Elderly childbearing and risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth
In recent years, with the development of society and the improvement of living standards, more and more women choose to postpone childbearing. However, whether there is a correlation between elderly childbearing and pregnancy and childbirth complications has been a controversial topic. In this article, we will elaborate on the impact of elderly childbearing on the risk of pregnancy and perinatal complications from four aspects: physical condition, fetal development, gestational diabetes and perinatal complications.
1. Physical condition
With the growth of age, women's physical conditions will gradually change. On the one hand, the number and quality of eggs of elderly women will gradually decline, thus increasing the risk of miscarriage and chromosomal abnormalities. On the other hand, elderly women may have some chronic diseases, such as hypertension and diabetes, which will increase the probability of complications during pregnancy. According to research data, pregnant women over 35 years old are more likely to have complications such as pregnancy induced hypertension and placental insufficiency than those between 20 and 30 years old.
In addition, older women also need to bear greater physical burden during pregnancy. During pregnancy, women's body will undergo various changes, such as uterine dilatation, blood volume increase, etc. For older women with poor physical conditions, these changes may cause greater pressure on the body, thus increasing the risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
Therefore, from the point of view of physical condition, elderly childbirth will increase the risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
2. Fetal development
Older childbearing will also affect the development of the fetus. The study found that the fetus of older pregnant women has a higher risk of chromosomal abnormalities (such as Down syndrome), because the quality and quantity of female eggs will decline with age. In addition, the fetus of elderly pregnant women may have growth retardation, intrauterine distress and other problems.
In addition to chromosome abnormalities and fetal development problems, older pregnant women may also face other pregnancy complications, such as amniotic fluid embolism, placental abruption, etc. These complications may threaten the life and health of the fetus.
Therefore, from the perspective of fetal development, the elderly birth also increases the risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
3. Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes mellitus is one of the common complications of elderly pregnant women. As women grow older, their pancreatic islet function may decline, leading to the occurrence of gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes may not only increase the risk of fetal macrosomia, but also lead to other complications of pregnant women themselves, such as pregnancy induced hypertension, pre eclampsia, etc.
For older pregnant women, the risk of gestational diabetes is relatively high. Therefore, in the case of elderly childbearing, pregnant women need to monitor blood sugar more closely and take active measures to control blood sugar to reduce the risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
4. Perinatal complications
Perinatal complications are those that occur during or after childbirth. Older childbearing will increase the risk of complications such as dystocia and postpartum hemorrhage. Because the function of the uterus of elderly pregnant women may decline, and the uterine contractility may not be as strong as that of young pregnant women, it is difficult to deliver. Moreover, with the increase of age, pregnant women may have other chronic diseases, which may increase the risk of complications in the perinatal period.
In addition, the postpartum recovery rate of elderly pregnant women may be relatively slow, and they are prone to infection and other problems when they are weak.
Summary
To sum up, elderly childbearing will increase the risk of pregnancy and childbirth complications in terms of physical condition, fetal development, gestational diabetes and perinatal complications. Therefore, elderly women should fully consider their own physical conditions and potential risks when deciding to give birth, and conduct a comprehensive inspection and evaluation under the guidance of doctors.
