Currently studies show that couples are waiting to have children later in life instead of having babies in their 20s, they are waiting until their 30s. Some reasons for this shift is due to a change in social and economic standards. People are staying in school longer, working more, lack of childcare, low benefit levels and much more. But with this waiting, comes increased medical risks for both the mother and the child.
As we age, both sexes become more infertile. Women are born with all of the eggs they will ever have and their likelihood of getting pregnant decreases as their egg quantity is reduced. Men also suffer from infertility in age due to declining sperm counts, all making it more difficult for women to get pregnant. Women who conceive a child after the age of 35 can suffer from high blood pressure, gestational diabetes, more difficult labor and an increased risk of a miscarriage. As a woman ages, they also lose toning of the pubic muscles, making the act of childbirth more difficult and complicated. This could injure the baby and the mother.
There are also genetic risks to the child for a mother over the age of 35. The chance of having a child with Down syndrome increases over time. While the rate of an embryo having Down syndrome at the 10-week mark of pregnancy is 1 in 1,064 at age 25, this rises to 1 in 686 at age 30 and 1 in 240 by the age of 35 years. At the age of 40, the Down syndrome rate increases still to 1 in 53, and down to 1 in 19 embryos at age 45. Klinefelter syndrome, in which a male is born with an additional X chromosome can also occur from Advance maternal age. Boys with Klinefelter syndrome show reduced muscle mass, reduced testosterone production, and reduced body and facial hair. Similar to Klinefelter’s, if an individual is born and lacks an X chromosome, they will have Turner syndrome which includes infertility and below average height.
To combat the likelihood of these genetic diseases, an amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling procedure can be used to have early detection of them. A chorionic villus sampling procedure or CVS tests a sample of tissue from the placenta in the first trimester and an amniocentesis test takes a sample of amniotic fluid taken from the womb in the second trimester. These tests are used to detect if the genetic disorder is present in the baby. So that if they are present, they can already prepare the care of the baby and pre-natal care to maximize the chances of survival of the infant.
I do not have a problem with pregnancy over the age of 35 as long as there are no major genetic complications that run in the family and increase the likelihood of a genetic complication. I think society is definitely facing this issue now more than ever with people especially women staying in school longer and getting higher levels of education. People are starting to really map out their lives and get settled before even considering having a child.
Genetic disorders of the fetus. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://women.texaschildrens.org/program/high-risk-pregnancy-care/conditions/genetic-disorders
Klinefelter syndrome. (2019, September 21). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/klinefelter-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20353949
Nichols, H. (2017, June 9). Pregnancy after 35: What are the risks? Retrieved February 15, 2020, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317861
Risks of Pregnancy Over Age 30. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2020, from https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=90&contentid=P02481
Turner syndrome. (2017, November 18). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/turner-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20360782