The age of women in labor in recent years is not getting younger. On the contrary, the first birth under 40 and even later becomes quite normal and commonplace. And you won't surprise anyone with a second or third child at this age. So the time has ordered - modern women first get an education, build a career, carefully choose a partner and only then, when there is a feeling of certain stability, they think about the birth of an heir.
Another situation - the child grew up and left. A woman understands that she really wants to give her love to someone again, besides, she can still become a mother physiologically. Whatever the reason for pregnancy at this age, it is worth knowing that childbirth after 40 years has its own characteristics. We will talk about them in this article.
Attitude in society
A woman who is going to give birth to a child after 40 years, from the point of view of obstetricians, belongs to the category of old-born. As offensive as this word sounds, it is just a term that does not even relate to age, but to the possible risks and complications that may arise before and after childbirth.
The concept of "old-born" changed regularly. In the early 90s of the last century, doctors considered such all pregnant women who are going to give birth after 27 years. Now the age limit has been raised to 36 years old. But childbirth at 40 and older will be considered late only in Russia. In the United States and most European countries, such a concept does not exist in obstetrics, at all. This means that the influence of age on pregnancy and childbirth is somewhat exaggerated.
Of course, you rarely meet a woman who, by her 40s, has never become pregnant. Unfortunately, the obstetric history of such women in childbirth is in most cases very rich in facts and events - some were treated for infertility for a long time, others had abortions, considering the birth of a child untimely, and still others had to resort to the services of reproductive specialists by the age of 40 and agree to IVF.
In addition, by the age of 40, up to 90% of women have one or more chronic diseases. It is this history that affects the bearing of the fetus and subsequent childbirth. Age itself does not have much influence.
In Russia, an elderly woman is looked at with surprise bordering on sympathy. Approximately the same is looked at in antenatal clinics, although recently certain positive trends have emerged.
If a woman is determined to become a mother in her 40s or more, she needs to learn to be firm and decisive, impenetrable and invulnerable to other people's curiosity, ridicule, ridicule. From the point of view of religions, childbirth at the Balzac age is not prohibited. Neither in Orthodoxy, nor in Islam, nor in Buddhism there are no age restrictions for the first and subsequent births.
Why are they dangerous?
As we have already found out, 90% of the prognosis of pregnancy and childbirth depends on the woman's history, and not on her calendar age. But there is another 10% that we must talk about separately. These are typical age-related risk factors. First of all, every year the ovarian reserve of a woman is aging and depleted. This means that even if pregnancy occurs, the quality of the genetic material (in this case, the egg) will be poor. It is dangerous in the first place with higher risks of giving birth to a child with genetic and chromosomal abnormalities.
According to statistics, at 20-24 years old, a pregnant woman has a risk of giving birth to a child with Down syndrome in 1 case in 1562 pregnancies. Among the age group 35-39 years old "special" children are born in 1 case in 214 births. After 40 years, the risk of having a baby with Down syndrome rises to 1: 19, at 43 it is 1: 14. The risk of Edwards syndrome in a child of an elderly mother is also higher than in others. Some other chromosomal abnormalities that make it impossible for a full-fledged baby's life, and in some cases even lethal, are also directly related to the woman's age and the quality of the genetic material of her oocytes. The risks increase if the child's father is also well over 40 years old, since the quality of the sperm and the genetic information they contain also suffers with age.
Chronic diseases are dangerous. Four decades is a considerable period during which even a person leading a healthy lifestyle acquires certain ailments. Mom's illnesses can affect the health of the baby, the process of gestation and birth.
A great risk is miscarriage. Pregnancy requires the mobilization of all organs and systems; global changes and restructuring are taking place in the body of the expectant mother. If a woman has chronic diseases, they can manifest themselves precisely during pregnancy, which will complicate gestation and may cause spontaneous abortion.
The health of a woman who is already over 40 is greatly influenced by the ecological situation - prolonged living in polluted, ecologically unsafe regions can lead not only to aging of the genetic material in the eggs, but also to the mutation of certain genes, which, again, is fraught with congenital defects fetal development, genetic abnormalities.
The muscle tissue of a woman at the age of forty is no longer as elastic as at the age of 20, and therefore independent childbirth is considered, although acceptable, but rather risky. In such women in labor, in the process of physiological childbirth, primary or secondary birth weakness often develops, the load on the vessels and heart during labor may be overwhelming.
The opinion of doctors on this matter is as follows: if a woman managed to become pregnant and bear a baby after 40 years, then there is no need to expose her to an additional considerable risk in childbirth. The Ministry of Health of Russia indicates age prerequisites an indication for a planned cesarean section operation.
Of course, a woman can refuse surgery and insist on natural childbirth, but in this case she should know that the risk of bleeding during childbirth, premature placental abruption will be 2.5 times higher in terms of age-related muscle hypotension, the likelihood that she an emergency caesarean section will be required, and this emergency delivery operation further increases the risk of severe postoperative complications. A planned caesarean section is safer in this regard.
Nevertheless, the risks of miscarriage, frozen pregnancy, childbirth with genetic diseases and other "horror stories" that "frighten" pregnant women after 40 years, exist in absolutely all age groups of pregnant women. There is a chance of having a healthy baby over the age of 40, and it is not as small as it might seem. You just need to approach the issues of carrying a child and organizing childbirth in the most responsible way.
What are the advantages?
The main plus is the birth of a new person. Babies delight their parents, regardless of the age of the mother and father, and by the age of 40 a woman and her partner already know how to appreciate the delicate and fragile moments of joy in life.
Usually the child whom the woman goes to give birth at the Balzac age is desirable. A woman is already able to weigh and analyze her decision well. The mother prepares for the birth of such a child more thoroughly than for the birth of her first child at the age of 20. Needless to say, with what love a woman will relate to her first child born after 40!
Psychologically, emotionally and mentally, mothers with rich age experience are more mature, and you can't argue with that. Their decision is conscious, the financial situation by this age already usually allows the child to provide everything necessary.
Later children are usually surrounded by the love and care of their parents. As a result, they are considered more talented, not because talents are given to them from above, but because parents try to devote a lot of time to raising such a baby. They love and adore him, surround him with an atmosphere of a calm gentle aura of participation. It should be noted that late children respond in the same way, and their relationship with their parents is usually very trusting and warm.
Pregnancy in the forties
"Age" mothers are shown early registration, up to 12 weeks. It is possible that for health reasons, the pregnant woman will have to visit the attending physician more often. Along with other pregnant women, expectant mothers over 40 will be offered prenatal diagnostics, designed to establish the basic risks of having a fetus with chromosomal abnormalities.
Screening studies are carried out for a period of 11-13 weeks, 16-18 weeks. In addition, the woman will draw up an individual plan for examinations such as ultrasound, CTG of the fetus, and so on, depending on what complications (if any) are revealed during pregnancy. On the recommendation of gynecologists, additional invasive procedures for prenatal diagnostics of the fetus can be performed - amniocentesis, cordocentesis, and so on. The consent of the patient herself is required for such procedures.
If a woman is prescribed a planned cesarean section, hospitalization is carried out in advance - at 38 weeks of pregnancy, at 39 weeks a planned operation is performed. In the absence of complications in the postoperative period, the woman is discharged on the fifth day. After physiological childbirth, if any, the discharge will take place on the third day.
Myths and reality
Late childbirth is shrouded in a veil of myths, not all of which correspond to reality. Here are the most common ones.
Pregnancy and childbirth after 40 years rejuvenate the body
Indeed, at the hormonal level, there is a strong "shake-up" of the female body. The increased production of estrogens, progesterone, oxytocin helps to improve the blood supply to organs and tissues. But the main influence is exerted by a psychological factor - a woman with the birth of a baby goes into the category of young mothers. It is this status that is the best way to improve self-esteem and a sense of youth.
On a physiological level, the effect of hormones is not as strong as those who think that childbirth after 40 years is a way to rejuvenate. Sleepless nights, nerves, lactation problems and other problems common to mothers of newborns may well negate the effect of hormones. By the way, night vigils at the crib, turning into daytime wakefulness, are more difficult for "older mothers" than mothers in their 20s and even 30s. Lack of sleep and fatigue quickly affect the state of health and appearance.
In addition, childbirth undermines the state of immunity. It is possible that chronic diseases will worsen, which does not contribute to rejuvenation and health improvement in principle.
Women with late births live longer
This is not a myth, but the most that neither is the truth. Israeli scientists have studied the life expectancy of women who conceived and gave birth to their children at 43-45 years old. They found a modification of some genes, as a result, aging slows down somewhat. On average, women who have given birth to their first child after 40 years have a higher chance of living to a hundred years. Life expectancy increases on average by 10-15 years.
After 40 years in the postpartum period, it is more difficult to lose weight and return to previous forms
It all depends on the particular woman. There is no general pattern. Although there is some truth in this, after all, with age, the metabolism slows down, the skin becomes less elastic, the muscles are more relaxed, which makes the process of losing weight longer, but not hopeless, as evidenced by numerous reviews of mothers "aged".
Notable late-born women
- Hollywood actress Monica Bellucci gave birth to her first child a couple of weeks before her 40th birthday. At 45, she became the mother of another child.
- Actress Halle Berry gave birth to her daughter at 41. This was her first child. She decided on the second after five years - at 46 she became the mother of a charming little son.
- Actress Salma Hayek gave birth for the first time at 41. A daughter was born. At the same age, Kim Basinger decided to give birth for the first time.
- Russian actress Marina Mogilevskaya became a mother at 41. She gave birth to a completely healthy and beautiful daughter Mashenka.
- Nicole Kidman struggled with infertility for a long time, and only after she adopted two children, she was able to become pregnant. Her daughter appeared when the actress was 40 years old. Two years later, another daughter appeared - a surrogate mother carried her out. Nicole herself decided not to risk it.
- A girl at the age of 40 was given birth by the Russian TV presenter and actress Svetlana Permyakova. Another actress Olga Drozdova first became a mother at 42.
- And Mariah Carey at the age of 41 became the mother of two children at once - her twins were born, conceived with the help of in vitro fertilization.
The list of women who became mothers after 40 years can be continued with such names as Kelly Preston, Gina Davis, Brooke Shields, Celine Dion.
Those who say that childbirth at this age is dangerous cite the example of Evelina Bledans, who is raising a boy with Down syndrome. There are much more positive examples.
For the pros and cons of late childbirth, see the next video.
