Many women are able to carry pregnancies after age 35 and beyond. However, there are certain risks — for both mother and baby — that tend to increase with maternal age. Infertility. It may take longer to get pregnant as you get closer to menopause.

Experts recommend waiting at least 18 months between pregnancies because it reduces the risk of your youngest child being preterm or low birthweight (especially if you’re over 35).

A “Today Show” survey reported that having three children is actually the most stressful number for parents. This is bad news if you’re thinking of stopping at three kids. But it’s good news if you’re planning on having even more children. According to the study, more kids somehow equals less stress.

Geriatric pregnancy is a rarely used term for having a baby when you’re 35 or older. Rest assured, most healthy women who get pregnant after age 35 and even into their 40s have healthy babies.

“It’s exceptionally rare for patients to get pregnant naturally at 50 or over 45. They make history,” said Dr. David Keefe, an obstetrician-gynecologist and fertility researcher at New York University. In part that’s because around age 50, many women are entering menopause, after which egg harvesting isn’t possible.

Several studies have also observed an association between older maternal age and nonchromosomal birth defects such as neural tube defects, cleft lip or palate, congenital inguinal hernia, and cardiac defects (Baird et al., 1991; Czeizel, 1988; Khoshnood et al., 2008; Reefhuis and Honein, 2004).

Pregnancy at advanced maternal age (AMA), defined as age 35 years or older, is associated with several adverse pregnancy outcomes including preterm birth, low birth weight, still birth, chromosomal defects, labor complications, and cesarean section [3–7]; therefore, it is considered to be a “high risk” pregnancy.

The risks can be life-threatening, including preeclampsia, problems with the placenta and fetal growth, preterm delivery, and placental abruption. Babies born to older women are at greater risk of birth defects caused by genetic disorders or chromosome problems, such as Down syndrome.

Babies born to older mothers have a higher risk of certain chromosome problems, such as Down syndrome. The risk of pregnancy loss is higher. The risk of pregnancy loss — by miscarriage and stillbirth — increases as you get older, perhaps due to pre-existing medical conditions or fetal chromosomal abnormalities.

A “high-risk” pregnancy means a woman has one or more things that raise her — or her baby’s — chances for health problems or preterm (early) delivery. A woman’s pregnancy might be considered high risk if she: is age 17 or younger. is age 35 or older.

Pregnant women under 17 or over 35 are considered high-risk pregnancies. Being pregnant with multiple babies. Having a history of complicated pregnancies, such as preterm labor, C-section, pregnancy loss or having a child with a birth defect.

Your health care provider might use an ultrasound to measure the length of your cervix at prenatal appointments to determine if you’re at risk of preterm labor. Lab tests. Your health care provider will test your urine for urinary tract infections and screen you for infectious diseases such as HIV and syphilis.