The optimal age of the mother and father to conceive a child: a gynecologist - about the risks and genetic examinations

At what age pregnancy is most favorable, what risks increase after 35 years and why the age of the father is also important for conception - these important questions were answered by the gynecologist of the Minsk City Clinical Endocrinology Center Anna Luzan on the air of the talk show "PRO HEALTH" on the YouTube channel "SEE AND LIVE". It's from sb.by.

From a biological point of view, the most favorable age for pregnancy in women is from 18 to 29 years. During this period, the quality of eggs is higher, and the risk of chronic diseases in the expectant mother, as a rule, is minimal, the doctor noted. At the same time, today there are no strict regulations on the “ideal” age of pregnancy: the decision is influenced not only by medical, but also by social and economic factors. In modern medicine, the term “old-born” is not used: age alone does not determine the tactics of pregnancy. Co-occurring conditions are key - chronic and hereditary diseases, the body mass index of the expectant mother, the health of the father and other individual factors. Age becomes significant during the first screening (11-14 weeks). Women 35 years and older have an increased risk of chromosomal abnormalities, so screening results are interpreted with age adjustment. In such cases, a consultation with a geneticist is appointed, who explains the indicators and, if necessary, proposes additional examinations, for example, amniocentesis (taking a sample of amniotic fluid). This is an invasive procedure, the risks are minimal, you should not be afraid of it. At the same time, even at the age of the mother under 35 years, individual indications for an in-depth examination may be associated with family history or genetic characteristics of both parents. For example, if relatives had conditions potentially associated with hereditary pathologies, or the father of the child identified certain mutations, the doctor may recommend additional studies, which allows you to reliably assess the risk of genetic disorders in the unborn child.

Video: Does the age of the father matter? Unlike women, there are no clear “critical” boundaries for men, but studies show that after 40-45 years, the risk of certain genetic and neuropsychic disorders in a child increases slightly. With age, mutations accumulate in cells, which can affect the genetic material, the studio guest pointed out. Some studies link the older age of the father with an increased likelihood of neuropsychiatric disorders in the child. In particular, with the growth of statistics of diagnosed autism. It is important to understand that this is only a statistical correlation, not a regularity: the age of the father is 46 years does not mean that the child will necessarily manifest such a condition. Are there any risks of rebirth after age 35? Today, the term “late birth” is not used in obstetric practice. Age remains one of the guidelines, but doctors pay key attention to the state of health of women – primarily the presence of chronic diseases. For example, if a woman is 35 years old and does not have chronic pathologies, she can be considered clinically healthy even with a second pregnancy. Even such a common feature as myopia (visual impairment) does not affect the course of pregnancy and childbirth, provided that the condition of the retina is normal. It does not matter whether the first is childbirth, the second or third: the somatic status of the future mother remains the decisive factor. As for the risk of chromosomal pathologies (primarily Down syndrome), it is associated mainly with the age of the mother, and not with the ordinal number of pregnancy. Therefore, during pregnancy in a woman 35 years and older, a consultation of a geneticist is necessarily carried out: the specialist discusses individual risks and, if necessary, offers additional diagnostic methods, in particular, an invasive amniocentesis procedure, added Anna Luzan.

Watch the PRO HEALTH project on the Watch and Live YouTube channel every Sunday at 12:00. Specialists in various fields will answer popular questions of concern to everyone in simple language and with humor.