Some women view pregnancy as the crowning glory to their womanhood. This is one of the many reasons to be pregnant, even if it is at the advanced age of 40 or 50. Other reasons include the yearning to nurture another human being and the longing to plant one’s roots and watch them grow into fruition. But due to social developments as well as economic factors, many women choose to establish a career, or at least a stable job first, before taking that plunge into motherhood. This has led to the trend of advanced age pregnancies.
When a woman is at the prime of her youth, some medical expert may claim this is within the ages of 20 to 35, the natural ways to get pregnant are usually sufficient to get the job done. These are the ages when women have undergone complete physical development and are ripe for pregnancy, so to speak. The roles of the doctor and fertility clinics are at a minimum since most women within this age range have no fertility problems. Couple this with a healthy sex drive and pregnancy can be achieved in a heartbeat.
But how to get pregnant at 40 is a question that may require some medical intervention to achieve an affirmative result. Getting pregnant at 50 used to be an unheard of possibility. With menopause creeping in, there is usually that subsequent deterioration on the quality of a woman’s eggs. Menopause also has that additional drawback of a deteriorating appetite for sex which further discourages the chances of pregnancy.
But thanks to the intervention of medicine and technology, women in the advanced ages of 40 and 50 can still experience pregnancy. We cannot also discount the role of younger women who donate their egg cells to be implanted in the embryos of older women. This process known as in-vitro fertilization is a God send for the problem of infertility and where other forms of reproductive technology have failed.
Nevertheless, precautions are necessary and the disadvantages of advanced age pregnancies cannot be ignored. Women in their advanced age need to be given adequate hormones to make sure that their uterus is an adequate haven for a growing fetus. This requires a level of care not necessary for younger women. Studies have also shown the increased chances of developing gestational diabetes and hypertension. There are also studies on the increased chances of a miscarriage and the need for a caesarian delivery. With regard to the quality of the fetus, studies have shown a higher risk for low birth weight, premature birth and fetal mortality.
On a less serious note, there is still that generally accepted norm that women above 35 should no longer be having children. While this norm has been relaxed in some societies, it has not been totally abandoned. While some people have adapted to modernization, there are still others who cling to conservative standards.
In conclusion, while the barriers to pregnancy have been pushed back and this trend may continue with future scientific discoveries, advanced age pregnancies should be treated with a higher degree of diligence than an ordinary pregnancy.
A.M. Llovit 