Bringing another life into the world carries a lot of meaning for many people. Becoming pregnant is a dream held by many women. And many fight to make that happen, even if it’s not in the most recommended stage of life. Others prefer to focus on their careers before having a child, but still want to experience motherhood. In any case, we are always talking here about late pregnancy. But what are the consequences it can bring? What real problems can it cause? How should you deal with a late pregnancy? If you want to know the answer to these and many other questions about the subject, keep reading our article today. But before that, do you really know when a pregnancy is considered late?
What Is Considered a Late Pregnancy?
Before anything else, it’s important to clarify what is considered a late pregnancy. Knowing this concept is key for you to understand all the other issues we’ll discuss in today’s article. And to do that, we also need to talk about the age considered ideal for getting pregnant. The idea of the ideal age to have a child isn’t set in stone, in other words, it has changed over the years, both because of advances in medicine and because of lifestyle changes that are quite common in our society. For example, in the 1960s, the ideal age for pregnancy was considered between 18 and 25 years old. Nowadays, it is considered to be between 20 and 30 years of age. Therefore, a late pregnancy is one that occurs after what is considered the ideal period, that is, after the age of 30. Of course, the risks of complications increase gradually as a woman gets older, but this is an average you can go by. 
What Are the Risks of Late Pregnancy?
A late pregnancy also means a high-risk pregnancy, since women have a greater chance of developing problems or even diseases, as well as more risks for the baby. As there are two different types of risks, we’ve separated what risks the mother can face and what risks a baby can face in a late pregnancy. This way, you can more easily understand all the consequences this type of pregnancy can bring.
Risks for the Mother
The main risks for the mother in a late pregnancy are:
- Pre-eclampsia
- Gestational Diabetes
- High Blood Pressure
We will discuss each of these problems separately so that you can better understand what they are.
Pre-eclampsia
Pre-eclampsia is a complication that can occur in pregnancy when a woman’s blood pressure is very high. Swelling in various parts of the body and severe headaches are common in this condition. If discovered early, it can be treated and controlled during pregnancy, but if complications arise, it can also affect the baby and may result in the need for an early delivery. It’s worth noting that pre-eclampsia does not occur solely in women with late pregnancies, but also in other high-risk pregnancies, such as in women who are obese or smokers, for example.
Gestational Diabetes
Gestational diabetes is another complication that can arise during a late pregnancy and does not usually present with clear symptoms, although increased hunger, thirst, and blurred vision can be warning signs. Gestational diabetes can cause a variety of issues if not properly treated. It is a type of diabetes that only appears when a woman is pregnant and goes away once the pregnancy is over. Treatment for this condition involves a balanced diet, moderate physical activity, and medical supervision. This monitoring is extremely important so that the baby’s health can be checked as well. So don’t neglect it. If the condition is not managed correctly, it can worsen and turn into chronic diabetes, which in turn can bring many other problems to a woman’s life.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is simply when blood exerts more pressure against the veins and arteries as it circulates. This disease can cause several symptoms, such as severe headaches and abdominal pain, swelling in various parts of the body, as well as blurred vision. Treatment for high blood pressure during pregnancy is much like that for gestational diabetes, and the main tools are diet and regular exercise. Just as with the other late pregnancy complications we mentioned here, this is a condition that can affect various kinds of high-risk pregnancies.
Risks for the Baby
The main risks for the baby in a late pregnancy are:
- Down Syndrome
- Greater Chance of Miscarriage
- Greater Chance of Premature Birth
We’ll also talk about each of these risks separately, so you can understand why they might occur.
Down Syndrome
Down syndrome is a condition caused by an error in cell division during pregnancy, resulting in a person with this syndrome having three chromosomes in pair 21 instead of two. Over time, a woman’s egg cells age along with her, which means that the chances of having a child with this syndrome increase as a woman gets older. At 35, women have a 0.5% chance of having a child with Down syndrome; at 40, that chance rises to 1%. At 45, the risk jumps even higher, to between 3% and 4%. That’s why it’s important to keep this in mind if you decide to have a late pregnancy.
Greater Chance of Miscarriage
The risk of miscarriage or even the baby dying during birth rises considerably in a late pregnancy. For instance, the risk for a 24-year-old woman is 7.8%, while for a 45-year-old woman, it jumps to 74.7%, a significant increase. Therefore, this is another point that should be discussed with your doctor and women should be aware of this before getting pregnant.
Greater Chance of Premature Birth
Another risk that late pregnancy brings is a greater chance of preterm birth — that is, before 37 weeks of pregnancy. The big issue here is that the baby might not be fully developed, making them more susceptible to illnesses and allergies throughout their life. A strict and consistent prenatal care routine during a late pregnancy can help prevent this from happening. While all these risks, both for the mother and for the baby, are real, it is important to stress that more and more women are having children after what is considered the ideal age by medicine. Of course, you will need to take special precautions and be more strict than with an average pregnancy, but if all the necessary steps are taken, the chances of a successful pregnancy are much higher.
Benefits of Late Pregnancy
And late pregnancy doesn’t only have downsides. In fact, there are many benefits to having a child after the age considered ideal. Some of the main benefits are:
- The Woman Is More Mature
- Finances Are in Better Shape
- You Will Have More Time for Your Child
We’ll also discuss each of these benefits separately and show you the positive side of having a late pregnancy.
The Woman Is More Mature
Women who have children later in life have more maturity to deal with various life situations. This also means they tend to be more patient when dealing with things that are common with children and difficult for many young mothers to handle. This greater ease thanks to maturity is perhaps the biggest advantage of late pregnancy.
Finances Are in Better Shape
Many women choose to have kids later so they can initially focus on their careers. This means that by the time a woman decides to have a child, she usually has more stable finances, which helps a lot in avoiding problems and expenses that are common when you have a child.
You Will Have More Time for Your Child
Both because of age and better financial stability, women often have more time to spend with their child. This is because they have more control over things like work vacations, or might even be closer to retirement and therefore able to enjoy more time with their children as they grow older. There are many benefits to late pregnancy, and this type of pregnancy should also be seen in a positive light. No matter your reasons for deciding on a late pregnancy, it is important to be aware of all the risks it can bring, as well as the positives that come with this type of pregnancy. Remember that good medical care is essential to reduce the risk of serious problems. This is the safest and best way to have a late pregnancy. After all, all we want is for our children to be born healthy and for us to have the health to raise them well.
