What You Need to Know If You’re Over 35 and Trying To Get Pregnant

“You are over 35 years old. Your biological clock is ticking. There’s not much time left.”

These are some of the things you may be telling yourself or hearing from others around you. Do not give in to it.

Maybe you put your career first, wanted time in between rearing children, found more financial security in your late thirties or simply did not find a partner until later in life. Your choices for delaying your first pregnancy or another pregnancy are all valid and should not be the reason to give up.

Age is indeed a factor for successful conception. However, fertility is not a one size fits all. While age can decline the chances of getting pregnant faster, it does not make it impossible.

Age is just a number and a small portion of the fertility equation.

Here are some facts to consider:

• The American Society of Reproductive Medicine reports the chances of conception each cycle at age 35 are around 15% and that drops to around 5% at age 40 and older.
• According to an article posted in the International Journal of Women’s Health, “Possible maternal complications of pregnancy at age 35 or older include increased risk of spontaneous miscarriage, preterm labor, gestational diabetes mellitus, pre-eclampsia, stillbirth, chromosomal abnormalities, and cesarean delivery.”

Although there are potential risks, it’s important to do your own research, create a birth plan, and speak with medical professionals to make your own informed decision.

Ways to help prepare before and after:

1. Start tracking your fertility with the free Premom ovulation tracker app. Premom can help you identify your most fertile days and determine the best days to have intercourse to optimize your chances of pregnancy success.
2. Consider seeing an OB/GYN or a fertility specialist to look over your medical conditions. Review your medical fertility history and know the process.
3. Have a nutritional plan for a healthy diet and lifestyle to help with your overall health and wellness.
4. Speak with a genetic counselor before pregnancy OR after (up to 12 weeks), and consider testing with your partner.
5. Genetic screenings, ultrasound anatomy, and a growth scan are options for ALL pregnant women, regardless of age. This can reduce the need for a rare case of performing an amniocentesis, based on advances in medicine, and testing for prenatal care.
6. Those women nearing 40 or older should consider fetal monitoring in the last trimester.
7. Take a non-stress test for the baby’s heart rate and an ultrasound as recommended by your doctor.

Conclusion

Pregnancy after 35 years should not be a scary thing. The good news is the Premom app can help you with tracking your cycles , finding your fertile window, using basal body temperature tracking, and reading your ovulation tests.

We have added additional ways to support you with our 9 cycle money-back guarantee and virtual consultations to help with both the physical and emotional/psychological components of fertility. Premom is an all-in-one support app to help you succeed in becoming pregnant!

By Laura Stevenson Medically Reviewed by Nurse Heather Frame, BSN, RN