Prime
Is it possible to conceive at 40?
A pregnant woman. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
- Much as getting pregnant at 40 may carry some risks to both mother and baby, it is definitely possible to safely have a baby.
I am now 40 years old but would like to have a baby. Is this possible? Sarah
Dear Sarah,
As women reach their 30s, they experience a decline in fertility. Furthermore, complications during pregnancy are more common when women reach 35 years of age.
Age-related decline in infertility may be in part, due to a decrease in the number and health of the ovulated eggs. Also, the increasing presence of other medical and gynaecologic conditions such as endometriosis or fibroids may further interfere with conception and carrying a healthy baby to delivery.
Diseases such as diabetes or hypertension, which commonly surface at around your age may make it even more difficult to carry a pregnancy to term.
It is also true that at your age, there is an increased possibility of having a baby with abnormalities such as Down syndrome, which is not helped by the fact that you are likely to be married to man much older than you. Older men produce more gene mutations in the children they father, boosting their risk of schizophrenia and autism and possibly other diseases.
Much as getting pregnant at 40 may carry some risks to both mother and baby, it is definitely possible to safely have a baby, especially if you have ever been a mother.
Visit your gynaecologist for expert advice on how to easily get pregnant and deliver a healthy baby without having your own and baby’s life affected.
The gynaecologist may also help you understand the process of assisted pregnancy (IVF), in case you fail to get pregnant naturally.
