Is there an ideal age for pregnancy and childbirth? "Yes!" — experts of the department of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) of the Veresaev hospital are sure.

“The most favorable age for conceiving, bearing and giving birth to a baby is 20-35 years old, but theoretically, if a woman is in good health, she can become a mother even at 60 years old, but here you need to understand that getting pregnant at this age is possible only with the help of assisted reproductive technologies using donor or previously frozen eggs. The most “adult” pregnant woman after IVF was 52 years old,” says Karina Grigoryan, head of the ART department, obstetrician-gynecologist, doctor of the highest category, candidate of medical sciences.

What changes in a woman's body after 40 years and how it can affect conception, pregnancy and child?

The probability that women of the older reproductive group have various chronic diseases, including hypertension and diabetes, is high. Such pathologies tend to worsen during pregnancy, which means they can become a formidable complication for the mother and fetus.

In principle, the chances of conception decrease with age. This is due to changes in the reproductive system - the uterus, ovaries. The regular "aging" of germ cells increases the number of complications during pregnancy and can lead to fetal malformations:

• Genetic and non-genetic
• Preeclampsia, which in turn leads to increased blood pressure, disruption of the kidneys, edema, impaired blood flow in the vessels of the uterus, placenta and umbilical cord of the fetus

Of course, the capabilities of modern medicine, in particular, prenatal screenings allow timely diagnosis of pathological conditions on the part of the fetus and the pregnant woman, which means making the right decision on the further medical support of the woman in a timely manner.

Does pregnancy rejuvenate the body?

So says the popular rumor and partly we can agree with it.

It is known that the placenta, which is formed by the 12th week of pregnancy, has a powerful hormonal secretion. A high concentration of the female sex hormone estrogen has a beneficial effect on the appearance of the expectant mother.

What are the features of the course of pregnancy in a future mother 40+?

The main feature is an increase in the frequency of complications during pregnancy. Unfortunately, the risk of genetic diseases in a child increases several times - Down syndrome, Edwards, Patau, etc., heart defects and the central nervous system of the fetus. Therefore, the course of pregnancy at this age should always be under the close supervision of obstetricians and doctors of prenatal diagnosis.

Are there any diseases that are considered a contraindication to pregnancy 40+?

Contraindication to pregnancy is not age, but first of all the presence of severe chronic diseases, and they can be observed both in women over 40 years old and in very young patients. We are talking about such pathologies as multiple sclerosis, uncompensated and not treatable hypertension, severe heart disease, genitourinary system, mental, oncological diseases, etc.

How to prepare for pregnancy after 40?

If we are talking about a planned pregnancy, then in the pregravid period, the expectant mother is recommended to undergo a thorough examination: laboratory tests, a visit to a gynecologist, a therapist, ultrasound of the abdominal organs, kidneys, thyroid gland, vessels of the lower extremities and mammography.

If it's a second or third pregnancy after 40, does it carry the same risks as the first?

In a multiparous woman after 40 years, the body is “adapted” to pregnancy, the frequency of complications may be lower in general, but in this case we are not talking about fetal malformations, the risk of which does not depend on the number of previous births.

"Late" delivery is an indication for caesarean section?

The woman's age is not an indication for operative delivery. Many of our patients of the older reproductive group, including those who became pregnant with the help of IVF, gave birth themselves, naturally, and the birth went smoothly.

What are some of the postpartum issues that a 40+ mother may encounter?

If a woman was planning a pregnancy, had a complete examination, correction of pathological conditions, then the recovery postpartum period will run smoothly for her. Maybe not as fast as in 20-25 years, but quite successfully.

If we talk about women entering pregnancy with many chronic diseases, not examined, then we can expect various "surprises" in the postpartum period.

In any case, all mothers need care, support and help.

Pros and cons of pregnancy after 40?

Of course "for" with both hands. All women have successful pregnancies and healthy babies.

To learn more about assisted reproductive technologies available at the ART department of the Veresaev hospital, please call the single contact center: 8 (499) 450-55-81 (ext. 8).

Late children return youth - articles from the specialists of the clinic "Mother and Child"

The number of women who gave birth to their first child between 30 and 40 years has almost tripled in the last 20 years. In addition, the number of first-time mothers after 40 years has increased by almost 50%. And physicians are forced to reckon with it. Gradually, the offensive word “old-timer” disappeared from their vocabulary, and childbirth in adulthood is no longer considered something out of the ordinary.

Increasingly, women are postponing childbirth while studying or moving up the career ladder. The number of early births (up to 20 years old) in all civilized countries is steadily falling (Russia, however, is an exception).

Numerous studies have shown that pregnancy and childbirth after 35 do not pose such a serious danger as previously thought. The average portrait of a woman in her thirties who is preparing to become a mother has changed a lot lately. As a rule, she belongs to the middle class, is well educated, takes care of her health. Her body is not worn out by numerous births.
It has always been believed that later children are more likely to be born prematurely, gain less weight and get sick more in early childhood. Recent research has cast doubt on this.

American doctors who observed 4 thousand women in labor in one of the hospitals in New York came to the conclusion that a woman over 35 years old, if she is physically healthy and has not had miscarriages, has a chance to give birth to a normal healthy child (even if this is the first birth) almost the same as a 20-year-old.

For a middle-aged woman who has devoted all her young years to a career, pregnancy is an opportunity to try herself in a completely new way. In addition, she is more likely to find support from her husband, since a mature man is psychologically more prepared for the role of a father than a young one.

As you know, psychological readiness for motherhood comes much later than biological. According to psychologists, pregnancy in adulthood is much more favorable than in early youth. A woman perceives her condition more calmly, less prone to stress, less likely to experience internal conflicts. She is more disciplined and lives in harmony with herself. Many consider the birth of a child a gift of fate or a blessing from God.

Older women, most of whom married late, as a rule, stand firmly on their feet, have reached a certain level in their professional activities, and are confident that they will return to work some time after giving birth. All this allows them to look to the future with great calmness and optimism. A middle-aged woman who has devoted all her young years to a career may look at pregnancy as an opportunity to try herself in a completely new capacity. In addition, she is more likely to find support from her husband, since a mature man is psychologically more prepared for the role of a father than a young one. As a rule, middle-aged parents, unlike young ones, devote more time to raising a child. As a result, many "late" children are ahead of their peers in their intellectual and physical development. The secret here is in the atmosphere of love and mutual understanding in the family where the long-awaited baby appeared.

American psychologists conducted a survey among women who became mothers before the age of 20 and between 30 and 40 years. Both were asked to answer the question of whether they would give birth at the same age if they could make a new decision. More than half of those whose children were born before the age of 20 answered “no”, and the majority of older mothers expressed confidence that they had chosen the optimal time for the birth of a child.

Hollywood star Kim Basinger first became a mother when she was already over 40. Actress Beverly D * Angelo, a friend of Al Pacino, gave birth to his charming twins when she was 49. The famous actress Marina Neelova had a daughter when she was 41 years old. And there are many such examples.

Doctors today can help even those women whose reproductive period has ended. Various methods are used for this: hormone therapy, implantation of a donor egg in the uterus. Muscovite Natalya Alekseevna Surkova got into the Guinness Book of Records, becoming a mother at the age of 57. She already had two adult children. Recently, a 66-year-old woman from Romania gave birth to a child. For many years she taught at the University and wrote books for children, but she had no babies of her own before. True, doctors are not particularly enthusiastic about the increase in the number of mothers-grandmothers: the risk of complications and the responsibility of the doctor who “leads” such a woman in labor are too high.

Of course, late motherhood has its problems. Women over 35 are more likely to experience health complications during pregnancy, especially diabetes and high blood pressure. These complications occur in approximately 6% of women over 35 years of age compared to 1. 3% in younger women.

Another problem: the "solid" age of the parents increases the risk of developing anomalies in the fetus, the birth of children with severe hereditary diseases. Therefore, all primiparas over 35 years of age are usually offered an amniocentesis in the second trimester of pregnancy - an analysis of amniotic fluid. This allows you to identify about 200 hereditary diseases associated with a violation of the chromosome set.

You can also find out the degree of risk of such diseases using the "triple" test - it is done around the 16th week of pregnancy. For analysis, blood is taken from a vein. Women of older reproductive age do not recover from childbirth as quickly as younger women. For some of them, after decades of taking care of themselves, it can be difficult to get used to the fact that the baby, especially in the first months, requires constant care and attention.

Another disadvantage of late childbirth is that parents have to limit themselves to one child or have a second one when the first one is still very small - after all, the time allotted by nature for acquiring offspring is not unlimited.

Should I do a Caesarean section?

In women over 30-40 years of age, childbirth can be more difficult and protracted than in younger women - this is the generally accepted opinion. In fact, any experienced obstetrician can testify that in many cases, older mothers do an excellent job with minimal medical help. Often and, by the way, not always justified, at this age they offer a caesarean section. This does not raise questions if there are medical indications for surgery or a woman managed to get pregnant only with the help of doctors. Then, trying to eliminate any risk to the baby and taking into account the aggravating factors, the doctor makes such a decision.

Recent studies have shown that, on average, the duration of labor for older mothers exceeds the duration of labor for young mothers by only 45 minutes. And at 40, you can not be afraid of difficult childbirth if you are well prepared for them physically and psychologically.

Where to start?

If for some reason you put off the birth of your child, you should prepare in advance for his possible birth.
Try to get rid of bad habits if you have them. By the age of 35, we have time to experience a stronger impact of adverse environmental factors than by the age of 20.

Should we add to them the harm from smoking and alcohol? Watch your health, do not start even trifling, at first glance, diseases. If you treat a cold rather than endure it on your feet, you are much more likely to keep your kidneys and heart healthy, organs that take a lot of stress during pregnancy.
Control your weight and maintain muscle tone. Go in for sports or exercise. Excess weight creates additional problems during gestation.

It should be borne in mind that after 35 years, the ability to bear children gradually decreases. Experts believe that at this age it may take 6-12 months to conceive instead of four. Before you decide it's time to start procreation, visit a therapist. Sometimes a woman is being treated for infertility for years, during which time she develops various ailments. These diseases may not cause much concern, but they can interfere with the normal course of pregnancy.
During pregnancy, you will need to be more attentive to yourself than younger women, to strictly monitor your diet and regimen.

It is worth taking seriously the choice of a doctor and a maternity hospital. It is desirable that the clinic be equipped with everything necessary in case you need urgent help for a newborn.

"If you want to preserve beauty, have a child at forty," say the French. If a woman is healthy, during pregnancy she blossoms. In this magical way, estrogens act - female sex hormones, the production of which increases several times. In addition, the eggs of a pregnant woman are not "spent", so aging seems to be suspended. Menopause in women who have become mothers in adulthood may come later. Raising a baby provides a unique opportunity to turn from a middle-aged woman into a young mother.

Such parents usually go through the so-called midlife crisis painlessly - they just don't have time to delve into their problems.

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