Are you dreaming of a growing family? While motherhood is a beautiful journey at any age, it can be different in your mid to late 30s and beyond. Whether you’re a seasoned mom or a first-time expectant parent, receiving regular checkups, screenings, and personalized medical guidance throughout your pregnancy is essential to protecting your health and your baby’s development.
At Florida Woman Care of Jacksonville, our expert OB/GYN team provides dedicated, comprehensive prenatal and postnatal services, from routine exams and tests to specialized care for high-risk pregnancies. Here, we explore how your prenatal care needs may evolve with age and delve into specific recommendations for women at different stages of their reproductive lives.
It’s true that fertility naturally declines with age. However, there’s no magic number where pregnancy suddenly becomes risky or less likely. The age of 35, known medically as advanced maternal age, is simply a benchmark to indicate when the risk of certain complications may increase. These complications include:
As you approach your late 30s, the number of healthy eggs in your ovarian reserve diminishes. Fertilization can be more challenging, and the likelihood of conceiving may decrease.
Gestational diabetes, a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy, affects up to 20% of pregnant moms. It’s crucial to keep your blood sugar in check with a balanced diet, regular exercise, and medication if you have risk factors like advanced maternal age, prediabetes, or being overweight.
Unmanaged gestational diabetes can lead to health risks for you and your baby, including preterm birth and type 2 diabetes that develop later in life.
High blood pressure during pregnancy, or gestational hypertension, is more common in women over 35. During your routine prenatal checkups, our team closely monitors your blood pressure to detect any changes that may signal gestational hypertension or its more severe counterpart, preeclampsia.
Preeclampsia can have life-threatening consequences. Without treatment, it can damage vital organs like kidneys, liver, and brain and reduce blood flow to the placenta. Reduced blood flow can lead to slower fetal growth, lower birth weight, and premature delivery.
As your ovarian reserve decreases with age, the quality of the remaining eggs may also decline, which makes them more susceptible to chromosomal abnormalities that cause genetic disorders like Down syndrome.
As we age, hormonal shifts can sometimes cause your body to release numerous eggs during ovulation, increasing your chances of conceiving twins or multiples. Pregnancies with multiple babies often carry a higher risk of complications like gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, and premature labor and delivery.
While pregnancy after age 35 comes with some unique considerations, the core principles of a healthy pregnancy remain the same. Prenatal care for older moms typically involves frequent checkups and additional testing to monitor for potential concerns.
In addition to routine prenatal care visits with our team, here are some simple steps to support a healthy pregnancy at any age:
If you’re considering starting or growing your family, our team is here to support you every step of the way. Contact Florida Woman Care of Jacksonville to schedule a consultation today.
