News of Hollywood actress Kelly Preston getting pregnant at 47 sent shockwaves among fans, moms, and even medical professionals. Preston is just among the many celebrities who became pregnant later in life, with Madonna, Geena Davis, and Jane Seymour included in the list.
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| Image Source: dailymail.co.uk |
While these successful pregnancies are great news for older women who are looking to conceive, getting pregnant at 40 is never a smooth journey, and majority of women trying to get pregnant at this age are not going to be successful.
The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development attests that old maternal age is one of the well-recognized risk factors for a high-risk pregnancy. Other factors include:
• Being overweight or underweight
• Pre-existing health conditions, like high blood pressure, autoimmune disorders, cancer, and other infectious diseases
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| Image Source: reuters.com |
• Irregular prenatal care visits
• Multiple births
What to do?
No matter what age a woman is in, there are basics to having a healthy pregnancy. Mayo Clinic suggests scheduling a preconception appointment and being extra cautious when using assisted reproductive technology or ART when trying to conceive. Before and during pregnancy, intake of folic acid, calcium, iron and other nutrients is vital. Also, gaining the right amount of weight sustains the baby's health — a weight gain of 25 to 35 pounds is recommended for women with a healthy weight before gestation. Reasonably, smoking, alcohol drinking, and taking illegal drugs are off-limits during this delicate time.
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| Image Source: sciencedaily.com |
Dr. Cristian Andronic is a board-certified ob-gyn who specializes in high-risk pregnancies. Follow this Twitter page to receive timely updates related to obstetrics and gynecology.
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