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Supermodel Naomi Campbell, 53, just welcomed a baby boy, her second child in two years, and urged women to embrace their motherhood in their older years. Sharing a photo of her newly-born son on her Instagram profile on Wednesday night, she captioned the post, “My little darling, know that you are cherished beyond measure and surrounded by love from the moment you graced us with your presence. A true gift from God, blessed! Welcome baby boy. #mumoftwo. It’s never too late to become a mother.”
It has often been said that post-30, pregnancy can lead to complications. But technological advancements and options like egg freezing and donor egg implants have meant that women can choose to have a baby in their later years when they have stable careers and are comfortably placed to take up the role responsibilities of motherhood.
After the age of 50, a woman’s odds of conceiving spontaneously are roughly less than 0.5 percent. However, IVF (in-vitro fertilisation) treatment with viable eggs — either donor eggs or previously frozen mother’s eggs — can increase the possibility of pregnancy. “Women planning pregnancy at this age need to take hormonal support in the form of injections. It is important to understand that getting pregnant after 45 years can cause many complications in the mother. So that’s why a lot of markers like heart health, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, overall fitness and a good mental threshold must first be looked into. Chronic medical conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and obesity are a risk for pregnancy-related morbidity. Your uterine health needs to be assessed and may have to be prepped with hormone therapy if you are receiving the egg. There needs to be intense monitoring, preparation and care,” says Dr Rajashri Bhasale, gynaecologist, Wockhardt Hospitals, Mira Road, Mumbai.
What about the possibility of birth defects?
The chance of birth defects after 35 years increases. Says Dr Bhasale, “Every year, around one in every 33 newborns (about three per cent of all births) in the US is born with a birth defect in late pregnancies. Some birth abnormalities might not require treatment or are easily cured. On the other hand, other birth malformations necessitate prompt treatment since they might lead to significant complications or even death.”
What can be the changes in the mother’s health post-birth if she decides to get pregnant after 50?
Certain changes, including lochia (vaginal discharge), breast engorgement, perineal pain and constipation, may occur after birth. Dr Surabhi Siddhartha, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at Motherhood Hospital, Mumbai, says, “There could be changes in vision, severe headache, discomfort in the upper right belly or shoulder, difficulty breathing, abrupt weight gain, back pain, shoulder pain, anxiety issues because of sleeplessness or swelling in the legs, hands or face, postpartum depression and skin changes such as dryness. You might be suffering from postpartum preeclampsia. This is a dangerous disorder that older women might have to face.”
What does late pregnancy mean for the child’s health?
“Babies born to older moms are more likely to be born with specific genetic abnormalities, such as Down’s syndrome. Pregnancy loss is more likely. Miscarriage and stillbirth risk rises with age. This might be due to previous medical disorders or chromosomal issues in the newborn,” says Dr Siddhartha.
“There is a limited number of eggs in the lifespan of a woman. The quality and numbers of eggs worsen with age, leading to greater risks of genetic defects in babies born to such mothers. They have to be monitored genetically. The risk of birth defects increases with advancing age due to poor egg quality. There is a higher risk of chromosomal abnormalities in elderly pregnancies. The baby could be pre-term and have a low birth weight too,” says Dr Uma Vaidyanathan, Senior Consultant, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh.
When should women freeze their eggs?
According to Dr Aruna Kalra, Director, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, CK Birla Hospital, Gurugram, egg freezing is completely safe. “In case of complications in the ovaries, or if the patient is suffering from cancer, then the eggs are retrieved before proceeding with the chemotherapy sessions and are frozen. For instance, if any young aged girl around 20-25 years is diagnosed with cancer or is not ready for marriage right now, she can opt for egg freezing and can have her own biological child whenever she wants in the future or after the complete cure from disease. The quality of the eggs fades away with age, especially around 36-37 years of age and later, in comparison to those during the 20s and early 30s. In cases where one is suffering from autoimmune condition, or even cancer, certain medications and injections are given to stimulate the egg follicles and the best quality eggs are then retrieved. The retrieved eggs are frozen in the embryology lab under the specified temperature and pressure. Whenever the woman/ couple plans for conception, these eggs can be used via ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) and IVF procedure to successfully plant the embryo in the womb (prepared uterus),” she says.
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