Pregnancy in your late 30s and 40s

It’s common these days for women to have a baby in their late thirties or forties. While most of these pregnancies are healthy, there are some things to bear in mind

Older women are more likely to develop gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia than younger women during pregnancy. And they’re also more likely to have diabetes or high blood pressure before they become pregnant. Because of this, older women have a higher risk of complications and problems during pregnancy

Sadly, the likelihood of having a stillborn baby is higher in older women, too. The reasons that this happens more often in pregnancies in older women aren’t clear; some experts think that an older body is less able to support the pregnancy in the very final weeks

Artificially starting labour (called an induction) at the end of pregnancy, but before the baby is thought to be at risk, is recommended for some women. Although having induction does not increase the chance that a woman will need an emergency Caesarean section, more research studies are needed to show clearly that induction reduces the risk of having a stillbirth

If a doctor or midwife advises you to have an induction, they should explain why they think this is a good idea for you, what it involves, and the potential benefits and risks of starting your labour earlier