, they are more likely to go back to their job part-time rather than quitting altogether. High blood pressure, preterm labor, preeclampsia and diabetes are other health issues related to pregnancy after 40. For women becoming pregnant after 40, chances of developing the health problems such as high blood pressure, diabetes and preeclampsia pregnancy are higher.

Age of partner can also affect the fertility, and though men can father a child even in their forties and fifties, the quality of sperm deteriorates quite significantly.