Pregnancies in later life; how difficult are they?

In the past, it was common to see young women in their twenties who already had children. Today, by contrast, it is increasingly common to see women becoming mothers in their thirties and even nearing their forties, as the new generation of women tend to marry later and want more stability in their lives. Children born from older mothers mostly have pregnancies that proceed normally, but these pregnancies in later life also carry greater risks of genetic disorders. Advanced maternal age pregnancy is not necessarily a bad thing, but there are certain aspects that require greater attention.

The fact that a woman is pregnant at an older age itself causes increased risks to both the mother and child. For mothers, there is a greater chance of high blood pressure and diabetes during pregnancy than there is in younger women. In fact, women over the age of 35 are twice as likely to have high blood pressure and diabetes during pregnancy when compared with women at age 20.

As for the babies, there is a greater risk of Down syndrome due to its correlation with age. Therefore, the older a mother is, the greater the risk of Down syndrome. Statistics show that one of every 1,250 children is affected by Down syndrome among mothers at age 25. For mothers of 40, on the other hand, 1 in every 106 children are affected, which truly is an astonishing figure.

Women giving birth at age 35 or later should undergo a screening for Down syndrome. The screening can be done in the form of a blood test 10 weeks or more into their pregnancy, or by checking the amniotic fluid at approximately 15 to 18 weeks into the pregnancy. These tests can determine whether a child is showing symptoms of Down syndrome or any other abnormalities in their chromosomes. If it is determined that the child does have symptoms of Down syndrome, the mother can choose to terminate the pregnancy.

In addition to the increased risk of Down syndrome, there are other genetic diseases to look out for in later life pregnancies, like thalassemia, which parents can pass down to their children. This is a risk that should not be overlooked. According to statistics, one in three Thai people have latent thalassemia. If a person with latent thalassemia marries another person who also has latent thalassemia, there would be a 25% chance that their child would have the disease, a 50% chance that the child would be a carrier, and a 25% chance that they would be normal. Therefore, premarital health checks are important in helping future parents to plan and overcome these and other obstacles.

New couples about to marry are likely to be so distracted thinking about every aspect of their wedding, such as gifts, locations, clothes and appearances, that they both overlook the matter of health checks. They may even think that such checks aren’t necessary. In fact, premarital health checks are important and should not be overlooked, as many latent and carried diseases could lie within our bodies. Health checks are a way to examine the readiness and health of our bodies, in order to protect against communicable diseases from our partners, and prevent them from spreading to our children. These pre-checks are especially important because some parents may be a disease carrier without ever knowing.

Premarital health checks are not as much trouble as you may think. Most of the time they involve both male and female partners having a blood test and a general doctor’s examination. The female partner would also undergo a pelvic examination to check for cervical cancer, and an ultrasound of the lower abdominal cavity to assess the uterus and fallopian tubes, as the doctor determines necessary.

“Advanced maternal age pregnancies may indeed have several risks. However, with good planning and the necessary preparation to ensure the mother’s health, a quality pregnancy can be achieved, no matter when in life the pregnancy takes place.”