Health More Important Than Age

In 2023, I delivered our third child at the age of 38 and nothing in this world has made me feel older than having a baby past the age of 35.  At the doctor’s office I had to do additional screenings because I was considered a “geriatric pregnancy” or being of “advanced maternal age”.  I recognize that age does increase risk for some pregnancy complications and appreciate the care from my doctor, but focusing on age only instead of considering the health of the mother and father is missing a huge piece of the puzzle across the nation.

According to a recent study, the average age of pregnant individuals rose from 27.9 years in 2011 to 29.1 years in 2019 yet the age accounted for only a small portion of the increase in adverse pregnancy outcomes. The rate of disorders such as high blood pressure or preeclampsia however, rose 50% during the decade.

“Although mothers are getting older at the time they deliver, that is not what’s causing these adverse birth outcomes,” said Zachary Hughes, MD, an internal medicine physician at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago and the study’s lead author. “What’s really driving it is pre-pregnancy health issues like diabetes and hypertension. That’s important to know because these are factors we could potentially modify. I hope these findings can lead more toward a culture change of focusing on health before pregnancy.” 

There can be a lot of anxiety when it comes to being pregnant especially in the fear-based society we live in today. Being told I was of advanced maternal age didn’t help any so I had to learn to focus on things that I could control. There was nothing I could do about being 38 but what I could do was make sure I gave my baby the best possible start. I focused on eating a whole foods diet, I made sure that I was getting a variety of fruits and vegetables, grass fed meats and doing things for my mental health like taking walks and exercising. I didn’t focus on limiting weight gain, I focused on being healthy and feeling good, which I accomplished. My blood pressure was picture perfect and other than my age, there were no other concerns with my pregnancy. I was outside taking a walk and throwing a frisbee with my kids the day I ended up delivering.

This experience is one of the driving forces behind creating Mama Care Complete. I want to share the resources I used to have a healthy pregnancy and what helped me to feel the best I could while pregnant. 

I hope your takeaway from this is that age is just a number and that how you take care of your body is the most important thing you can do for yourself and your child. 

Written by: Clare Samol

Source: American College of Cardiology “Health, Not Age, Driving a Rise in Pregnancy Complications” Mothers are getting older but that’s not why pregnancies are getting riskier February 2023.