In primarily first world countries there has been an increased rate of Advanced maternal age (AMA). AMA is simply a woman having an older reproduction system and conceiving a child. As women age the risks increase; however, it becomes extremely risky for women and the baby after the age of 35. Medical risks for women conceiving 35 and older include: increased chances of a miscarriage, preeclampsia, twins, birth defects, gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, and difficulty in labor (“Risks of Pregnancy Over Age 30”, “Pregnancy after 35: What you need to know”). Women are born with a set number of eggs; therefore, when a woman is in her older reproductive years her eggs lack good quality and there are far less making it harder to conceive. AMA patients have an increased risk of twins, because during ovulation a multitude of eggs are released (Having a Baby After Age 35: How Aging Affects Fertility and Pregnancy). AMA patients usually have difficulty in labor because as they age women lose muscle tone in their pubic areas (Aging changes in the female reproductive system). A result of aging is high blood pressure (hypertension), so a patient with AMA is more prone to be diagnosed with preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a pregnancy complication, which can result in damage to one’s organs, specifically the kidneys and liver (Mayo Clinic, 2018).
Increased medical risks for the infant include an increased chance of genetic complications. The most seen genetic complication seen in infants of AMA patients are children diagnosed with Down Syndrome. Down Syndrome is the result of someone having an extra chromosome, which leads to physical features and developmental challenges (Facts about Down Syndrome). The increased risk of a baby having Down Syndrome for different maternal ages are: 1 in 940 at 30 years, 1 in 353 at age 35 years, 1 in 85 at age 40 years, 1 in 35 at age 45 years. Another genetic complication found in infants whose mothers are AMA patients is Klinefelter Syndrome. Klinefelter Syndrome is found in boys with an extra copy in an X chromosome, their genetic makeup is XXY. It can result in weak muscles, slow motor development, and lower production of testosterone (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2019). A similar genetic complication is Turner Syndrome which is found in woman. Woman with Turner Syndrome is when one of the X chromosomes is missing or partially missing. Woman with Turner Syndrome have slowed growth, cardiac defects, etc (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2017).
Currently there are various advancements in medicine and technology created to help with AMA. With In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), sperm is combined with a woman’s eggs in a laboratory. “If the sperm fertilizes the eggs, embryos may grow. Embryos can be frozen and used many years later. When you are ready, an embryo can be transferred to your uterus to try to achieve a pregnancy. “In a procedure called oocyte cryopreservation— “freezing your eggs”—several eggs are removed from the ovaries. The unfertilized eggs are then frozen for later use in IVF. “Prenatal screening tests assess the risk that a baby will be born with a specific birth defect or genetic disorder.” Prenatal diagnostic tests can detect if a fetus has a specific birth defect or genetic disorder, like Down Syndrome (Having a Baby After Age 35: How Aging Affects Fertility and Pregnancy).
AMA has become an increased issue in first world countries due to the advancement of modern medicine and the increased ability for women to pursue a college education. Therefore, women have been focusing on establishing their professional careers, thus pushing back the average age for woman to start a family. After taking Psychology 101 with Dr. Jessica Allen, she warned everyone in my class about AMA, and to start investing in future fertility treatments, because of this issue so I have slowly started saving. AMA is a subject that has directly impacted my family. My 7-year-old sister Camille was conceived by my mother when she was 40, and Camille is perfectly healthy. However, my mother conceived a baby when she was 42, the baby was diagnosed with down syndrome and the pregnancy resulted in a still birth. I understand first- hand what it is like to go through the hardships of AMA, and I would like to avoid the medical risks my mother and unborn sister had to endeavor. However, I like many other women, have made it a priority to establish a personal career and have enough resources to raise a family, which may prevent me from having a baby until I’m older.
Aging changes in the female reproductive system: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. (2020, February). Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/004016.htm
Facts about Down Syndrome. (2019, December 5). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/downsyndrome.html
Fetal Growth Restriction. (N.d.). Retrieved from https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?ContentTypeID=90&ContentID=P02462
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2019, September 21). Klinefelter syndrome. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/klinefelter-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20353949
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2017, August 5). Pregnancy after 35: Healthy moms, healthy babies. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/getting-pregnant/in-depth/pregnancy/art-20045756
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2018, November 16). Preeclampsia. Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/preeclampsia/symptoms-causes/syc-20355745?page=0&citems=10
Turner syndrome. (2017, November 18). Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/turner-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20360782
Women's Health Care Physicians. (2018, July). Retrieved from https://www.acog.org/Patients/FAQs/Having-a-Baby-After-Age-35-How-Aging-Affects-Fertility-and-Pregnancy?IsMobileSet=false#risks