Is 40 the new 30 when it comes to childbearing?

A few weeks ago, 50-year-old Janet Jackson stole the spotlight when she announced the birth of her son. Fans heaped praises on her for her courage in light of the complications associated with pregnancy in older women. But incidents like these haven’t been uncommon in recent times. In fact, many women like Jackson have defied the odds to give birth well past the age when medical professionals have said women should not.

Their reasons range from using their prime childbearing years to focus on their careers, lack of stability in their youth, or an inability to find a partner. Fully aware that they will delay pregnancy until after age 40, many choose procedures like freezing their eggs for when they will need them.

“If we should look at Beyoncé’s recent announcement, that at 35 she is pregnant with twins, or move closer to home to look at Olympian and Member of Parliament Juliet Cuthbert, who at age 51 gave birth to a healthy baby girl, then we would realise that many women are becoming pregnant for various professional and personal reasons beyond the advanced maternal age, which is 35 years and older,” said Dr Keisha Buchanan, obstetrician-gynaecologist at ICON Medical Centre, Musgrave Professional Suites.

Agreeing that 40 may very well be the new 30 in view of these incidents, Dr Buchanan also warned that it is important for women to understand the risks.

“Childbearing beyond age 35 comes at a risk of decreased fertility due to various factors. As women get older there is an increase in the risk of gynaecological conditions such as uterine fibroids, endometriosis, and an increase in the chance of being exposed to STDs, such as chlamydia, that may have caused injury to the Fallopian tubes that could significantly impact conception,” Dr Buchanan pointed out.

In addition, she noted that older women also have to contend with age-related conditions that could affect them and their babies.

“Some age-related conditions which may make pregnancy more complicated include higher incidence of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes. Additionally, there is the risk of Down’s Syndrome among children of older women as well as other associated birth defects.”

Notwithstanding these drawbacks, Dr Buchanan pointed out that most women 40 years and over can get pregnant naturally, and for those who are unable to, technology has offered a few alternative methods.

“When there are difficulties in getting a woman of 40 and over pregnant, there are advanced fertility treatments available. Certainly the chances of getting a woman of 40 and over pregnant are significantly greater today than compared to 10 or 20 years ago. This is due to the advent of and improvements in in-vitro fertilisation and intrauterine insemination,” Dr Buchanan said.

She added that with these procedures a woman’s chance of achieving pregnancy at 40 years or older is almost similar to women under 35 years old. In addition, Dr Buchanan noted that technologies now allow for diagnosis of genetic conditions (birth defects), and selective implantation is available to help women choose the healthiest embryos, thereby reducing the possibility of them carrying babies with multiple defects.

Other significant factors which make it much easier to achieve pregnancy at age 40 and over are the medicinal and technological developments and upgrades which the pre and postnatal units around the world have invested in.

“Prenatal care is more advanced now than 10-20 years ago, and neonatal (newborn baby) care is also more advanced, and these will improve the prospects of a good pregnancy outcome for the woman of 40 and over who chooses to get pregnant,” Dr Buchanan said.

Dr Buchanan advised that with advances in health care and women adopting healthier lifestyles, maintaining healthy body weights, having good nutrition, exercising and keeping a positive healthy mental status, these play an important role in maintaining gynaecological health, increasing the prospects of pregnancy, and maintaining a healthy pregnancy. Pre-pregnancy health is also important to maintaining a healthy pregnancy.

She warned, however, that women both within the childbearing age as well as those who have long left their peak should consult a gynaecologist so that special tests may be done before they try to conceive.