I am a 28-year-old female. One of my colleagues commented that a woman should get pregnant before the age of 30 as numerous complications arise both for the mother and the kid if you conceive after 30 years of age. Is it true? I got married recently. What is the right time to get pregnant? Please help.
The right age to get pregnant is below 30 years of age, as the fertility levels of women tend to decrease once you cross 30. As you age, the production of egg in the body decreases, thereby increasing your risk of infertility. According to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine, the chances of getting pregnant decrease by 20% with every passing month after 30, irrespective of how healthy or fertile a woman is. And once you reach 35, the chances of complications in conceiving, maintaining pregnancy and delivering a healthy baby decreases significantly. A study by Nova IVI Fertility (NIF), a subsidiary of Nova Medical Centers, 68% of women aged 31 years and above, opted for fertility treatments whereas around 36% women between 31-35 years and 32% being above 35 years.
And even if you conceive, there are high chances that you may face difficulty in sustaining your pregnancy. Because, your body goes through drastic hormonal changes that in turn might lead to miscarriage or premature delivery. And this is the reason why every woman who conceives after 30 years of age should go for regular health check-ups and inform the OBGYN in case of any emergencies or significant changes in the body.
If you conceive at a later stage, it might lead to prolonged labour and you might have to opt for a C-section. Not only this, late pregnancies have been found to increase the kid’s risk of developing genetic abnormalities like neural tube defect or Down’s syndrome. However with regular ultrasound and amniocentesis test, you can keep a tab on the overall growth and development of the foetus.
With inputs from Dr Vikram Shah, Gynaecologist and Obstetrician from Ashwini Hospital, Mumbai
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