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- $Unique_ID{BRK00206}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{The Dangers of Pregnancy After Age 35}
- $Subject{pregnancy late complications Childbirth children age riskier
- pregnancies risk childbearing high blood pressure diabetes mellitus
- chromosomally abnormal chromosomal chromosome chromosomes birth defect defects
- Down's syndrome births fetuses abort spontaneously miscarriage healthy child
- baby infant danger dangers risks}
- $Volume{K-0,T-14}
- $Log{}
-
- Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
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-
- The Dangers of Pregnancy After Age 35
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-
- QUESTION: Is it true about becoming a mother later in life? What are the
- dangers of pregnancy after age 35?
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-
- ANSWER: Having children, especially a first child, after age 35 is riskier
- than having them at a younger age, but such pregnancies are not higher risk if
- the mother is healthy. Until the 1970's, obstetricians rarely saw women older
- than 35 expecting their first child. Now more and more women are delaying
- their childbearing and physicians have gotten used to seeing such patients.
- Part of the increased risk after age 35 stems from the fact that older
- women are slightly more likely to have high blood pressure or diabetes, both
- of which can cause complications during pregnancy. Older women are also
- slightly more likely to bear a chromosomally abnormal child, such as a child
- with Down's syndrome; but until age 45 such births are still a relatively
- small fraction of all live births. Chromosomally abnormal fetuses often abort
- spontaneously, which increase the miscarriage rate among older pregnant women.
- Still, with good care, a healthy woman who is pregnant after age 35 is likely
- to have a healthy baby.
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-
- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
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-