Wednesday 4 December 2013

Elderly primigravidae - Possible problems

Nowadays the incidence of elderly primigravidae is increasing due to change in the attitude of women towards their carrier, postponing pregnancy etc. Increasing infertility is also contributing to this.
If a woman conceives after 30yrs, she can be considered as elderly primigravidae.

Problems during pregnancy:
- Compared with youngsters, elderly pregnant women are more prone for hyperemesis gravidarum, means excessive vomitings in the first trimester of pregnancy and also pregnancy induced stress is more in them.
-Chances of getting pregnancy induced hypertension, gestational diabetes are also more.
-If they are already having hypertension or diabetes because of increasing age these may become aggravated during pregnancy.
-Chances of having preterm or intrauterine growth retarded babies are also more comparatively.
-Placental problems like decreased blood supply to placenta due to age related vascular changes can occur and also placenta previa is more common in these women compared with youngsters.
-Because of uterine inertia or because of other complicated factors chances of instrumental delivery or cesarean section are more in elderly women.

Problems to baby:
- The babies of elderly pregnant women may have chromosomes related problems. Like Down's syndrome which occurs due to trisomy of chromosome 21, means they will have three no.21 chromosomes instead of two.
This will affect the baby both mentally and physically.
The chances of having this syndrome increases with increasing age of the mother.
-Chances of having intrauterine growth retarded babies is more common due to placental insufficiency or maternal medical problems.
-Preterm babies are also more common to elderly women.
-In case of placenta previa, excessive bleeding will affect the baby also.
-Instrumental delivery or cesarean section will increase fetal morbidity also.

Elderly women -problems in fertility
Care to be taken in elderly primigravidae

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