Age

 

PATIENT AGE

Most women over age 35 have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. Recent studies suggest, however, that older moms do face some special risks.

Since the late 1970s, birth rates for women in their late 30s and 40s have increased dramatically.The birth rates for women age 35 to 39 and 40 to 44 more than doubled.

Advances in medical care now help women in their late 30s and 40s have safer pregnancies than in the past. However, women should be aware of the risks associated with later childbearing so that they can make informed decisions about their pregnancies.

How much does age effect fertility?
Women generally have some decrease in fertility starting in their early 30s. It is not unusual for a woman in her mid-30s or order to take longer to conceive than a younger women.

Age-related declines in fertility may be due, in part, to less frequent ovulation or to problems such as endometriosis, in which tissue similar to that lining the uterus attaches to the ovaries or fallopian tubes and interferes with conception.

If conception has not taken place after six months of trying, a women over age 35 should consult her Doctor. About one-third of women between age 35 and 39 and two-thirds of women over 40 have fertility problems. Many cases of infertility can be treated successfully.

While women over age 35 may have more difficulty conceiving they also have a greater chance of bearing twins. The likelihood of naturally conceived (without fertility treatment) twins peaks between ages 35 and 39.