- Achieving motherhood for the first time after the age of 35 involves several risks and that is why it is necessary to see a doctor first.
- According to INEGI, there are more than 35 million Mexican mothers between the ages of 15 and 50.
- The WHO considers infertility as a worldwide problem because around 100 million couples have problems.
More and more women decide to postpone motherhood to first develop professional and economic stability. This is a valid decision and one that must be respected, although it cannot be overlooked that female fertility decreases with age. Pregnancies after the age of 35 can represent a risk for the mothers and also for the child. That is why it is important to know the alternatives, care and medical recommendations.
He Dr. Vicente Manuel Rocha Delfin specialist in Gynecology and Obstetrics at Hospital D’María, explains that age is essential when conceiving a child. The most fertile stage in women is between the ages of 20 and 30. From the age of 35, a decrease in oocyte function and quality begins, which is why pregnancies after this age are considered high risk and in certain cases can trigger various complications.
New mothers over 35 years of age are more likely to face difficulties during pregnancy compared to the population under that age. Therefore, the importance of consulting a doctor before trying to conceive, either spontaneously or through assisted reproductive therapies.
The also specialist in Gynecological Endoscopic Surgery and Infertility and Assisted Reproduction, explains that From the age of 35, a loss in the oocyte quality of the woman begins, making it more difficult for her to achieve pregnancy.
Once you do, you may face risks such as recurrent miscarriages, as well as babies with chromosomal abnormalities, the most common being trisomy 21 or better known as Down’s Syndrome.
“The percentage of presenting a loss in pregnancy in women older than 35 years is 20-30%, at 37 years this percentage rises to 40% and increases as age passes.”
Fertility, a global problem
In this process of pregnancy in adulthood, the participation of the couple is also of great importance. The World Health Organization (WHO) considers infertility as a problem worldwide since around 100 million couples have problems in this regard.
“In the study of the infertile couple, up to 50% of the origin can come from the male, so it is important to analyze the couple as a whole.”
Dr. Rocha details that the woman must have three characteristics to get pregnant: have regular menstrual cycles, anatomy or complete reproductive system (without injuries or disease) and sperm of adequate quality.
The couple that tries to conceive spontaneously has an effectiveness rate of up to 17% per month. In this way the probability of pregnancy in healthy couples of 30 years is 75%, from 35 years it is 65% and at 40 years 40%.
She also reiterates that over time women are approaching perimenopause where women begin to have alterations in their menstrual cycles accompanied by vasomotor symptoms; however, this does not exempt them from becoming pregnant and can even develop a pregnancy without complications.
Medical controls during the pregnancy process are important for women of any age; however, this care must be taken to extremes for high-risk pregnancies, explains the specialist in Gynecology and Obstetrics.
Dr. Vicente Rocha recommends that women over 37 who are contemplating maternity go to a specialist so that they know their possibilities, since with age the quality of the ovules decreases, and this makes spontaneous pregnancy difficult. For women who are already pregnant, it is important to eat a good diet and follow medical recommendations.
current treatments
There are various treatments to achieve an assisted pregnancy such as in vitro fertilization.
Dr Rocha points out that it is important to know what the expectant mother requires in terms of assisted reproduction. The costs vary according to the treatments and medications.
- Scheduled coitus. It consists of monitoring the ovulatory cycles of the patient, which really does not generate much expense for couples.
- Artificial insemination. It consists of studying the couple, as for the woman, to confirm that there is no metabolic or endocrine alteration in her reproductive axis, as well as that the anatomical structures (uterus-tubes) are in perfect condition. On the part of the man, the characteristics of the semen are studied and it is prepared. It consists of shortening the path of the spermatozoa and their passage through the vagina, to be deposited in it and thus, facilitate their passage to the ovum.
- In vitro fertilization. Process that consists of stimulating the ovary to capture as many oocytes as possible. These are passed to a laboratory where they are incubated and fertilized, monitoring their development. Once they reach the blast state (state prior to the implantation of an embryo in the maternal uterus), genetic studies are sometimes carried out to study them in order to know if they are nano or not. Subsequently, they are transferred to the endometrial cavity, through a cannula, waiting for the implant to develop a viable pregnancy.
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