The oft-talked about biological clock doesn’t start at 35 – its tick just gets a little louder… But that doesn’t mean you can’t or shouldn’t consider having a baby once that birthday rolls around. Here are some things you should know about taking the pregnancy plunge in your late 30s and beyond.
1. It may take more time
Okay, so there’s some truth to the biological clock those nagging aunties keep referring to at every family gathering. Every woman is born with a certain number of eggs, and as soon as you reach your 30s, those eggs may decline in quality. You may also ovulate less frequently – even if you’re still having regular periods – and your eggs won’t be as easily fertilised as a younger woman’s.
That said, none of this means that you won’t be able to get pregnant at all; it may just take you longer than it would have a few years ago. “My husband and I got married in our early 30s, and it took us almost three years to get pregnant,” says first-time mother Ellen Chia, 39. “It was so hard to be patient and optimistic when all we wanted was to have our baby!”
2. Those symptoms may hit harder than ever
As you hit your 30s, it becomes clear that your body just doesn’t bounce back the way it used to – just ask those pesky pounds that just won’t drop off the way they did in your 20s – and never was there more of a test for it than being pregnant. “I was very energetic all the way through labour with my first,” says mother of five Mozita Azura Zakaria, who had her youngest child last year at the age of 40. “The last was definitely not the same. I had intense back pain most of the time, and I felt very heavy!”
3. You’ll need to pay close attention to your health
Older women are more likely to develop both gestational diabetes and high blood pressure — before 20 weeks (chronic hypertension), after 20 weeks (gestational hypertension) or after 20 weeks and accompanied by protein in the urine (preeclampsia) — during pregnancy. You’ll need to monitor your diet closely, eating as healthily as possible, and your doctor may insist on more frequent check-ups to monitor you as closely as possible.
In some cases, you may be required to take medication. “I was very worried about gestational diabetes when I was pregnant,” says Mozita, “But luckily, I was able to manage it by monitoring my diet and taking certain supplements.”
4. The risk of chromosome abnormalities is higher
Unfortunately, babies born to mothers over age 35 also have a higher risk of chromosome problems – this was the case with Mozita, whose youngest child was born with Down Syndrome. Older women also face a higher risk for miscarriages, possibly due to these chromosome problems. You may want to ask your doctor about prenatal screening for chromosomal abnormalities – this will not only help identify potential issues, but can help you prepare for dealing with them as well.
5. You might need a C-section
Every pregnant mother dreams of a perfect, serene labour and delivery – but sometimes, it just isn’t meant to be. After that 35 mark, women are more likely to experience pregnancy-related complications which may make a C-section unavoidable. “I had all these grand plans for a gentle birth,” says Ellen. “I read all these books, pored over articles on the Internet. But all those plans fell through when I found out I had placenta previa. Then all I wanted was to deliver my baby safely!”
Having said all that, however, there are perks to having a baby at an older age. “My husband and I are more financially stable now than we were in our 20s,” says Ellen, “So we are not as worried about being able to provide for this baby.” And for experienced mums, older definitely means wiser: “Earlier, you need a lot of gadgets for the baby. You feel like to you need to buy everything, and that you always need to bring it all with you” says Mozita. “Now, with experience, everything you do is faster and simpler!”
After seven years in journalism and communications, Hanna Alkaf recently became a freelance writer and work-at-home mum so that she could be with her son Malik (before you ask, it was totally worth it).
Image Credit: Shutterstock
