In countries, like the United States, childbearing and parenthood have been increasingly more common in older adults. Some of the reasons for this delay in childbirth is due to higher education levels, wanting to establish themselves in their careers, inflexible work policies, and a social and cultural shift of making women feel unprepared for parenthood (“Pregnancy after 35: What are the risks?”). With these reasons, many women are increasingly becoming pregnant in their 30s, as opposed to women in their 20s. After the age of 35, there are increased medical risks for both the mother and child due to the aging body.
When women age, the quality and quantity of their eggs decreases (“Pregnancy after 35: What you need to know”). There is also a change in hormonal levels which affects the number of eggs released at the same time, resulting in multiples (“Pregnancy after 35: What you need to know”). The risk of chromosomal abnormalities also increases in women over the age of 35 who are pregnant. This increased risk is thought to come from the process of recombination, which researchers believe is less regulated after the age of 35 (“Pregnancy after 35: What are the risks?”). Because there is an increased risk in chromosomal abnormalities, there is also an increase in miscarriage. Miscarriages are a result of the body regulating chromosomal abnormalities (“Risks of Pregnancy Over Age 30”). Since the risk of chromosomal abnormalities increases in women over the age of 35, the risk of miscarriage also increases (“Pregnancy Over Age 30”).
Down syndrome is a condition that increases in women who have children over the age of 35. Women over 35 are more likely to have abnormal chromosomal regulation, and Down syndrome is a result of the abnormal regulation (“Risks of Pregnancy Over Age 30”, “Pregnancy after 35: What you need to know”). In women who conceive after 35, there is also an increase in preeclampsia (Lean et al, 2017). This is caused by high blood pressure in the mother and damage to other organ systems due to an aging mother (Lean et al, 2017). Preeclampsia can cause impaired kidney function, impaired liver function, blood clotting problems, pulmonary edema, and seizures (“Frequently asked questions about preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome” , 2018). There is also an increased risk of fetal growth restriction (FGR) due to the increased risk of stillbirth (Lean et al, 2017). The risk of increased stillbirth is caused because the muscle contractions of the uterus are impaired, the mother is less sensitive to oxytocin, the mother has reduced mitochondria numbers, and there are changes in progesterone signaling (“Pregnancy after 35: What are the risks?”). This increased risk of stillbirth causes an increased risk of FGR, which causes difficulty breathing, infections, and an increased risk of heart problems and blood vessel problems in the infant (“Fetal Growth Restriction”).
In-vitro fertilization (IVF) is a method that has been used to help with infertility in older women. Genetic testing is also another option that can help predict some of the chromosomal abnormalities of the infant before it is born. These two methods are ways in which some of the risks associated with advanced maternal age pregnancy are combatted.
It has become a cultural and social norm for women to conceive later in life. Many times, this causes women to become pregnant after the age of 35. I believe that having children after 35 comes with many risks; however, those risks should not be the reason that women do not get pregnant after 35 if they want to conceive. I would still consider conceiving after 35 despite the risks. The main reason that I would consider conceiving after 35 is to provide my children with more siblings. I grew up in a family with four other siblings and I think that siblings are important and vital to development in a family and for a person. I would like to provide my future children with siblings, and given the timing of my life, I may have to conceive after 35 in order to do so.
I think that society is continuing to have to face this issue as many women want to get higher levels of education and establish themselves in their careers before having children. I think that through the advancement of medicine though, scientists and researchers will be able to develop medications that can help reduce the risks posed from conceiving after 35.
Fetal Growth Restriction. (N.d.). Retrieved from https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=90&ContentID=P02462
Frequently asked questions about preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome. (2018, May 18). Retrieved from https://www.preeclampsia.org/health-information/faqs/
Lean, S.C., Derricott, H., Jones, R. L., and Heazell, A. E. P. (2017, October 17). Advanced maternal age and adverse pregnancy outcomes: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5645107/
Pregnancy after 35: What are the risks? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317861.php#12
Pregnancy after 35: What you need to know. (2017, August 5). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/in-depth/pregnancy/art-20045756
Pregnancy Over Age 30. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=pregnancy-over-age-30-90-P02481
Risks of Pregnancy over Age 30. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=90&ContentID=P02481