Women Fashion & Style 2011-2012

How big are the chances to experience the joy of motherhood after 35 and what risks are fraught with late pregnancy for mother and baby? Back in the early 90′s xx years later pregnancies were the exception. Today, nearly a quarter of pregnant women make up over 35 years of age. Notable examples of late pregnancy, we are increasingly able to watch as among friends, acquaintances, and among celebrities: Madonna for the first time felt the joy of motherhood at age 38, and the second bore 40, pretty Julia Roberts became a mother of twins in 37 years, Kim Basinger gave birth at 40 , Geena Davis gave birth to twins at 48, and the famous model Cindy Crawford and Claudia Schiffer became mothers at 35 and 36 years. Reasons why more women and couples delaying childbearing much: someone wants to achieve professional success, someone is chasing the material safely, and someone just wants to live for yourself. But what would not be weighty reasons, the biological clock is ticking, and sooner or later the woman is delivered exclusively to the physiological problem: now or never. Despite the fact that over the past century, average life expectancy for women increased from 50 to 80 years, menopause has not been canceled and she, as before, the majority of women caught up in about 50 years of age. And even before the onset of menopause itself, many women have long-term phase of infertility.

Late pregnancy: Timing draw in

Although women over 35 have, as a rule, are in the dawn of the forces and excellent physical condition, after 30 the probability of fertilization is significantly reduced. This is due to the fact that the ovaries are exposed to age-aging, and the process of oocyte maturation after 35 operates less efficiently than in a younger age. In addition, with age, many women are more frequent cycles without ovulation, and the number of eggs in women is significantly reduced. So in the female embryo, there are two million eggs. At the time of birth in the body is a girl of about one million eggs. By the beginning of their first monthly amount is reduced to 400 thousand, and to 35 years in the arsenal of women is only 35 000 eggs. The older woman, the harder it is to consolidate the fertilized egg in the lining of the uterus and has less chance of a full hassle-free development. After 35 years, much more common chromosomal abnormalities that lead to the disruption of pregnancy, even before its identification, accompanied by more abundant menstruation. Up to 30 years of age the risk of miscarriage in the first trimester is 10%, after 40 ends in miscarriage, almost every third pregnancy, and after 45 every second.

According to numerous scientific research has the greatest chances of getting pregnant woman in 24 years of age. During this period the woman’s body optimally prepared and predisposed to fertilization. Because women in the ideal child-bearing age from 20 to 25 years the probability of fertilization during one cycle is about 30%, and after 35 years chance of becoming pregnant is only 10%. Of course, these data are the average statistical and may differ significantly from the capabilities of the organism specifically taken by women.

Pros and cons of late pregnancy

Traditionally, women bear and give birth to children after age 35 are at risk, but from personal experience, many obstetrician-gynecologists believe this is an exaggeration. Statistical data indicate that early prenatal advisory support and monitor the status of the pregnant woman and the fetus can minimize risk and provides a mature woman the same chance of having a healthy baby as a young woman in childbirth. Sure, there are a number of risk factors in late pregnancy, which require special attention from both the physician and by the woman, but they can be resolved by early detection.

Nausea, malaise, dizziness, back pain and other problems in late pregnancy do not occur more frequently than younger mothers.

The risk of preeclampsia, toxemia of the second half of pregnancy significantly increased after 35 years. At the age of 20 to 30 years in every ten pregnant needs medical attention because of preeclampsia, whereas in late pregnancy medical help is needed every seventh woman.

At late pregnancy significantly more common in diabetes and pregnancy fibroids (observed in 20% of women older than 35 years) – benign tumors in the uterus during pregnancy, which begin to grow rapidly, complicating the flow of nutrients to the fetus, often forcing him to take an adverse position for birth.

But despite all the risks in late pregnancy has its advantages. The main advantage is the psychological readiness, conscientious attitude to women and their state of conscious desire to feel the joy of motherhood. Consciousness of the future mother is very important. That it makes a woman more attentive to her, listen to the changes in the body and promptly seek medical advice and assistance, which in turn helps to detect and minimize possible risks. Mature pregnant women are more calm and balanced, they are usually held professionally, advance to abandon bad habits, watch your diet, play sports, avoid stress and, most importantly, know exactly what they wanted: a child.

Prenatal diagnosis in late pregnancy

At late pregnancy significantly increases the risk of having a baby with chromosomal abnormalities that result in excessive or toddler receives an insufficient number of hereditary information. One of the most common violations, the probability of which increases with maternal age is Down syndrome or trisomy 21 – a pathology which resulted in 21 pair of chromosomes appears superfluous third chromosome.

Prenatal diagnosis allows to identify the majority of chromosomal abnormalities and abnormalities of the fetus in early pregnancy, giving prospective parents the ability to save or termination of pregnancy in case of serious violations in the development of the fetus. It should be noted that the issue should not always be radically: the preservation or termination of pregnancy, there are a number of serious pathologies at early detection can be eliminated as a result of fetal surgery, or surgery immediately after birth, resulting in a child can save not only lives, and health. In the diagnosis of pregnancy and medical consultation, accompanied by doctors to tell prospective parents about the possibility of prenatal diagnosis, but a decision on the passage of prenatal diagnosis is not mandatory and the last word is always a future mother or a married couple. Methods of prenatal diagnosis can be divided into two major groups:

Invasive or direct methods involve a violation of the integrity of tissues and involve direct examination of the fetus: amniocentesis, cordocentesis, chorionic villus sampling.

Non-invasive or indirect methods do not violate the integrity of tissues and involve a survey of pregnant women: ultrasound diagnosis, screening, maternal serum, sorting of fetal cells.

Births: Cesarean section or natural childbirth?

At the first birth at age 35 and over, the number of caesarean sections in twice as much as young women in childbirth. From a medical point of view it is not always justified and absolutely necessary. In older women as strong contractions, and the opening phase of the uterine throat lasts as much as in younger. Such troubles as malposition and placental abruption also occur no more frequently than usual, most doctors just want to be safe, to minimize the risk for both mother and baby, because understand that in case of failure of one more chance to have a woman may not be.

As a rule, late mothers suffer natural childbirth as well as young. But many obstetricians even argue that older women are much better and safer transfer debilitating pain and cramping. That is, if the pregnancy is uncomplicated and there are no obvious concerns and warnings about the health of mother and child, a woman may very well give birth naturally.

Of course, late pregnancy is a serious step, which is ready to venture far from each woman and the couple, but when nature gives us one last chance to feel the happiness and usefulness of the joy of motherhood is probably a sin to refuse.