The risk of elderly childbearing on maternal and infant health
With the development of society and the change of people's conception of childbearing, more and more women choose to delay childbearing, that is, the elderly childbearing. However, the elderly childbearing has brought a series of health risks, especially the impact on the health of mothers and infants. This article will elaborate on the risks of elderly childbirth to mother and infant health from four aspects: pre pregnancy, pregnancy, delivery and postpartum.
Pre pregnancy risk
1. Fertility decline: With the growth of women's age, their ovarian function gradually declines, and the quality and number of follicles also decrease, leading to a decline in fertility. Among women over 40 years old, the probability of natural pregnancy is significantly lower than that of women under 35 years old.
2. Increased risk of genetic diseases: With the increase of age, mothers may carry more risk genes of genetic diseases, thus increasing the possibility of diseases to the fetus. Some common genetic diseases, such as Down syndrome, are closely related to the age of the mother.
3. Increased pregnancy complications: Older pregnant women are more likely to suffer from complications such as pregnancy induced hypertension, diabetes, pre eclampsia and so on, bringing certain risks to their mothers' health. These complications may lead to complications during pregnancy and postpartum recovery become more difficult.
Pregnancy risk
1. Inadequate maternal and fetal oxygen supply: Older pregnant women may face the risk of placental dysfunction, resulting in insufficient fetal oxygen supply. This may lead to fetal growth retardation, low birth weight, premature delivery and other problems.
2. Pregnancy complications worsen: The decline of physical functions of elderly pregnant women makes them more likely to suffer from pregnancy complications. For example, the incidence of diseases such as hypertension and diabetes has increased significantly in older pregnant women, which will have a serious impact on the health of mothers and fetuses.
3. Increased risk of pregnancy loss: Older pregnant women face greater risk of miscarriage and premature delivery. This may be caused by factors such as decreased uterine muscle elasticity, ectopic pregnancy and chromosomal abnormalities. These complications may affect the mother's mental and physical health.
Delivery risk
1. High caesarean section rate: Older pregnant women often face problems such as prolonged labor process and fetal distress in utero, resulting in high caesarean section rate. The risks of caesarean section include bleeding, infection, surgical trauma, etc., which may also have an impact on the mother's physical recovery and subsequent childbirth.
2. Increased risk of fetal asphyxia: During the delivery of elderly pregnant women, the fetus may face a prolonged lack of oxygen supply, thus increasing the risk of fetal asphyxia. Fetal asphyxia may lead to brain damage, mental retardation and other problems.
3. Increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage: Compared with young women, older women are more likely to have problems such as gradual relaxation of the fundus of the uterus and poor uterine contraction, which increases the risk of postpartum hemorrhage. Severe postpartum hemorrhage may threaten the mother's life and health.
Postpartum risk
1. Difficulty in breastfeeding: Due to changes in physical health and hormone levels, elderly mothers may face the problem of insufficient breast milk secretion, which affects the feeding of mothers and babies. This may lead to malnutrition of the baby and increased psychological pressure of the mother.
2. Increased psychological pressure: Older women face more life pressure and psychological pressure. They may need more care and attention, but also face greater self pressure and anxiety. This may have a negative impact on the mother's mental health.
3. The health risk of the offspring increases: the children of elderly mothers may face a series of health problems. Research shows that the children of elderly mothers are at a higher risk of suffering from certain diseases than those of young mothers, such as autism and psychosis.
Summary
Older childbearing has significant risks to the health of mothers and infants. The decline of fertility in the first trimester, the increased risk of genetic diseases and the occurrence of pregnancy complications have brought health risks to mothers. The lack of maternal and fetal oxygen supply during pregnancy, the aggravation of pregnancy complications and the risk of pregnancy loss will affect the development of the fetus and the health of the mother. The increased caesarean section rate during delivery, the increased risk of fetal asphyxia, and the risk of postpartum hemorrhage all pose risks to mothers and fetuses. The difficulty of breastfeeding in the postpartum period, the increase of psychological pressure and the increased health risk of the offspring also have a certain impact on the health of mothers and infants.
Therefore, women who plan to give birth at an advanced age should consult their doctors in advance and comprehensively assess the risks. At the same time, strengthening pre pregnancy health care and regular prenatal examination, focusing on balanced nutrition and physical exercise, will help to reduce the risks of elderly childbirth and protect the health of mothers and infants.
