My clock is ticking!

Happy Birthday!! You have just entered the 32nd year of your life and you are celebrating your birthday with your family, friends, well wishers and their children. You have reached a time in your life where you have accomplished a successful career and a steady, well-paying job in the working world. Your relationship has reached a certain level of maturity and now, your biological clock is ticking! You want a family of your own! That's good news! But are there any risks involved in having a baby at this age?

A lot has been spoken about women and the difficulties of having a baby post thirty years of age. So let's put things into perspective! Firstly, with age, health issues like hypertension and diabetes slowly begin to alter your normal blood reports. A woman's fertility starts deteriorating in her early 30's and reaches a free fall by late 30's and early 40's. Research has it that there is a tremendous difference between a woman's ability to conceive in her 20's compared to her 30's. As you age, the odds of getting pregnant in each ovulation cycle too drops by 15 percent. Complications like miscarriages, chromosomal abnormalities, Down's syndrome, preeclampsia, spontaneous abortions and genetic diseases steadily increase and these can be emotionally disturbing for the couple.

However, the good news is that it is not always the age that matters but the woman's health before conceiving is another important factor that can in most cases be under our control. Being physically fit and active, having a healthy lifestyle and being in good emotional health can help in reducing the risks associated with delayed pregnancy. Emotionally, many older mothers feel more confident, relaxed and settled to give all their time and commitment to their new baby. By this age, a sense of financial security sets in and this can reduce the stress and anxiety involved in pregnancy to a greater extent than at a younger age in their life.

Today, genetic counselors are specially trained to interpret your genetic make-up and predict the outcomes of your pregnancy. They can also help you pursue any genetic tests like maternal serum screening, chronic villus sampling, amniocentesis or suggest preventative measures. They can also provide emotional support needed during this period. With these advances parents can either terminate pregnancy or prepare themselves for a special child.

Despite the real, perceived or potential risks, researchers agree that the outcomes of pregnancy most of the time is as good as it is for a younger mother and studies show that the actual outcome for the baby is often every bit as good as that for younger mothers and most of the time a healthy lifestyle can help reduce the risks associated with age to an extent.

To conclude, having a baby is a pleasurable responsibility that every parent craves. So when things are good and your health is in good shape, make the best of it!