Pregnant Women Over 50 Do Pretty Well

A new study at Columbia University Medical Center has revealed that the age at which a woman gets pregnant does not determine risk of complications the woman might have to face during the pregnancy. Even post menopausal pregnancies face the exact same risks as pregnancies for younger women.Following the study of 101 post-menopausal women, all receiving IVF treatment using donated eggs, researchers found that their subsequent pregnancies were at no more risk than those of younger women who conceived the same way. They found that women over 50 had the same likelihood of developing complications like gestational diabetes, premature labor as patients undergoing the same treatment under the age of 42. However, the older women had a marginally higher rate of developing high blood pressure.

Senior author of the article, Dr. Mark Sauer said, "Under a microscope, the uterus changes very little with age. If they're well-screened and well cared for, they really should do O.K." He pointed out that egg production decreases with age, but the ability to carry a child conceived with donor eggs will change less over time.

The study is published in the American Journal of Perinatology.

Source-Medindia