Pregnancy in older mothers and fetal risks

Childbearing beyond maternal age 50 is associated with significantly increased risks for the fetus, according to the results of a recent study.Women in the 50 plus age range who are thinking of becoming pregnant should receive special counselling both before and after conception so that they become informed of the increased risks involved. Researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham feel that there is a lack of reliable information on pregnant women in their fifties. They reviewed all 12,066,854 deliveries in the U.S. between 1997 and 1999, categorising mothers as young (age 20-29), mature (age 30-39), very mature (age 40 to 49), and older (age 50 or more). There were 539 deliveries in the older group. They found that fetal growth, fetal maturity and survival were significantly compromised among 50-year old mothers in comparison to their younger counterparts, including women in their forties. Older mothers were two to three times more likely to have infants that were growth-impaired, immature or stillborn.

Pregnancy beyond age 50 may represent a distinct obstetric entity with a risk pattern that differs from that observed for mature and very mature mothers. While the researchers did not specifically address the use of assisted reproduction technologies in the study, most of the pregnancies in the 50 plus group were artificially induced. Because of the risks, assisted reproduction technology clients need to be adequately informed of the possible implications of achieving pregnancy beyond age 50, so that they are well-equipped to make an informed decision. The study also highlights the need to generate guidelines that will eventually govern the use of assisted reproduction technologies among women in their fifties. It is also noteworthy that while most women in the 50 plus group were married with at least 12 years of education, "surprisingly," only about half of them received adequate prenatal services.

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