- Risks for the mother
- Signs to go to the doctor
- Risks for the baby
- How is prenatal care at age 40
- How is delivery at 40
Pregnancy after the age of 40 is always considered high risk even if the mother has no disease. In this age group, the probability of having abortions is much higher and women are more likely to have diseases that can complicate pregnancy, such as high blood pressure and diabetes.
Risks for the mother
The risks of becoming pregnant after the age of 40 for the mother are:
- Abortion; Higher chance of premature birth; Blood loss; Ectopic pregnancy; Premature placenta; Uterus rupture; Premature rupture of membranes; Hypertension in pregnancy; Hellp syndrome; Long-term labor.
Signs to go to the doctor
Thus, the warning signs that should not be ignored are:
- Loss of bright red blood through the vagina; Dark discharge even if in small amounts; Bleeding dark red or similar to the discharge; Pain in the foot of the belly, as if it were a colic.
If any of these signs or symptoms are present, the woman must go to the doctor so that she can be evaluated and to perform an ultrasound scan because this way the doctor can verify that everything is fine.
Although it is normal to have small discharge and cramps, especially in early pregnancy, these symptoms should be told to the obstetrician.
Risks for the baby
The risks for babies are more related to chromosomal malformations, which lead to the development of genetic diseases, especially Down syndrome. Babies can be born prematurely, increasing health risks after birth.
Women over 40, who wish to become pregnant, should seek a doctor for guidance and to carry out tests that confirm their physical conditions, thus ensuring a healthy pregnancy from start to finish.
How is prenatal care at age 40
Prenatal care is slightly different from women who become pregnant under the age of 35 because more regular consultations and more specific tests are needed. According to the need, the doctor can order tests such as more frequent ultrasounds, blood tests to identify toxoplasmosis or cytomegalovirus, HIV types 1 and 2, glucose test.
More specific tests to find out if the baby has Down syndrome are collection of chorionic villi, amniocentesis, cordocentesis, nuchal translucency, ultrasound that measures the length of the baby's neck and the Maternal Biochemical Profile.
How is delivery at 40
As long as the woman and the baby are healthy, there are no contraindications for normal childbirth and this is a possibility, especially if the woman has been a mother before and is pregnant with the second, third or fourth child. But if she has had a C-section before, the doctor may suggest that a new C-section be performed because the scar from the previous C-section can impair labor and increase the risk of uterine rupture during labor. Therefore, each case should be discussed personally with the obstetrician who will perform the delivery.
