Having a baby is an exciting time. However, once you reach the age of 35 your pregnancy is labelled as a ‘geriatric pregnancy’, a term that feels rather negative for most women.
Thankfully, it’s a term that’s fairly outdated and many medical teams prefer the term ‘advanced maternal age’ today. Although it still makes women feel far older than they really are.
We’re joined by Kate Sheppard, who wrote this article to help reduce some of the stigma associated with pregnancy over the age of 35. She will discuss pregnancy in your mid-30s and beyond: the risks and benefits as well as stigmas, empowering you to have a confident pregnancy whatever your age.
What Age is a Geriatric Pregnancy?
Geriatric pregnancy is when a woman is 35 years old or older. Which really isn’t very old at all. Many women in their mid-30s and beyond successfully conceive and have healthy pregnancies.
Why are Women Having Babies Later?
If you’re wondering why age-related pregnancy stigmas exist, it’s because women are increasingly having babies later than they did just a few decades ago. And there are many reasons for this, including:
- More effective contraceptive methods
- Specific career goals
- Desires to be more financially secure
- Unaffordable childcare
- Financial restrictions due to the rising cost of living
- Disadvantageous workplace policies
- Finding a partner and marrying later
- Fertility issues and treatments
- Religious or cultural beliefs
While pregnancy in a woman’s mid-to-late 30s or 40s carries a fair amount of social stigma, for many women it is a careful choice that helps them feel fully prepared emotionally, financially, and physically to be the best mum they can be.
Potential Benefits of Having a Baby After 35
While there are pros and cons to having a baby after 35, you might be surprised by the number of benefits. Depending on your situation and your reasons for having a baby later on, you could potentially enjoy the following benefits:
More Financial Stability
The older you are, the more financially secure you are likely to be. Parents Magazine says, “If you have extra childless years, you’re more likely to finish up your degree and put time into developing your professional career. So, it makes sense that you’re more likely to earn a higher salary than a younger parent who had a child before establishing their career.”
Opportunity to Progress in Your Education and Career
Whether we want to admit it or not, having a baby and a career can be difficult. Even if a woman has a baby and returns to work, it can be harder to progress professionally in the ways she was prior to having children.
Mothers who wait until they’re a little older to have children are given more opportunities to freely progress in their educational and career goals. This leads to a higher feeling of fulfilment, helping women feel happier in themselves before becoming mothers.
Better Prepared Emotionally
Maturity tends to come with age. If you think back to being a teenager you probably cringe at some of the things you did or said. As you’ve grown older, you’ve lived through many of life’s ups and downs and you’ve gained a lot of experience, hopefully growing wiser in the process. This makes you far more emotionally prepared to raise a child.
If you are currently pregnant and you don’t feel emotionally prepared, don’t worry – you’re not alone. There is plenty of support available, from parenting support classes to walk and talks that provide a safe space to share your concerns and receive emotional support during this time.
Physically Healthier
Being that little bit older than you were in your twenties, you’ve had more time to nourish and look after your body in preparation for pregnancy.
Whether taking yoga classes, running, swimming, lifting weights, or doing pilates, many women enjoy the benefits of taking care of themselves and this carries over into motherhood, helping to support post-pregnancy wellness and faster healing after birth.
More Settled Situationally
Having a baby later in life means you tend to be more settled. You might own a house, have lived in the same place for many years, or be permanently settled in a particular location.
This situational stability is extremely important and beneficial for children as they grow, providing a strong foundation they can rely on as they face challenges, particularly during their developmental years.
Successful Children
Children of geriatric mothers, because of the reasons above and many more, tend to be more well-adjusted. As a result, they tend to stay in education longer, going on to college, and getting great results in tests.
This is because the emotional and financial stability of their parents has provided a reliable foundation from which they can grow and develop confidently, leading to much success later in life.
Potential Risks of Having a Baby After 35
Many women having a baby after 35 worry about the potential risks of pregnancy at this age. It’s important to note that if you are worried about your pregnancy or if you have any concerns, it’s best to speak to your doctor or midwife. They will provide support that’s right for you.
However, as a general overview, what follows are some of the potential risks of having a baby after 35.
Gestational Diabetes
Mothers having a geriatric pregnancy are more likely to be affected by gestational diabetes. Most women with gestational diabetes can manage their symptoms. The key, of course, is prevention. You must be careful to control your blood sugar levels, eat nutritious meals, and prioritise low-impact exercise.
Multiple Pregnancies
When having a geriatric pregnancy, you can increase your chances (or your risk, depending on how you look at it) of conceiving twins. This is because as women age their follicle-stimulating hormone levels increase. This boosts the chance of two eggs being released at the same time.
Preeclampsia
Preeclampsia is a condition that typically affects those having a geriatric pregnancy (usually in their 40s). Although the exact cause is unknown, preeclampsia is thought to be caused by a problem with the placenta.
According to the NHS, “If you’re thought to be at a high risk of developing pre-eclampsia, you may be advised to take a 75 to 150 mg daily dose of aspirin from the 12th week of pregnancy until your baby is born.”
Miscarriage
For many women hoping to get pregnant, miscarriage is a very real worry. Whether you’ve had a miscarriage before or seen friends walk through it, there are few women who haven’t been affected by miscarriage in their lives.
Unfortunately, as women age their risk of miscarriage increases. According to the NHS, once a woman reaches 35 her risk of miscarriage rises from 1 in 10 to 2 in 10. And if a woman is over 45, her risk of miscarriage increases to 5 in 10.
Speak with Your Doctor
If you are over 35 and contemplating starting a family, it’s likely you have questions about what that looks like, what fertility support is available, and how it might affect your or your baby’s health. We always recommend raising these questions with your doctor who will be able to provide valuable advice and support.
We hope this article has been helpful.
Kate Sheppard is a mum of two who loves to share insights about the joys and challenges of parenting. When she’s not spending time with her family, you’ll find her exploring the countryside.
Connect with Kate on X: @KateSheppard90.
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