Women over 35 are at greater risk for experiencing complications during their pregnancy, and for having children with birth defects, especially Down syndrome. Yet this statement is often misunderstood, because, there is not a huge jump in risk between the woman who is 34 and 35. Rather, as a woman ages, the body is less ideally fit for pregnancy, the eggs that can be fertilized are older and more prone to chromosomal mishaps, and an older age means more risk for pregnancy complications

Ideal age of pregnancy, as suggested by most doctors, is between the ages of 20-30 years old. The most commonly misunderstood concept is that there is some separation point between women over 35 and women under 35 who are pregnant. It is not the case that if you suddenly turn 35 that you’ll be in significantly more danger than you were a year or two before. It is better stated that rate of complications increases with each passing year. There’s more risk to having a baby if you’re 45 than if you’re 35, or if you’re 40 instead of 30. The big jump in risk comes when you look at greater age spreads. If you choose to wait until you’re in your 30s or 40s to have kids, you’ll be less ideally suited for pregnancy, but you’re being statistically compared to moms who are much younger than you.

From a statistical standpoint, women over 35 who already have a child are at a higher risk for developing life-threatening blood clots in the lungs during labor and delivery. They are also at higher risk for having a child with Down syndrome, and this risk increases with each subsequent year. By the time a women is in her 40s, she is significantly likely to miscarry, about 50% of the time, as compared to the miscarriage rate of 20-30% for a woman in her 20s. She may also have a much more difficult time getting pregnant, and her chances of experiencing high blood pressure during pregnancy increase.

Women over 35 are also inclined to suffer more from the physical aspects of pregnancy. They may be more tired and experience more morning sickness. If women over 35 are parenting other children, the exhaustion of parenting and being pregnant at the same time can be challenging. Additionally, complications may arise that can make parenting very difficult. A woman who needs several months of bed rest may be unable to comply if she has toddlers who need her attention.

When we coo over cute babies, we often forget the physical rigors of pregnancy, and that any pregnancy places a woman at risk for complications. It is not uncommon for any woman, whether she's under or over 35 to experience complications. What appears to make the most difference for both mother and child is consistent and competent maternal care before and after pregnancy.

There are advantages and disadvantages to having a baby for women over 35. The disadvantages tend to increase as a woman ages far beyond 35. Not all dangers can be averted by good medical care, but many can. Women over 35 should at least be well aware of risks of pregnancy, and consider the pros and cons of waiting until they are older. Though we see many Hollywood women pregnant for a first time in their late 30s and early 40s, statistically, this trend may not be enviable. On the other hand, for many women, the risks encountered past the age of 35 are acceptable if the likely outcome is having a baby to love.