PREGNANCY IN OLDER WOMAN

PREGNANCY IN OLDER WOMAN

With career taking
first place in many a
woman’s priorities
when she is in her
20s, she is often 30
or more by the time
she begins to
seriously consider
motherhood. But is
it too late by then?
More and more women than ever before are tying the nuptial knot in their late 20s and 30s. This is a consequence of a variety of circumstances. Amongst them what is predominant is that an increasing number of women are seeking careers and financial independence. As a result, pregnancy is deferred until they are well into their 30s.
Women in the third decade of their lives may find it more difficult to conceive than their younger sisters do. Statistically, the fertility of women is at its maximum around 23 years of age. The capacity to conceive gradually declines after this age.
Many women are somewhat fearful and apprehensive to conceive at a later age, although they wish to become mothers. Their fears are further compounded by unscientific information from friends and relatives.
Although, there is no denying the fact that there are some problems
Associated with pregnancy in the third and fourth decades- of life, medical advances in recent years have made safe motherhood a reality for these women.
One of the common abnormalities in such children is mongolism or Down’s syndrome. This is due to a defect in the chromosome make-up of the fertilised egg. The child may be abnormal physically or mentally. The Mongol child remains infantile throughout its life.
However, it is now possible to detect this disorder long before the child is born so that such pregnancies can be aborted. 2 tests can be performed. One of these is the Chorionic Villus Sampling test which can be done as early as when the woman is 2 months pregnant.
The other is Amniocentesis. This is usually done around the fourth month of pregnancy. In this procedure a little ‘fluid (amniotic fluid) is sucked out with a needle from inside the uterus under the guidance of an ultrasound scan. The procedure is virtually painless.
The materials obtained by these procedures are then sent to the laboratory for chromosome analysis. The result is obtained in 2-3 weeks’ time.
The older woman is more vulnerable to miscarriages. One of the rea¬sons for this is that many of them harbor a tumor, called a fibroid, in the uterus. High blood pressure and diabetes can be unmasked for the first time in these women as a result of the stress of pregnancy and the natural process of ageing. The incidence of bleeding after the seventh month of pregnancy is also increased.
These women need careful surveillance throughout their pregnancies by experts. Many of these complications can be avoided or dealt with successfully, should they occur. Expert super¬vision, regular prenatal check-up and strict adherence to the doctors advice go a long way towards ensuring an uneventful pregnancy