Bringing a child into the world is an extraordinary journey — and it’s also a deeply personal one.
The decision to start a family means striking a balance between career aspirations, financial stability, and personal relationships, so many women don’t consider pregnancy until later in life.
In fact, changing societal norms have led to a significant increase in the number of women who delay childbirth until their late 30s and even beyond. While there are numerous benefits to this trend, it's essential to understand the biological realities of conceiving at an older age.
Pregnancy after age 35 is considered high-risk, but why is this age threshold significant? Farly Sejour, MD, Natalie Gould, WHNP-BC, and our team at Solace Women's Care are here to answer your questions.
There’s no universal “right” time to have a baby, but the reality is that your body changes as you get older — and getting pregnant becomes more challenging with every passing decade.
Women are born with all of the eggs they’ll ever have, and both the quantity and quality of those eggs decline over time. Your body stops making as much estrogen and progesterone as it did in your 20s, and you experience a natural decrease in fertility beginning in your 30s.
As egg quality and female reproductive hormone levels decline, the risk of chromosomal abnormalities, like Down syndrome, increases. You’re also more likely to need fertility treatments, and your risk of miscarriage goes up.
Getting older can make it harder to conceive, and it also has an impact on what happens after conception. One of the biggest reasons why pregnancy after age 35 is considered high-risk is that you’re more likely to develop complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
Older mothers are at a higher risk of developing gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, and preeclampsia during pregnancy. These conditions can pose serious health risks to both you and your baby, and proactive care is essential to help protect your health.
When your baby is born, you may be more likely to need medical interventions during labor, like a cesarean section (C-section). These interventions come with their own risks and complications, depending on your health.
Finally, your risk of premature birth and low birth weight are also higher after age 35. Babies that are born early or weigh too little at birth are more likely to have health problems than full-term babies.
Despite these challenges, it's important to recognize that it’s possible to successfully conceive and give birth to healthy babies after the age of 35. In fact, about 19% of pregnant women in the United States are 35 or older — and that number is expected to go up in the coming years.
Advancements in prenatal care make it easier than ever to monitor mothers throughout their pregnancies, no matter their age. Proactive prenatal care helps minimize risks and promote optimal outcomes for mothers and their babies.
So if you’re thinking about getting pregnant after 35, there are steps you can take to maximize your chances of a healthy pregnancy, and now is a great time to start. Dr. Sejour and our team offer high-risk prenatal care, and we’re here to answer your questions.
We can help you understand your reproductive health and your fertility options. We may recommend implementing healthy habits, such as eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise, and avoiding harmful substances like tobacco and alcohol, to increase your chances of conception.
Once you’re pregnant, we develop a personalized care plan to manage your health. We can recommend additional testing and monitoring, depending on your needs and those of your growing baby.
Pregnancy after age 35 is considered high-risk — but it’s entirely possible to grow your family at 35 and beyond. Learn more with a preconception consultation at Solace Women’s Care in Conroe, Texas. Call us at 936-441-7100 or send us a message online to start your journey.
