Giving birth at 40: What to expect?

There is no perfect time to get pregnant. However, many people are often told that having a baby after the age of 35 increases the risks. This may lead you to believe that not many mothers give birth after this point. The truth is that many women are giving birth in their 40s. So, what happens when you give birth at 40?

Childbirth after the age of 40 is becoming more and more common. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains that rates have been increasing since the 1970s, with the number of first births among women aged 40 to 44 more than doubling. couples between 1990 and 2012. Although women are often advised to have children before the age of 35, the data collected is showing the opposite.
There are many reasons why women wait to have children, including fertility treatment, early care, and later life stabilization. If you're curious about what it's like to have a baby in your 40s, let's take a look at all the scopes of benefits, risks, and what you need to know.

Sometimes, the benefits of having a baby after this age can outweigh the benefits of having a baby when a woman is in her 20s or 30s.
First, they may have made a career out of it. and can spend more time on parenting. Or the financial situation of these women could have been more favorable.
In addition, the mother may also have had a change in the status of her relationship and you want to have children with her. This is one of the most common benefits of having a baby in your 40s. However, some research suggests there are other potential benefits as well, including:
Reducing cognitive decline awake. Longevity . Educational outcomes are better among children, such as higher test scores and higher graduation rates.

Due to advances in technology related to fertility, pregnancy and childbirth, it is perfectly possible for a woman to have a baby by the age of 40. However, any pregnancy after the age of 40. age 40 are considered high risk. Your doctor will monitor you and your baby closely for the following:
High blood pressure - this can increase your risk of a pregnancy complication called preeclampsia. Gestational diabetes. Birth defects such as Down syndrome. Miscarriage. Low birth weight. Pregnancy is ectopic and sometimes occurs with in vitro fertilization (IVF). Age increases the risk of infertility as egg quality declines. The risk of diseases related to infertility is also increased. Includes conditions such as:
Endometriosis . Fibroids . Fallopian tube disorders. In women 40 and older, the risk of pregnancy complications, such as high blood pressure, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes is also increased. Rates of birth defects or genetic conditions in babies are also increased. By the age of 40, the chance of having a baby with Down syndrome is about 1 in 100, and by age 45, the chance increases to 1 in 30.
Historically, research on complications related to gestational age and fertility has focused on women. However, new research shows that infertility increases with age in both men and women.
A 2019 study found: Older fathers have higher rates of infertility, even if their partner is under 25. Sex partners of men over 45 years of age have a higher risk of pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, and gestational diabetes. Men over 45 are more likely to have babies with birth defects, low birth weight and low Apgar scores - a measure of a baby's general health at birth.
The success rate of infertility treatment also decreases with age. After age 40, women have about a 5% chance of getting pregnant each cycle of intrauterine insemination (IUI). The success rate for each cycle of in vitro fertilization (IVF) is less than 20%.

1.3. How will age affect fertility?

Advances in reproductive technology have been the driving force behind the increase in women giving birth late. Some methods to increase fertility include:
Infertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization. Freeze eggs when they are young so you can use them in case you are old or having trouble getting pregnant. Sperm bank. Even surrogacy and surrogacy can make women feel secure and tend to get pregnant later. Even with all these options, a woman's fertility declines dramatically after age 35. According to the Office of Women's Health, one-third of couples after the age of 35 have fertility problems.
The number of eggs left is too small and not enough to fertilize. The oocytes are dysfunctional. The ovaries will not be able to release an egg properly. Increased risk of miscarriage. High chance of having health conditions that can interfere with fertility. A woman's egg cell count also drops dramatically after the age of 35. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), this number drops from 25,000 at age 37 to just 1,000 at age 51. During puberty, a woman has between 300,000 and 500,000 egg cells.

For healthy women over the age of 40, advanced age does not necessarily change the feeling or course of pregnancy. Most women experience a range of symptoms during the first trimester, including morning sickness. There is no evidence that these symptoms are worse or different in women over the age of 40. However, the first trimester can be more stressful for other reasons. The older you get, the more likely you are to have a miscarriage, especially for women who have had a miscarriage.
A 2019 study found that the risk of miscarriage was 53% in women over 45, compared with 10% in women 25 to 29. As the pregnancy progresses, women age 45 and older. will increase your risk of pregnancy-related complications, such as:
Gestational diabetes. High Blood Pressure. Premature birth. For this reason, your doctor or midwife may recommend increased medical monitoring. This monitoring includes additional prenatal appointments or testing. Some women may also choose to have genetic testing to assess their chances of having a baby with a birth defect.
Despite these increased risks, women over 40 can still have healthy pregnancies. A 2015 study found there was no increased risk of pregnancy complications in healthy women 40 years of age and older who received quality prenatal care.

One factor is that being pregnant over 40 does not necessarily affect delivery. In fact, research has shown that pregnancy and birth outcomes over 40 years of age are not significantly different from outcomes for young women, as long as women >40:
Have quality care before good birth. No chronic illness. Attend all prenatal appointments. Maintain a healthy lifestyle. This means that for healthy women, conceiving after age 40 may not be more dangerous than conceiving early in life. However, the rate of cesarean section is higher in women >40 years of age.
Other studies have shown that the rate of complications is higher in women over the age of 40. A 2017 study in Berlin comparing the outcomes of women giving birth over 45 to women aged 29 found that: The percentage of young women who needed fertility treatment was 3%, compared with 34% in the older group. . 28% of older women, compared with 11% of younger women who gave birth prematurely. 59% of older women had a cesarean section, compared with 29% of younger women. Caesarean section can increase the risk of other complications, especially for older women. A 2019 study linked a cesarean delivery to a higher risk of serious complications, such as stroke, embolism, and bleeding.
Although a cesarean section can be a solution for late-term mothers, pregnant women should discuss potential complications with their healthcare provider. Avoiding an elective cesarean section can help reduce birth complications.

The process of conceiving after the age of 40 is no different for many people. In order for heterosexual couples to conceive, the couple must have intercourse during the woman's childbearing years. The most fertile time is still the days around ovulation and ovulation. Using ovulation predictor tests can help pinpoint ovulation. Monitoring your basal body temperature can help a person check if they have ovulated. This is important as women get older, as some women stop ovulating or don't ovulate as often.
To monitor basal body temperature, everyone can take their temperature at the same time every morning as soon as they wake up. It is important to do this immediately in the morning, after sleeping for at least 3-4 hours and using a digital thermometer. After ovulation, the average temperature rises slightly by 0.5 - 1°C and remains elevated until a woman gets her period. After that, the temperature returns to baseline.
Basal body temperature is not always an accurate measure of ovulation. Several factors, like stress and alcohol consumption, can affect the measurements. Women who are single or in a same-sex relationship can choose fertility treatments such as intrauterine insemination or in vitro fertilization. These treatments are also an option if one person in a relationship is infertile.
If either partner has any pre-existing medical conditions, such as diabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), they should see their doctor for a checkup before they try to get pregnant. If a woman believes she is not ovulating, she can visit her doctor for a checkup.
Most doctors recommend that women over 35 see a fertility specialist after trying for more than 6 months with no results. People in their 40s may find that seeking infertility treatment as soon as possible can help them conceive successfully. Many people over 40 can have a healthy and safe pregnancy. With proper health care and a healthy lifestyle, pregnant women over 40 can get positive results.
Currently, to treat infertility/infertility problems, you can choose Reproductive Support Center - Vinmec International General Hospital. This is the leading center in Vietnam, which has developed and applied a comprehensive medical examination and treatment process, combining both gynecology and obstetrics and gynecology to provide the optimal method for each patient's case.
Advantages when customers choose Vinmec fertility center:
Equipped with modern equipment, clean air system according to international standards to ensure lab quality, single cabinet system to optimize quality embryo, improving the success rate for each cycle of artificial insemination. Implement most advanced assisted reproductive techniques in the world: ICSI (injection of sperm into the oocyte cytoplasm); support embryo escape membrane; Reproductive reserve: embryo freezing, sperm freezing, oocyte freezing to help customers take the initiative in giving birth at will, transferring embryos on day 5, minimizing pregnancy; male infertility techniques (PESA, MESA, TEFNA, TESE) Besides advanced reproductive support methods, a team of excellent doctors in the country and the world, with prestige and long-term experience in the field of infertility .

Reference articles: healthline.com, medicalnewstoday.com, baby-chick.com, verywellfamily.com