Dr. Santoro agrees that based on the cited study, women who are over 35 are more likely than younger mothers to experience life-threatening birth complications
The findings add to evidence linking advanced maternal age to a higher risk of problems for mothers and babies, said Dr. Nanette Santoro, Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Aurora who wasn’t involved in the study.
While many of these problems can be managed surgically, the study by University of British Columbia Children’s and Women’s Health Center highlights some rare complications that are harder to treat and can be fatal, like renal failure and amniotic fluid entering the bloodstream, Santoro said by email.
“Based on this study and others, the ideal age to get pregnant is between 25 and 29 years,” Santoro said. “Since we’ve just entered the first era in human history where the U.S. birth rate is higher for women aged 30 to 35 than for women aged 25 to 29, we will be seeing more age-related risks to women who conceive at later ages.”
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Reuters: Severe birth complications more common with older mothers