Will younger lover guarantee a healthy baby?
Dear Dr Mitchell,
I am 37 years old with one child. I am now in a relationship with a much younger man – 25. I want to have another child, but understand my age constraints. Will my younger lover obliterate all the concerns about having a baby when a women is older? I want a healthy baby. Will I be assured of a healthy baby with this younger man?
The younger age of your spouse does not guarantee that you will have a normal baby. A foetus is conceived from both partners and the problems of advanced maternal age are not eliminated by choosing a younger partner. A 37-year-old is still considered young even though medical complications in pregnancy tend to occur with increasing frequency as you age beyond 35 years. The significant problems include an increased risk for developing diabetes mellitus, hypertension and pre-eclampsia, increased risk of a miscarriage, increased likelihood of a chromosomal abnormality in the foetus, premature labour, and an increased risk of having an operative delivery (Caesarian section). As a woman gets older — beyond 35 years old and significantly so beyond 40 years — there is a reduction in the number of healthy eggs within the ovaries and fertility starts to decline because of a fall-off in your ovulation frequency. The egg quality also deteriorates significantly so the risk of a birth defect increases. Having a baby with a younger man does not reduce the risk since the quality of the egg remains the same and the presence of a younger semen source does not change anything.
You should definitely try to conceive before 40 years of age to reduce some of the complications of advanced maternal age. It is still quite possible to have a healthy baby above 40 years old, and there are tests widely available that can be done to determine if the foetus has a chromosomal abnormality such as Down’s syndrome. A detailed ultrasound done at 18 to 20 weeks gestation can also help to detect structural abnormalities in the foetus.
You should take folic acid daily to reduce the effects of defects in the brain and spinal cord of the foetus. A healthy lifestyle with appropriate diet and exercise to achieve your ideal weight for height before pregnancy will help to reduce your risk of diabetes mellitus and hypertension during the pregnancy. Consulting your doctor early in pregnancy with appropriate screening tests done and regular antenatal care will also help to reduce your risk of complications.
Dr Sharmaine Mitchell is an obstetrician and gynaecologist. Send questions via e-mail to allwoman@jamaicaobserver.com; write to All Woman, 40-42 1/2 Beechwood Ave, Kingston 5; or fax to 968-2025. All responses are published. Dr Mitchell cannot provide personal responses.
DISCLAIMER
The contents of this article are for informational purposes only and must not be relied upon as an alternative to medical advice or treatment from your own doctor.
