Pregnancy: Geriatric after 35?!

[smiler grogan]

Hi Dr Steve,

Happy New Year to you and your family. Here in NY if a woman is 35 or older and pregnant it is considered a geriatric pregnancy.To me the age of 35 seems young. The majority of
my friends are having their first kids in their 30s and the second one comes late 30s/ early 40s. With humans living longer and the medical science and care improving it seems like the age should be bumped back a few years.
Obviously i'm asking because my wife is knocked up. This will be our second, she just turned 37 but never did drugs or smoked and probably had about a dozen drinks in her entire life, all test so far are fine although she is only about 11 weeks along so its early.
Our first kids pregnancy was filled with problems placenta previa, low amniotic fluid emergency c-section nicu unit for a while blah blah in the end everyone is 100% fine no lingering issues except my wifes a understandably nervous about something coming up and being labeled geriatric doesn't exactly help.

thanks Dr. Steve

[Thebazile78]

Hi Dr Steve,

Happy New Year to you and your family. Here in NY if a woman is 35 or older and pregnant it is considered a geriatric pregnancy.To me the age of 35 seems young. The majority of
my friends are having their first kids in their 30s and the second one comes late 30s/ early 40s. With humans living longer and the medical science and care improving it seems like the age should be bumped back a few years.
Obviously i'm asking because my wife is knocked up. This will be our second, she just turned 37 but never did drugs or smoked and probably had about a dozen drinks in her entire life, all test so far are fine although she is only about 11 weeks along so its early.
Our first kids pregnancy was filled with problems placenta previa, low amniotic fluid emergency c-section nicu unit for a while blah blah in the end everyone is 100% fine no lingering issues except my wifes a understandably nervous about something coming up and being labeled geriatric doesn't exactly help.

thanks Dr. Steve

Considering a 35 y/o's pregnancy as "older" or classifying her as high risk (especially if she had complications with her first pgcy) is not too far off the mark. All it means is that they are going to monitor her more closely than they would a 23 yr. old.

Think about it: as a woman, your fertility is limited. You have a finite number of eggs in your ovaries, and a finite number of years in which to use them until you hit menopause, which, can begin around the age of 45. There's a lot of crap that collects in your system and your hormones start to act differently, which affects your muscles and bones ... all of which are getting a ton of crap during pregnancy!!!

The time between 35 and 45 isn't really that long. Your body already starts to change as you enter your 30s, and you're at a greater risk of complications the older you are when you conceive.

Best of luck to you & your wife, bro. She's gonna be fine, but I understand not liking the label!!!

[smiler grogan]

Considering a 35 y/o's pregnancy as "older" or classifying her as high risk (especially if she had complications with her first pgcy) is not too far off the mark. All it means is that they are going to monitor her more closely than they would a 23 yr. old.

Think about it: as a woman, your fertility is limited. You have a finite number of eggs in your ovaries, and a finite number of years in which to use them until you hit menopause, which, can begin around the age of 45. There's a lot of crap that collects in your system and your hormones start to act differently, which affects your muscles and bones ... all of which are getting a ton of crap during pregnancy!!!

The time between 35 and 45 isn't really that long. Your body already starts to change as you enter your 30s, and you're at a greater risk of complications the older you are when you conceive.

Best of luck to you & your wife, bro. She's gonna be fine, but I understand not liking the label!!!

I agree with your basic points, its just such seems like an archaic term. Luckily the issues during the 1st pregnancy are not resurfacing.
I got broed. :smile: to funny.

[Thebazile78]

I agree with your basic points, its just such seems like an archaic term. Luckily the issues during the 1st pregnancy are not resurfacing.
I got broed. :smile: to funny.

Just trying to illustrate how it's biologically correct, even if it blows to be told at 37 you're "geriatric."

[smiler grogan]

Just trying to illustrate how it's biologically correct, even if it blows to be told at 37 you're "geriatric."


Right, and my question really boils down to are the guidelines that have been set up still correct given longer life spans, better knowledge etc.....blah blah blah.

[Thebazile78]

Right, and my question really boils down to are the guidelines that have been set up still correct given longer life spans, better knowledge etc.....blah blah blah.

I think they're still describing a valid risk. The term is borderline offensive to the woman herself, but I think it's still biologically valid.

Longer life spans have had virtually no effect on the onset of menopause, but I'd need a longevity study to back me up. Women may be hitting menopause later, and actually noticing it, because they're living longer (i.e. - not dying in childbirth, etc.) or they may be hitting menopause exactly where they're meant to naturally, regardless of better nutrition & a longer life span and we never knew before women started living longer.

The simple fact of the matter is, regardless of ability to get/stay pregnant, a woman's hormones at 35+ are incredibly different from her hormones at 25 or younger. Biologically, your hormones do start to taper off in your late 30s/early 40s and you are not as able to do the things a younger person can do. This includes getting pregnant without artificial assistance and safely carrying a fetus to term among other less reproductive functions.

In the future, this may change altogether and we'll live until we're 150 by replacing worn-out parts, but, until then, biologically it's valid.

[smiler grogan]

In the future, this may change altogether and we'll live until we're 150 by replacing worn-out parts, but, until then, biologically it's valid.

speaking of........
http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_buettner_how_to_live_to_be_100.html

[Dr Steve]

Hi Dr Steve,

Happy New Year to you and your family. Here in NY if a woman is 35 or older and pregnant it is considered a geriatric pregnancy.To me the age of 35 seems young. The majority of
my friends are having their first kids in their 30s and the second one comes late 30s/ early 40s. With humans living longer and the medical science and care improving it seems like the age should be bumped back a few years.
Obviously i'm asking because my wife is knocked up. This will be our second, she just turned 37 but never did drugs or smoked and probably had about a dozen drinks in her entire life, all test so far are fine although she is only about 11 weeks along so its early.
Our first kids pregnancy was filled with problems placenta previa, low amniotic fluid emergency c-section nicu unit for a while blah blah in the end everyone is 100% fine no lingering issues except my wifes a understandably nervous about something coming up and being labeled geriatric doesn't exactly help.

thanks Dr. Steve


Basile got it right...it's simply a recognition that pregnancies over 35 have a higher risk of complications. It's a slightly arbitrary age (it might be 37 or 33 would be more correct, but you have to draw the line somewhere), unfortunately. If my wife was 35 and got pregnant I'd first demand a paternity test as I've had a vasectomy, but then I would definitely want her seen in a high risk clinic just because I'm a worry-wart. I'll do some research and see if this "standard of care" has actually led to improved outcomes and get back to you if I find anything interesting.

your pal,


steve

[Judge Smails]

Now here's some spam I can get behind.

giuseppgold for mod!

[disneyspy]

no links?,what the hell

[Judge Smails]

no links?,what the hell

I dare you to click one of the pictures and see what worm or trojan your pc winds up getting.

[disneyspy]

I dare you to click one of the pictures and see what worm or trojan your pc winds up getting.

you must be 8(3jU5%*&^%$#@

[Jayw]

The hands behind the head is a good look

[Judge Smails]

That last girl on the bottom right reminds me of Marty Feldman.

http://indonesiahits.fmiyar.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/Marty-Feldman.jpg

By the way, whoever reports Giuseppegold is a homo.