Many women make the decision to wait until later in life to have children. In fact, the March of Dimes states that 1 out of 5 women have their first child after the age of thirty-five, and a good number of those women are over the age of forty. While there are advantages and disadvantages of getting pregnant at any age, women in their 40s do have special risks and biological factors to consider.
Getting Pregnant
The medical advisory board at BabyCenter.com states that the chance of conceiving naturally within a year of trying has an approximate range of 40 to 50 percent, for a forty year old women, but plummets to only 1 to 2 percent by the time they reach forty-three. Compared to the 75 percent chance that women in their 30s have, it is clear that older women have a disadvantage. Learning to monitor fertility signs, charting basal body temperature and timing intercourse to occur right before ovulation may help boost the chances of conception for women in their 40s. Those who can't conceive naturally after three months may want to seek the help of a fertility specialist or consider using a fertility interventions.
Benefits
Women over forty are typically more financially secure, better educated and may make wiser parenting decisions than younger women, explains the medical advisory board of BabyCenter.com. They go on to state that mothers who give birth in their 40s feel more inclined to breastfeed and make healthier nutritional choices as well. Older women also may feel that they have had adequate time to experience the world and live life and may be less likely to feel they are "missing out" on something by having children.
Risks
Women who become pregnant in their 40s have many potential risks. The March of Dimes states that woman under forty have a 10 to 20 percent risk of miscarriage. However, that numbers increases to 35 percent for women between the ages of forty to forty-four and jumps to more than 50 percent by the age of forty-five.
The risk of chromosomal birth defects also increases with age. While this risk is only one in 1,250 for a twenty-five year old mother, it increases to one in 100 by the age of forty, and continues to rise the older a woman gets, explains the March of Dimes
Other risks also increase with age. Gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, placental problems, premature birth, low birth weight babies and stillbirths become more common for pregnant women in their 40s than in younger pregnant women. The chance of having a cesarean delivery also increases.
Considerations
Older women face more risks associated with pregnancy, however, there are some things they can do to improve their chances of having a healthy pregnancy. Preconception checkups, regular prenatal care, taking 400 micrograms of folic acid every day, eating healthy foods and maintaining a healthy weight may help. In addition, women who become pregnant or are trying to get pregnant should avoid alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, changing kitty litter and eating undercooked meat and fish with high amounts of mercury.
Warning
Since pregnant women over 40 present a greater risk for pregnancy complications, they should become vigilant about monitoring themselves for signs potential problems. Unexplained vaginal bleeding, severe abdominal pain or tenderness, pelvic pressure, severe swelling, severe leg cramps, severe or persistent headaches, fainting, difficulty breathing, chest pains and decreased fetal movement all warrant an immediate phone call to a doctor. In addition, women dealing with depression or severe anxiety during pregnancy should seek the help of a mental health professional.
