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Fertility – Is it Wise to Get Pregnant Past 40?

Pregnancy over 40 is not uncommon. After all, more and more women today are holding off on having children while they accomplish other life goals. Even centuries ago, it was a natural thing for a woman to do.

Of course, you probably already know that there are more risks and threats than younger women have but they can be lessened if you take good care of yourself. Know that every pregnancy is a risk—no matter how young or old the mother is—and, as an older woman, your risks are just a tad higher but still preventable.

If you’re over 40, getting pregnant usually becomes more difficult. If you want to get pregnant, you have no time to wait. You should begin having vaginal intercourse a few times a week. You may also want to contemplate trying various fertility ‘boosting’ techniques, like herbal medicine or other remedies. This world gives you plenty of things to choose from and your main task is to explore and decide what fits you best. If you are already physically active, consider adding yoga or relaxation techniques to your daily routine. Think about dietary supplements which might help. Go to your doctor or find a fertility specialist; either one is a must. Let them know that you are planning to have a baby and then listen to suggestions that doctor can make.

As you age, your ovaries do as well. Their function starts to decline so there are fewer eggs available to be fertilized and they might have some mutations, so they can increase the risk for genetic or chromosomal issues in the baby. Long story short, this means that when you are above 40, you have fewer chances to get pregnant and more chances for complications and miscarriage. But with regular medical checkups and tests prescribed by your obstetrician, you can ward off almost anything that might happen and also prevent potential complications.

If you are older than 40 and pregnant, you should take it easy—especially in the beginning of your pregnancy. Given your age, the doctor will advise you get an amniocentesis (where a sample of amniotic fluid is taken) and/or chorionic villus sampling (CVS which tests a sample of your placental tissue) to rule out any chromosomal abnormalities of your baby. There are also plenty of blood tests, which are less invasive, and which also aid in determining the health of you and your baby. Ultrasound checkups help as well. If everything is fine with your pregnancy, you can choose the way you want to bring your baby into this world too but statistics have shown that many women above 40 have their babies by caesarean or C-section.

Becoming a parent later in life has both its good and bad sides, and you probably listed them before you started to plan your pregnancy. Be aware that it can take much more effort at your age to conceive but if you are absolutely sure that you want it, there are lots of options available to help you go through the process of becoming pregnant and giving birth to a strong baby.

What is endometriosis? What about PCOS? If you want to learn more about the conditions that affect fertility and conception and the necessary fertility tests for women, please visit WaysToConceiveABaby.com.