After age 35, there's a higher risk of pregnancy-related complications that might lead to a C-section delivery. The risk of chromosomal conditions is higher. Babies born to older mothers have a higher risk of certain chromosomal conditions, such as Down syndrome. The risk of pregnancy loss is higher.
By age 35, the chance of a successful natural pregnancy drops to 10-15% per cycle, and by 40, the chances hover around 5%. This does not mean that getting pregnant after 40 is impossible, just that it will likely take longer. That's why the recommendation for considering fertility testing after 40 is only 6 months.
While most pregnancies lead to a healthy baby, the chance of problems during pregnancy rises slightly with age. Women over the age of 40 are at a higher risk of complications . These complication risks are: The association between later pregnancy and specific pregnancy difficulties like hypertension.
While it may take a bit longer to get pregnant if you're 35 or older, the average time it takes to conceive is still high. Women under 25 have a 25 percent chance of conceiving per cycle, compared to 15 percent among women between the ages of 35 to 39 (the rate drops to 5 percent by the age of 40).
Natural birth over 35 is possible!
And not only is it possible, but older moms may have some advantages as well. Women over 35 may be more educated, more financially stable, and have a stronger sense of emotional readiness for motherhood.
A woman's peak reproductive years are between the late teens and late 20s. By age 30, fertility (the ability to get pregnant) starts to decline. This decline happens faster once you reach your mid-30s. By 45, fertility has declined so much that getting pregnant naturally is unlikely.
Having a baby after 40 may give couples the chance to wait until they are more emotionally and financially prepared for parenthood. However, it can make it more difficult to get pregnant, as fertility declines with age. For women, in particular, fertility dramatically declines over the age of 40.
Most people over 40 have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. But there are some things you need to think about. You'll want to be sure to get good antenatal care.
You're also more likely to have your baby early if you're over 35 (Fretts 2018b, Lean et al 2017). Babies who are born early or with a low birth weight are more likely to need extra care straight after birth.
You might be more financially stable and healthier
"Studies show that children of older mothers stay in the educational system longer, do better on standardized tests, and are more likely to go to college than their peers born to young moms," says Dr. Salber.
While delivering at age 35 and older is officially considered “advanced maternal age,” Dr. Kalish notes that in reality, there's no “magic number” for being at-risk for complications. “A healthy 38-year-old could have an easier pregnancy than a 20-year-old who has multiple medical issues,” Dr.
After age 35, there's a higher risk of pregnancy-related complications that might lead to a C-section delivery. The risk of chromosomal conditions is higher.
Babies born to parents over 40 have a higher risk of genetic conditions like Down syndrome. 3 Children may also face health issues related to an increased risk of premature birth, fetal growth restriction (slower growth during gestation), and fetal macrosomia (high birth weight).
How many eggs does a woman have at 40? By the time a woman reaches 40, she'll be down to about 18,000 (3% of her pre-birth egg supply). Although the chances of conception are lower, this does not mean it is impossible to conceive at this age.
Down syndrome occurs in people of all races and economic levels. The risk increases with the mother's age (1 in 1250 for a 25 year old mother to 1 in 1000 at age 31, 1 in 400 at age 35, and about 1 in 100 at age 40).
Current supplementation policies designed to prevent neural tube defects may incidentally prevent Down's syndrome, provided a sufficiently high dose of folic acid is used.
As men age, their risk of fathering a child with Down syndrome may increase—the older the man, the more likely that the process of spermatogenesis, or sperm production will go awry, leading to sperm that contain errors like an extra chromosome.
Although women older than 35 years of age make up a small portion of all births6 in the United States each year, about nearly one-half of babies with Down syndrome are born to women in this age group.
Geriatric pregnancy is a rarely used term for having a baby when you're 35 or older. Rest assured, most healthy women who get pregnant after age 35 and even into their 40s have healthy babies.
Peak male fertility is around 25-29 years old. Sperm quality begins to decline at 30. At 45, men begin to experience a significant decrease in semen volume. Older men can also take longer to conceive a child.
Is it even possible? Yes, and you're not alone. Many women seeking to become first-time moms at 40 use egg donation or IVF treatments to conceive. (And even though examples of women experiencing a miracle pregnancy after menopause have been in the news recently, this rarely happens without medical intervention.)