What to do/not to do when trying to get pregnant after 35
INCREASINGLY, more women committed to academic and career pursuits delay pregnancy until their late 30s and early 40s. But conceiving when you are over 35, according to general practioner Dr Srikanth Jaganmohan, is often riddled with many challenges.
“Becoming pregnant after age 35 can present a challenge, especially if it’s your first pregnancy,” the doctor said
He pointed out that these pregnancies are characterised as high-risk because of the changes that would have occurred in the woman’s body.
“Fertility in a women starts to decrease at age 32 years and becomes more rapid after age 37,” Dr Jaganmohan said
He said that this is associated with the fact that women become less fertile as they age because they begin life with a fixed number of eggs in their ovaries and the numbers decrease as they grow older. This is coupled with the fact that eggs are not as easily fertilised in older females as they are in younger women.
He also pointed out that health issues such as endometriosis and uterine fibroids are more common with increasing age as well, and pre-existing conditions such as high blood pressure could be exacerbated. Also, there’s risk of developing high blood pressure and related disorders for the first time during pregnancy.
Women who are hoping to conceive after age 35 will have to make several lifestyle changes in order to increase the chance of conception and a healthy pregnancy.
What to do
1. See your health care provider for a pre-conception care check-up and ensure that you follow through with this.
2. Eat a healthy diet.
3. Take 400mcg of folic acid daily for at least one month before pregnancy and during the pregnancy.
4. Exercise regularly.
5. Lose weight if you are overweight or obese.
6. Wash all vegetables and fruits to eliminate harmful bacteria and chemicals.
7. Limit your caffeine intake.
8. As best as you can, keep away from stressful events because good physical, mental and emotional health is important.
9. Understand your ovulation cycle so that you can track and predict your most fertile days.
10. Eat liver in moderation because its high levels of vitamin A could affect the baby if you should conceive.
If you are not pregnant within six months, visit your doctor so that you can do fertility tests and explore other ways of increasing your chances of becoming pregnant.
What to avoid
1. Stop smoking or staying around other people who are smoking.
2. Refrain from drinking alcohol.
3. Do not use illicit drugs
4. Avoid products containing unpasteurized milk, including soft cheese.
5. Do not take over-the-counter medication without consulting your doctor.
6. Don’t lift heavy objects.
7. Exercise is good but don’t engage in rigorous and strenuous exercise.
8. Do not stress about conceiving.
