Increasing numbers of women in India and abroad are choosing to have families later in life. Many are focused on finishing college, pursuing careers and establishing solid relationships before beginning their families, but a new study indicates women over age 35 face more pregnancy-related risks than their younger counterparts. The study, conducted by researchers at the in Copenhagen, found the risk of unsuccessful pregnancy rises dramatically to 20 percent and higher after a woman reaches age 35.
"We found the risk of 
miscarriage increases with maternal age–irrespective of a woman’s reproductive history," said lead author Dr. Anne-Marie Nybo Anderson, professor of epidemiology. The report, published in the British Medical Journal, provides some sobering statistics:
- by age 35, one in five of all pregnancies ends in miscarriage, stillbirth or ectopic pregnancy (a dangerous condition in which the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus);
- by age 42, the failure rate rises to more than half; and
- after age 45, nearly three out of four pregnancy results are not successful.
By contrast, women in their early to mid-20s experience only a 9 percent failure rate.
Although previous studies have suggested older women have higher-risk pregnancies, this study analyzed a very large population over more than a decade.
Also, for the first time, researchers were able to separate the degree of risk according to each woman’s reproductive history; for example, if she had previous children, fertility problems or a history of abortions, researchers were able to track these differences with pregnancy success rates. The rise in miscarriage, stillbirths and ectopic pregnancies increased with age independently of these other factors.
Researchers conclude the study underscores the importance of counseling women about the risks of postponing pregnancy if they are interested in having babies.
