What Can Happen
Experts say after the age of 45, it’s almost impossible to get pregnant by undergoing heavy treatments. Women can get pregnant after this age by only using fertility therapies. “The longer a woman waits, the harder it is to get pregnant. It is because her egg supply reduces significantly as she ages and older eggs are more likely to have chromosomal problems, raising the risk of miscarriage or birth difficulties,” Taher said.
Women who get pregnant at an older age have an increased risk of on-going health conditions and some may only be discovered when they are pregnant. “The older the mother is, the more likely she is to have health conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure,” the gynaecologist. “These conditions can affect how well the pregnancy and birth go, as well as the mother’s health.”
Sadly, miscarriages and ectopic pregnancies are more common in women aged over 40 as well. “The rate of miscarriage increases steadily, so that by the age of 45, women have about a one-in-two risk of miscarrying if they conceived naturally,” Taher said. Other pregnancy complications that are more common include the placenta peeling away from the inner wall of the uterus before delivery, a condition called placental abruption and pre-eclampsia, which is thought to occur when there's a problem with the placenta. Placenta praevia, when the placenta stays low-lying in the womb, possibly blocking the neck of the uterus, thus interfering with a normal delivery, is also a potential problem. Taher mentioned gestational diabetes and multiple pregnancies as well. When approaching menopause, a woman’s hormones work harder to release an egg from the ovaries, so there is a one-in-two chance of having twins Taher explained. “This is a result of two eggs being released at the time of ovulation. They can be fertilised and implanted in her uterus, resulting in non-identical twins,” she added.
Over 40 mummies-to-be are very much likely to give birth by caesarean section and the rate of this increases the older the mother is. Taher explained this is because there is a likelihood the baby might be in an awkward position during birth, especially if the child a first-born. “There is an increased risk of foetal distress during labour, particularly for first-time pregnancies in women aged over 40. There is also a great likelihood of long labour, because the muscles of your womb work less efficiently when you’re older,” she added.
