Pregnant over the age of 35

David Miller, MD, Chief of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, explains the health risks associated with becoming pregnant over the age of 35
Advanced Maternal Age Pregnancy Risks
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Pregnant over the age of 35

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If there aren't problems with conception, and if the pregnancy is not complicated by Down's Syndrome, and if the mother is healthy and doesn't have health conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes, what are the real risks of advanced maternal age? One risk is that women over the age of 35 probably have a slightly higher likelihood of having a Caesarian at the end of pregnancy, that is one known risk. Another known risk of advanced maternal age beyond 35 or beyond 40, depending on which study you read, is that there is, there appears to be a statistically significant two-fold increase in the risk of unexplained still-birth. When I say, "Unexplained" I mean not explained by Down's Syndrome, not explained by high blood pressure, not explained by diabetes, not explained by maternal medical conditions - just unexplained still-birth. There is no consensus whether anything can be done to modify this risk and the fact of the matter is, it's very low, in the range of 1% or less. So in the absence of medical conditions and the absence of Down's Syndrome, everything else being equal, most women, 35 and older can be managed the same as their younger counterparts.

David Miller, MD, Chief of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, explains the health risks associated with becoming pregnant over the age of 35

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David Miller, MD

Chief of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles

David A. Miller, MD, is Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Pediatrics at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California and Children's Hospital Los Angeles.  He is the Chief of Maternal Fetal Medicine at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and the Director of the CHLA-USC Institute for Maternal Fetal Health, a unique alliance of medical leaders from Children's Hospital Los Angeles and USC, specializing in interdisciplinary diagnosis and treatment of complex fetal abnormalities.  Dr. Miller graduated from USC, attended medical school at the University of Arkansas, did his internship and residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and came back to USC for fellowship training in Maternal-Fetal Medicine (Perinatology).  He has been a researcher, clinician and educator at USC for more than 20 years.  Dr. Miller has published extensively in the area of Maternal-Fetal Medicine and has won numerous awards and honors including Best Doctors in America from 2001-present.

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Transcription: 
If there aren't problems with conception, and if the pregnancy is not complicated by Down's Syndrome, and if the mother is healthy and doesn't have health conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes, what are the real risks of advanced maternal age? One risk is that women over the age of 35 probably have a slightly higher likelihood of having a Caesarian at the end of pregnancy, that is one known risk. Another known risk of advanced maternal age beyond 35 or beyond 40, depending on which study you read, is that there is, there appears to be a statistically significant two-fold increase in the risk of unexplained still-birth. When I say, "Unexplained" I mean not explained by Down's Syndrome, not explained by high blood pressure, not explained by diabetes, not explained by maternal medical conditions - just unexplained still-birth. There is no consensus whether anything can be done to modify this risk and the fact of the matter is, it's very low, in the range of 1% or less. So in the absence of medical conditions and the absence of Down's Syndrome, everything else being equal, most women, 35 and older can be managed the same as their younger counterparts.