What are the risks of giving birth at an advanced age?
With the development of society and the improvement of people's living standards, more and more women choose to postpone childbearing in order to pursue career or other personal goals. However, the elderly childbearing will face a series of risks and problems. This article will elaborate on the risks of elderly childbearing from four aspects: physical health, maternal and infant health, psychological pressure and social support.
Physical health risks
Physical health is the primary risk faced by elderly childbearing. The increasing age of women will lead to the decline of ovarian function, the decline of egg quality and the deterioration of uterine environment, thus increasing the difficulty of pregnancy and delivery. In addition, elderly pregnant women are often accompanied by chronic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes and heart disease, which will increase the risk of complications during pregnancy.
On the other hand, the risk of delivery of elderly women also increases. Because of the decrease of uterine muscle elasticity and the change of birth canal structure, the risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth, such as premature delivery, placental insufficiency and fetal distress, is more common. It may even require surgical intervention such as an emergency caesarean section.
In addition, the elderly childbearing will also have certain challenges to the recovery of the mother. Older mothers often need more time to recover, and a series of physical changes may have a greater impact on the physical and mental health of the mothers.
Maternal and infant health risks
The risk of the elderly parturient is not limited to the process of pregnancy and childbirth, but also there are certain risks in postpartum and infant health. Older childbearing is related to the increase of low birth weight infants, congenital malformations and infant mortality. This may be related to maternal age related gene mutations and chromosomal abnormalities.
For the risk of postpartum depression, older women who give birth tend to be higher. On the one hand, after years of career development and independent life, they may face rapid role changes and increased family responsibilities. On the other hand, childbirth is a time-consuming and physically demanding process, which will increase the incidence of postpartum psychological problems for women.
Psychological pressure
In addition to physical challenges, elderly childbearing is also accompanied by tremendous psychological pressure. The problems that may be faced include: anxiety and pressure caused by declining fertility, worries about the stability of marriage and family, worries about raising and educating children in the future, and so on. These psychological pressures may have a negative impact on women's mental health, and even affect the relationship between husband and wife.
social support
In the process of elderly childbearing, it is vital to obtain social support and care to reduce risks and pressure. However, the society's recognition and support for the elderly childbearing is not high. Some medical institutions may be more cautious about elderly mothers, and are unwilling to assume high-risk medical responsibilities. In addition, family support is also critical. If the family does not understand or support the decision to give birth to the elderly, the puerpera will face greater psychological pressure and distress.
Summary
The risks of elderly childbearing are mainly manifested in physical health, maternal and infant health, psychological pressure and social support. From the perspective of physical health, the elderly childbirth increases the risk of complications during pregnancy, the difficulty of maternal rehabilitation, and the possibility of congenital malformations of infants. In terms of psychological pressure, elderly pregnant women often face increased anxiety, pressure and family responsibilities. In terms of social support, women who give birth at an advanced age often face incomprehension and support from medical institutions and families. Therefore, in addition to timely consulting professional doctors and receiving necessary examinations, it is also vital for women who plan to have children at an advanced age to actively seek social support and care.
