rosegolddragon t1_iwwri57 wrote on November 18, 2022 at 10:57 PM

Thank you for being here! I'm 34 and I'm looking at having my second child in a couple years. I heard the risk of health issues goes up after 35. Is this a significant risk (are we talking single digit odds or double?). Does IVF lower these risks? Are their natural ways such as diet that lower these risks? Thank you in advance.

DrJosephDavisDO OP t1_iwxpahf wrote on November 19, 2022 at 3:35 AM

Hi @rosegolddragon,

There are some risks of pregnancy as we approach our later 30s and 40s but a lot depends on your overall health status (such as high blood pressure, etc). The other risks we think of related to pregnancy over 35 are risks of genetic problems in the baby. The risk of having a baby with Down’s Syndrome for example is 1/1000 roughly at age 30 and is closer to 1/350 by age 35 and 1/100 by age 40. An unfortunate corollary to the increased chromosomal abnormalities is an increased chance of miscarriage. These risks related to the baby don’t seem to be reduced with diet or lifestyle but can be tested for using PGT.

If you have other medical conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes, lifestyle and diet can in some cases help reduce the risks associated with those conditions. Hope that helps!