Q: What is considered a high-risk age group for women who want to have a baby?
A: Women over the age of 35 are considered at high risk of miscarriages when they try to become pregnant. However, the highest risk is attributed to postmenopausal women since they experience cardiovascular aging.
Q: What are the implications for older women getting pregnant?
A: With women over 35 years becoming pregnant for the first time, the overall family size is reducing and the fertility rate is also on the decline.
Q: What are my chances of getting pregnant after 35?
A: According to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the chances of women conceiving after the age of 35 reduces drastically with a 24% miscarriage rate and 50-51% miscarriage rate in women over the age of 40. Only 2 in 5 women over the age of 40 are able to conceive successfully.
Q: Is there reproductive aging in men?
A: Men over the age of 40 begin to experience disorders in their reproductive system (e.g. reduced sexual activity, poor sperm quality, and reduced male hormone levels). However, reproductive aging in men is not as significant as that seen in women.
Q: How can pregnancy in women of AMA be avoided?
A: Reproductive aging is an unavoidable hazard in women and men. Health professionals should educate young couples about this reality. It is ideal for women who have family aspirations to try to achieve their goals of reproduction within 35 years of age. School children should be educated about fertility, contraception as well as sexually transmitted diseases.
