Pregnancy After 35 And Risks To The Baby

There is definitely a tendency in people to exaggerate the risks that are associated with getting pregnant after the after 35 years of age. However, there are some factors which cannot and should not be ignored. Although it goes without saying that even in 30s, some women have extremely healthy pregnancies, yet there are always exceptions to the rule. What we are trying to say is that having a baby after 35 does come with its own risk and if you’ve read our earlier post on ‘risk to the mother’, we have come up with one that talks about possible risks to the baby.

1Risk of having a low birth weight baby

One of the common risks associated with having a baby after 35 years is the low birth weight of the baby. Maternal age plays a significant role in determining the birth weight of the baby. As you get older, you run more of a risk with the same. There have been ample studies that show that having a baby after 35 increases the chances of the baby not having an appropriate birth weight.

ALSO READ –Pregnancy After 35 – Is It Risky To Have A Baby After 35

2Premature delivery of the baby

Certain major complications run a high risk after 35, including premature birth. Older women are not only at increased risk of preterm labor but also of premature birth. When a baby is born prematurely, the prostaglandin E level stay at the same level, which may cause which may stop good flow of blood to the baby’s lungs to work properly.

3Pregnancy with multiples

Although there are a number of women who would love the thought of having multiple pregnancies, yet in certain cases such pregnancies cause more complications. According to a research, ‘if a woman aged 35 becomes pregnant and she has four pregnancies prior to the current one, she is three times more likely to conceive fraternal twins.’ Not only that you children run the risk of developing complications during birth as well.

4Chromosomal abnormalities

Chromosomal abnormalities show a very close relationship with maternal age according to the research conduct on the subject. The baby runs high risk of getting certain complications like Down’s syndrome. Not only that, women over 35 are at 30% more risk of their babies developing genetic disorders than women having babies in their 20s.

Passport to a Healthy Pregnancy (Revised and Updated)

Also, another important factor to be considered when we speak of chromosomal abnormalities is the age of the father as well. It has been found that a father with over 35 years of age make it more likely for hi baby to develop autism. Not only that, if there is a family history of autism, the risk is increased all the more.

ALSO READ – What Are The Causes of Autism And How Can You Avoid It

Having a baby is not an easy task and it certainly isn’t when maternal age comes to play. No doubt there is a high risk to both mother and the baby when it comes to pregnancy after 35, but one thing to be considered is that it is all worth it in the end.

We would love to know how your experience has been if you’ve delivered after 35 years of age. Let us know in the comments below and help our doubtful readers out there…