I'm nearly 40 and pregnant again. Is my age a problem?

Hamed Al-Taher

BabyCenter's expert obstetrician and gynaecologist.

Not necessarily. If you are fit and healthy, and had a straightforward pregnancy and delivery last time, you are likely to be fine this time, too. Research suggests that the risk of your baby having a structural abnormality, such as spina bifida, or a limb or kidney problem, won't increase.

However, there are a few things you should be aware of. Your risk of miscarriage does increase with age, mostly because chromosomal problems such as Down’s syndrome are more likely. At 40, your risk of having a baby with Down's syndrome is about one in 109. You may want to have a screening test which will estimate your own, individual risk.

Though most pregnant women who are 40 will have a healthy baby, if you are an older mum, some pregnancy complications are more likely to happen, including:

Your doctor will check your blood pressure and test your urine during your regular antenatal appointments to look out for early signs of these.

You can take steps to reduce your likelihood of developing high blood pressure and gestational diabetes. Regular, gentle exercise, and eating a balanced diet will help to keep you and your baby healthy. This means eating lean meat and fish, low-fat dairy foods, pulses, wholegrain cereal and bread, and plenty of fruits and vegetables. Foods such as cakes, pastries, fizzy drinks, mithais and deep fried savouries should only be an occasional treat.

Once you reach 40, you are more likely to have a caesarean than if you were younger. This may be because:
  • the muscles in your uterus don't work as well as they did when you were younger
  • your doctors assume that as an older mum you need more care, even if your pregnancy is going well.
  • you have fibroids which are benign growths in the muscle wall of the uterus (womb) and are more common if you are an older mum. If the fibroids are large, or in the lower part of your uterus, they may obstruct the opening of your uterus (womb).

But there are several things you can do during pregnancy and birth to reduce your chances of having a caesarean. These include seeing your doctor early on in your pregnancy, making a birth plan, and having good support throughout your pregnancy and labour.

There are lots of positives for you as an older mum. The birth of your second baby is likely to be easier than your first, because your cervix tends to dilate more quickly than it did the first time. So if you had a vaginal birth last time, you may also have a vaginal birth this time.

And once you are in your late 30s and early 40s you're more likely to have a healthier lifestyle than when you were younger. You're less likely to smoke or drink as much alcohol, which will benefit both you and your baby. You will probably also be more stable financially and more mature emotionally.


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