BI215-A: Principles of Genetics

It is well documented that choosing to have a child later in life is associated with risks that are not as common for younger mothers. Women who are of advanced maternal age are likely to experience a decline in fertility as well as an increase in both miscarriages and stillbirths. These pregnancies are risky for the child too. Other research also identifies that women of advanced maternal age are at a greater risk of gestational diabetes, placenta previa (when the placenta is situated low in the uterus and rests on the cervix), breech positioning of the baby, stroke, and heart attack. The risks of pregnancy do not end at birth for older women; there are lasting effects that can have consequences in the future. All of these risks can be attributed to physiological and cellular changes that occur as women age. An article in The Journal of Physiology found evidence that suggests a mother's age influences the structure of the uterus, which will affect the ease and outcome of the pregnancy for mother and child. The babies of AMA pregnancies are at a higher risk of low birth weight and preterm birth, but these complications are not strictly related to the mother's age. They can be linked to individual circumstances and behaviors that are more common for older adults. 

AMA pregnancies can be linked to DNA mutations and chromosomal abnormalities. Genetic abnormalities associated with altered chromosomal numbers, like Down syndrome, rise from 1 in 1,064 at the age of 25 to 1 in 240 at the age of 35. Other genetic complications include single-gene disorders in which a change in one gene can result in disorders like sickle cell anemia or Tay-Sachs disease. Multifactorial/complex disorders are likely to arise in AMA pregnancies because older adults are more likely to have been exposed to a wide variety of environmental factors that can result in defects like cleft palate and spina bifida. 

Modern advancements in the realm of genetic screening include carrier screening and Prenatal Chromosome Analysis (Karyotype). Carrier Screening is a limited blood test that tries to determine if the parents are carriers of a genetic change that can be inherited. Karyotyping is a diagnostic test performed on cells obtained through amniocentesis. It can provide info on extra or missing chromosomes that can result in anomalies.   

I think the advancements of modern medical technology have made reproduction later in life safer for both mother and child which leads me to believe I would consider it for myself. Our society is facing this issue more often due to the fact that our lifespans are lengthening because of medical advancements and women are choosing to delay pregnancy because of societal change. Women are now seen as more than child-bearers and have a more productive role in society.