Late Pregnancy: Pregnant at 40?

Getting pregnant at 40? It’s (almost) normal!

Many women today make a conscious decision in favor of late pregnancy and family planning. Training, job and career are the first focus for some. The desire to have children is only implemented after the first professional goals have been achieved. Those who give birth later than the age of 35 are considered to be at risk. However, the proportion of so-called “late births” has increased massively in recent decades. At the beginning of the 1990s, 0.8 percent of firstborns had a mother aged 40 or older; in 2003 it was already 3.9 percent and today even one in four mothers is older than 35. The average age of German mothers is currently 31 years .

Late pregnancy: why high-risk pregnancies?

Pregnant women over 35 years of age are classified as high-risk pregnant women because this age limit marks the point at which the gynecologist must inform the pregnant woman of the possibility of an amniotic fluid test, in accordance with maternity guidelines, since the possibility of a chromosomal disorder also increases with increasing age. How high the risk is at what age, depending on the progress of the pregnancy, can be seen in the table on the “ First Trimester Screening ” page. The following complications can occur in late labour:

• Miscarriages and chromosomal abnormalities are more common in late mothers than in early mothers. The risk that the baby will get too much or too little genetic information is higher in children born to late mothers. The most well-known chromosomal disorder is the so-called trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) , in which a child has three chromosomes 21 instead of two.
• However, since complaints such as high blood pressure and herniated discs as well as chronic diseases become more pronounced with increasing age, women over the age of 35 are more likely to suffer from previous illnesses than younger pregnant women.
• The connective tissue loses its elasticity from the age of 30. This causes ligaments, tendons, and muscles to give way more quickly as the baby’s weight pushes down later in pregnancy. As a result, preterm labor or laziness can lead to preterm birth .
• Calf cramps , haemorrhoids and vaginal varicose veins are more common pre-existing conditions in late labor.

Are there actually more dangers for late mothers and their babies?

If the mother has no underlying disease and is in good physical condition, she can give birth to a healthy child, just like younger mothers. Even women over the age of 40 can still give birth to healthy babies naturally. The prerequisite for this is that they themselves are healthy and fit. Women of all ages who eat a healthy diet, exercise in moderation and avoid nicotine can become pregnant and give birth to healthy children. Nevertheless, those who give birth late must be aware that the risks of bringing a disabled child into the world increase with the age of the mother.