In women 40 years or over , the risk of pregnancy complications, such as high blood pressure, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes, increases. The rate of birth abnormalities or genetic conditions in the baby also increases.
Pregnancy in Your 40s
If you get pregnant after 35 years old, experts call this an “advanced maternal age” pregnancy. But it's still possible to get pregnant and deliver a healthy baby in your 40s. Childbirth at older ages has become more common too. Since the 1990s, birth rates in people aged 40-44 have gone up.
Older women are more likely to miscarry or have a stillbirth. They have a greater chance of developing gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and of delivering a baby who is very small. Then there can be problems with labor, resulting in a higher chance of cesarean birth.
Although most men are able to have children well into their 50s and beyond, it becomes gradually more difficult after the age of 40 . There are many reasons for this, including: Sperm quality tends to decrease with age.
Am I too old? While certain risks may rise with age, men continue to produce sperm throughout their lives and can father healthy children into old age.
By age 30, fertility (the ability to get pregnant) starts to decline. This decline happens faster once you reach your mid-30s. By 45, fertility has declined so much that getting pregnant naturally is unlikely.
You might be more financially stable and healthier
"Studies show that children of older mothers stay in the educational system longer, do better on standardized tests, and are more likely to go to college than their peers born to young moms," says Dr. Salber.
Most women over 40 have healthy pregnancies and babies. However, it can sometimes take longer to get pregnant and some people experience complications.
For women aged 15–49 in 2015–2019, the probability of having had a birth was 11% by age 18, 64% by age 30, and 82% by age 40 (Figure 3). For men, the probability of having fathered a child was 3% by age 18, 47% by age 30, and 72% by age 40.
After age 35, there's a higher risk of pregnancy-related complications that might lead to a C-section delivery. The risk of chromosomal conditions is higher. Babies born to older mothers have a higher risk of certain chromosomal conditions, such as Down syndrome. The risk of pregnancy loss is higher.
By their mid-40s, customarily considered the likely end of childbearing years (though of course there are exceptions), about 1 in 7 (or 14 percent) never did have any kids.
More women than ever are choosing to become first-time moms at 40 and beyond. We've been hearing for years that 40 is the new 30, and the increase in women having their first pregnancy over 40 shows that 40 isn't too late for women who want to become mothers.
While every biological clock is different, conception after 40 is difficult due to your egg supply decreasing with age. In fact, by the age of 40, 90% of your eggs are chromosomally absorbed, making it increasingly harder to conceive via natural methods.
Advanced maternal age describes a pregnancy where the birthing person is older than 35. Pregnant people over age 35 are more at risk for complications like miscarriage, congenital disorders and high blood pressure.
How many eggs does a woman have at 40? By the time a woman reaches 40, she'll be down to about 18,000 (3% of her pre-birth egg supply). Although the chances of conception are lower, this does not mean it is impossible to conceive at this age.
Women who have babies naturally in their 40s or 50s tend to live longer than other women.
Peak male fertility is around 25-29 years old. Sperm quality begins to decline at 30. At 45, men begin to experience a significant decrease in semen volume. Older men can also take longer to conceive a child.
For anyone who is looking to become pregnant after 30 or 35, experts suggest planning the first pregnancy before 37 years old. This increases the chances of having at least one child before fertility declines further. Some people who are around or over the age of 35 freeze their eggs to use later.
Based on the Bureau of Labor statistics, 50% of people over 40 are single. This means almost as many people are single in their forties as some are in relationships. Therefore, you have no reason to refuse to find a partner because you think there's no one to date.
Middle age is the period of a human's life beyond young adulthood but before the onset of old age. The exact range is subject to academic debate, but commonly the term is used to denote the age range from around 40–45 to around 60–65, although it may begin earlier and end later.
Is it possible to get pregnant naturally at 40? YES! While fertility does decline naturally as we age, starting around age 30, it is possible to become pregnant without fertility treatments after age 40.
'The changes don't stop there: 29 in every 1,000 40-year-olds gave birth, compared to just 11 in every 1,000 in their parents' generation – a 164% increase.
While delivering at age 35 and older is officially considered “advanced maternal age,” Dr. Kalish notes that in reality, there's no “magic number” for being at-risk for complications. “A healthy 38-year-old could have an easier pregnancy than a 20-year-old who has multiple medical issues,” Dr.