Times of India
03 June 2010
Bangalore, India

Change in lifestyle and trends like late marriages, delayed child bearing, second marriages and changing priorities of women have led to rise in the number of older couples seeking medical assistance for pregnancy.

Most of them can opt for in–vitro fertilization (IVF) according to gynaecologist Dr Kamini Rao. Speaking at a press conference here on Wednesday, she said: “Over the last decade, my hospital has seen a rise of about 50% in women between the age group of 35–40 plus wanting to conceive and become first–time mothers. Healthy babies being born to mothers at a later age is not rare, but since there is decrease in the fertility rate and the ability to get pregnant with advancing age, there is an increased natural risk of miscarriage or an associated risk of abnormal offspring.”

She also suggested that late pregnancies (post–30) could be associated with less number of eggs to ovulate. “The eggs remaining in her body are also aging, making them less capable of fertilization. Even if her eggs fertilize, the embryos may be incapable of implanting successfully. Fertilization may be associated with a higher risk of genetic abnormalities in the offspring,” she said.