What are the Risks of Birth Defects?
There is a decline in a woman’s fertility as she ages be due to less frequent ovulation or to problems such as endometriosis. Women generally have some decrease in fertility starting in their early 30s and it is normal for a woman over 35 to take longer to conceive than a younger woman. But there is good news. Since the late 1970s, birth rates for women in their late 30s and 40s have increased dramatically. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, between 1978 and 2000, the birth rates for women age 35 to 44 more than doubled. However, women should be aware of the risks associated with childbearing after the age of 35 so that they can make informed decisions about their pregnancies. According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, about one-third of women between age 35 and 39 and two-thirds of women over 40 have fertility problems. However, once they conceive, healthy women over 35 or into their 40s usually have healthy pregnancies. Pregnant women who are 35
