35 Is The New 25. If it’s any consolation, all across America moms are pushing off childbirth and waiting to experience pregnancy by 35. Women are now more in demand than ever. So it’s no surprise that they are trying to conceive only after they have fulfilled personal goals first like established a career and figuring out what they want out of life. If you are one of the many women who is planning to experience pregnancy by 35. You are not alone. The good news is, things have changed over the years. Technology has advanced and adapted so that pregnancy by 35 is still possible. It may tricky, yes, but with the right planning and resources, there’s no doubt you can have a healthy pregnancy by 35.
What’s All The Fuss, Getting Pregnant By 35?
Traditionally speaking, if you are 35 and over, your pregnancy is considered a high risk pregnancy. But just because it is considered high risk, does not mean it has to be. For the most part, if you are a healthy adult who is trying to get pregnant by 35, then by all means, your pregnancy should be healthy too. However, the fact cannot be avoided that if you are trying to achieve pregnancy by 35, then there are some risks that should be taken into consideration
High Risk Pregnancy
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There are many reasons that getting pregnant by 35 and later is considered a high risk pregnancy. Some of these reasons include
- Gestational diabetes
- Increased risk of stillbirth and miscarriage
- Infertility
- Bleeding complication
- Emergency cesarean sections and
- Chromosomal abnormalities
One of the major reasons that pregnancy by 35 is considered a high risk pregnancy is because of a woman’s egg count. The egg is literally where life starts. If you have an unhealthy egg, then you are going to run into complications. Unlike men and their unlimited supply of sperm, women are born with a certain amount of eggs. About 300,000 to be exact. Once a woman turns 30, her egg count starts to dwindle. At the of 30, a woman’s egg count dwindles to about 12 percent. Another contributing factor to a high risk pregnancy is if you have any pre-existing or chronic conditions. If you do, this may make your ability to conceive a bit more difficult.
Planning Is Key
There are many reasons why some women why women have fears of getting pregnant after 35. The fact of the matter is that many of these fears can be dispelled simply by having the proper planning. If you know that you are not going to experience pregnancy by 35, but are still hoping to have a baby later on in life, then one of the major things you should be focused on is the proper planning. When you and your doctors come up with a detailed plan, you are setting the stage for how to prepare for pregnancy after 35. Keep your goal in mind and with the right planning, you are sure to reach it.
Meet With Your Doctor
If you are trying to have a baby and experience pregnancy by 35 or after, then you need to meet with your doctor. Meeting with your doctor before you begin your journey of having a baby can have a tremendous impact on your outcome. When you meet with your doctor, you will have access to planning your pregnancy with diligence and care that is specific to you. Along with that, your doctor can monitor your health and advice on whether or not you need to change anything to prepare for your pregnancy. Be sure to meet with both your general doctor and your OB/GYN for a well rounded, comprehensive understanding of your health.
Take Your Prenatal Vitamins
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Taking your prenatal vitamins is necessary for any pregnancy. But once you aim for a pregnancy by 35, then your prenatal vitamins become a must. All prenatal vitamins are not alike. Meet with your doctor to figure out what prenatal vitamins are best for you and your pregnancy. Some prenatal vitamins are targeted for women 35 and over because they contain vitamins and nutrients that will be more beneficial if you are trying to conceive after 35.
Don’t Skip Your Prenatal Visits
Just like your prenatal pills, you want to start your prenatal visits before attempting to conceive. If you are aiming for pregnancy by 35, then it’s imperative that you keep up with your prenatal care. As you progress through your pregnancy, your doctor can monitor to see if everything is going as planned. For example, the risk of your baby being born with Down’s Syndrome increases the older you get. If your baby does develop this chromosomal abnormality, then your doctor can catch it early so that the proper planning can take place to prepare you.
Limit Your Alcohol Use
Pregnancy by 35 brings with its own set of risk factors. You can help limit some of these risk factors like early miscarriage by limiting your alcohol use. The American Academy of Pediatrics has identified that Alcohol can contribute to having a miscarriage. You don’t have to avoid alcohol entirely, but limiting your intake, especially during the time of your menstrual cycle can have a big impact on your goal of trying to conceive.
Leave Stress At The Door
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It is no secret that stress doesn’t do much good for your body. This cannot be said enough if you are trying to have a successful pregnancy by 35. Limit your body’s stress level as best you can. When you avoid stress, you give your body the ability to function at its best. This is imperative if you are trying to have a baby after 35.
Take Care Of Yourself
As if you didn’t need another reason to eat healthily and exercise. If you know you are going to be experiencing pregnancy by 35, then you need to start taking care of yourself. Although having a baby at age 35 is considered a high risk pregnancy, it does not have to be in actuality. If you take care of yourself by making proper nutritional decisions, then your body will thank you for it when it’s time to get to baby making. The same goes for your exercise. Keep your body in tip-top shape to prepare it for the new life that will inhabit it.
Think Ahead
Whether it’s through your own choosing or life’s circumstances. If you know that you are probably not going to be pregnant by 35, then take action while you are still young. With a little bit of savings and a lot of the right planning, you can choose to freeze your eggs. Freezing your eggs might be the ideal solution if you are not looking to get pregnant right away. Your egg count only decreases as you get older. By the time you are 30, you have about 12 percent of your eggs left. That number falls to 3 percent once you hit 40. Increase your odds of getting pregnant by freezing your eggs early on while they are still young and healthy.
Keep a strong support system
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Having the right support system around you is key if you are hoping for pregnancy by 35. When you have a positive support system around you, you lower your level of stress and anxiety. In turn, this helps your body do what it needs to do when you are trying to conceive.
Final Thoughts
Achieving a successful pregnancy by 35 is in no way shape or form impossible. In fact, about 12 percent of babies born in the US are born to mothers who are 35 or older. With the advantages that come with being a woman in today’s society, that number only increases. Being an older mom (and let’s face it, being 35 or even 40 is NOT old by any means) comes with its own set of advantages. Moms who give birth in their later years tend to have a lot more financial security. Not only that, but older moms tend to live longer and have a lot more energy than younger moms. If you are a mom that is looking for ways of how to prepare for pregnancy after 35, take some of these tips into consideration, and you should be well on your way to success.
