Post: Pregnancy of 35

Photo © AdobeStock.com/Gajus The average maternal age for women in the United States has steadily risen over the past fifty years. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the average age of mothers reached a record high of 30 years in 2019. For comparison, in 1970, the average maternal age of U.S. women was 24.6 years.

There are many reasons why women are waiting to have children at a later age. Many of these involve education and job opportunities, greater accessibility to reproductive technologies, and the ability to complete certain milestones before starting family planning. Today, 20% of women in the U.S. give birth to their first child after age 35.

The good news is there are multiple benefits for moms when starting a family later, including cognitive and longevity benefits.

The downside is that pregnancies after age 35, or what healthcare practitioners call “advanced maternal age,” come with a higher risk of complications to both mom and baby. Some of these risks include gestational diabetes, preterm birth, increased chromosomal abnormalities and other birth defects, and miscarriage. Risk factors extend to recovery post-birth as well.

The most significant contributing factors to these risks are likely related to ovarian aging, resulting in decreased quality of eggs later in life, and a general increased risk for chronic disease that occurs with age.

Despite these risks, there are various nutritional factors which may help to reduce the risks of pregnancy in women over the age of 35. During pregnancy we know that there is an increased need for essential nutrients like iron, vitamin D, and calcium making nutrition and supplementation increasingly important. Taking a high-quality prenatal vitamin that includes iron, folate, choline, and other nutrients to support a healthy pregnancy at any age is essential.

Folate

We’ve known for decades that adequate folate intake prior to conception is important to prevent neural tube defects. 1 In addition, emerging data suggests that it may also reduce risk for other fetal structural abnormalities, 2 including heart defects, 3 and may help to protect against early delivery, a risk factor with advanced maternal age. Common food sources of folate include dark […]

Pregnancy of 35