Pregnancy after the age of 40

Abstract

Many regard childbearing as the most life-changing and perhaps the most desirable aspect of a women's life. Correspondingly, reduced fertility has a significant negative impact on a woman and her family. To this end, gynecologists work to preserve and restore fertility. Recently, however, in developed countries, more women are becoming pregnant later in life, whether by choice or circumstance. This could be a direct result of the increasing availability of both effective contraception and infertility treatment, but perhaps more pertinently the changing lifestyles and career choices that modern women make. This article offers a perspective on pregnancy after the age of 40, the impact on maternal and fetal outcomes, the social implications and the importance of prenatal counseling. © 2006 Future Medicine Ltd.