Geriatric Pregnancy: What to expect after age 35

What is Geriatric Pregnancy?

This is the medical term given to someone who is over the age of 35 and is pregnant. It's become quite an archaic term as you can probably tell from how ancient the word 'geriatric' makes these women seem. "The term feels ageist and not friendly, it simply means a pregnancy in a person of the age of 35," shares our expert family GP Dr Philippa Kaye. Another name for geriatric pregnancy is Advanced Maternal Age (AMA) which is the modern term used by doctors.

Women reach their peak fertility age by the time they hit their late teens or late 20s. The older you get, the likelihood of getting pregnant continues to decrease. As you approach age 30, the chances start to decline and they decline even more rapidly after the age of 40. This all does not mean you can't get pregnant after age 35 or 40, it just means that your conceiving journey may be impacted by this and it may take longer to get pregnant.

Geriatric Pregnancy risks

Generally speaking, most geriatric mothers go on to have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. Despite your age, pregnancy complications can happen to anyone but if you are having a geriatric pregnancy then it's good to be made aware of the potential risks associated with this. "The increased risk of complications can affect either the developing baby or the mother themselves," says Dr Philippa Kaye. Likely risks include:

• high blood pressure
• preeclampsia
• gestational diabetes
• miscarriage
• pregnancy loss including stillbirth
• labour issues leading to a higher risk of c-section
• preterm delivery or premature birth
• low birth weight
• Down's syndrome or other genetic disorders

While these increased risks may sound scary it is important to remember that many women can and do become pregnant over the age of 35 without developing any complications.

It's recommended for a geriatric mother to deliver their baby early. 39 weeks is the recommended maximum time a geriatric pregnancy should go, an induction would be offered to bring on labour and this is done to prevent complications that may occur if you went into labour naturally. There will be fewer chances of medical interventions such as an emergency c-section if you give birth earlier.

"Fertility declines as you get older, with the more rapid fall in fertility starting at around age 35. But the Guinness Book of Records states that the oldest naturally conceived pregnancy occurred to a woman named Dawn Brooke, who became pregnant at age 59!" shares Dr Philippa.

All women are born with eggs and as age increases, the less amount of eggs your body produces. The eggs that are present are more susceptible to leading to your baby having genetic disorders. "But there are some things that you can do to decrease the risk of pregnancy complications such as stopping smoking if you smoke, maintaining a healthy weight, not drinking alcohol, exercising regularly, taking folic acid, eating healthily, attending your antenatal appointments and ensure that any pre-existing health conditions are well managed," shares Dr Philippa.

Geriatric Pregnancy benefits

The good news is, along with risks there are also benefits that come with having a geriatric pregnancy. Couples nowadays are getting married and starting families later in life so it's more common than ever for women to get pregnant in their 30s. Benefits of having a baby after 35 include:

• financial stability
• more resources and better education for the child
• potential for you to live longer
• higher chance of multiple babies

"While from a physical perspective, there may be an increased risk of complications it may also be true that some people feel that they are more mentally ready, or feel that they are more financially secure which may then help in some other ways. There are no absolutes in medicine, each person needs to weigh up their own risks and benefits," says our expert GP doctor.

It's not all doom and gloom for those of geriatric pregnancy age, there are things that would benefit the baby and the mother too by having children later in life. By the time most people enter their 30s and specifically 40s, you're way more established as a person. Even mentally and emotionally, you're more likely to be able to handle your emotions better which will allow your child to also be emotionally stable.

Studies from the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society have shown that having a child after the age of 35 could directly impact the cognitive abilities of the mother. Researchers investigated and discovered that women who had their youngest children at a later age had better cognitive and memory abilities.

Advanced Maternal Age pregnancy guidelines

Now we know the risks and benefits that come with a geriatric pregnancy – better known as advanced maternal age pregnancy, here are some guidelines to follow to help you have a healthy as possible pregnancy. Though this isn't entirely within your control, there are guidelines put in place for pregnant people who are at advanced maternal age.

• Taking a low dose of aspirin daily can help to prevent preeclampsia especially if you have another risk factor as well as your age
• Consider having a prenatal genetic screening test to discover any potential risks for your baby

How to lower the risk of pregnancy problems?

You can play your part in ensuring your pregnancy is as healthy as can be when you know you're over the age of 35 and want to start or resume having children. The best thing to do is plan as much as possible in advance so that you can get the help you need during your pregnancy. Having said that, it's very common for unplanned pregnancies to happen too.

The general rule of thumb is to maintain a healthy lifestyle as much as you possibly can, if you're healthy then it's highly likely your baby will be healthy and your pregnancy will be low risk. There are things you can do to lower the risk of pregnancy problems if you fall into this category.

Some of the things you can do include:

Get early prenatal care

The first few weeks of pregnancy are really important for the development of your growing baby. Taking prenatal vitamins as soon as you're aware of your pregnancy will be beneficial to your pregnancy.

Visit your GP

See your doctor and have them check you to make sure you're physically and mentally ready for having a child. They can also check the overall state of your health and you can discuss any concerns you have.

Along with this, it's best to manage any existing medical conditions you may already have. Highlight and discuss with your doctor any medications you're on to see if they need to be altered during the course of your pregnancy.

Attend your antenatal appointments

Keep on top of your antenatal appointments and avoid missing any as each check-in is a chance for medical professionals to keep an eye on the progress of your pregnancy and your health too.

Have regular dental cleans

Keep up with your dental appointments as having healthy teeth is proven to decrease the chances of premature birth in women. In the UK, pregnant people are offered free dental within the duration of their pregnancy and up to 1 year after the child is born.

Healthy diet and exercise

This suggestion is not just for women over the age of 35 but for anyone who gets pregnant. It's important to eat a balanced diet with a variety of nutritional foods. Make sure to have fruits, vegetables, whole grains, iron-rich foods, protein and low-fat dairy products.

Alcohol and smoking are not allowed during pregnancy at any age. Consuming alcohol whilst pregnant puts your baby at risk of both mental and physical health problems. Smoking, on the other hand, puts your baby at risk of having a low birth weight.

Maintaining a good diet and good weight means you're less likely to have high blood pressure or gestational diabetes. Exercise regularly by taking walks, swimming, doing pregnancy yoga, pilates and other pregnancy-friendly exercises. Be sure to get the go-ahead from your GP and midwife about the exercise plans you have to make sure you're not putting yourself or your baby at risk.

Pic: Getty Images

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