Why can pregnancy over the age of 35 be risky?

Maternal age is an important aspect in pregnancy. It is hoped that pregnancy will not occur when the mother is too old.

KOMPAS/WAWAN PRABOWO

The Youth Loving Mother Movement (Gemas) in collaboration with the PKK team at the Pleret Sub-District held a Mass Exercise for Pregnant Women at the Pleret Sports Building in Bantul, DI Yogyakarta, some time ago. The activity was attended by around 500 pregnant women.

Pregnancy needs to be planned. This is done by ensuring the parents' readiness, including the mother's condition. With thorough preparation, it is hoped that the baby can grow optimally from the womb until the next period of growth and development.

One aspect that needs to be considered when planning a pregnancy is the mother's age. The mother's age should not be too young or too old.

Regarding the mother's age being too old, the Head of the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) Hasto Wardoyo in an online seminar last week entitled "Premarital Class" said that the gestational age is expected to be no more than 35 years. Various risks in pregnancy and childbirth can occur if you become pregnant at too old an age. Apart from that, children can also be at risk of experiencing stunting or stunting.

Do not get married too late. Humans are created to have the peak of life at the age of 32, so after that, blood vessels will narrow and bones will begin to weaken. When pregnant, it will pose a high risk.

"Do not get married too late. Humans are created to reach their peak at the age of 32, after which blood vessels will narrow and bones will begin to weaken. When pregnant, there will be a high risk," she said.

Apart from that, he said, after the age of 32 years, women will begin to experience damage to cells in certain organs. Blood vessel stiffness begins to occur in important organs.

KOMPAS/WAWAN H PRABOWO

An obstetrician examined the condition of the fetus of a pregnant mother before receiving the Covid-19 vaccine at the Larangan Utara Community Health Center, in Tangerang City, Banten on Friday (Aug 20, 2021).

Research conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that complications in mothers and fetuses are frequently found in women over the age of 35 and under the age of 20. Maternal mortality is also most commonly found in those age groups.

Separately, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Indonesia, Dwiana Ocviyanti, stated that the risk of pregnancy in women over 35 years old can also be related to the high burden of disease in women in Indonesia. The number of women who suffer from obesity is quite high in Indonesia.

The Basic Health Research 2018 data states that the percentage of women aged 18 years and over who experience obesity is higher compared to men. The obesity rate in women reaches 21.8 percent and 15.4 percent in men.

Also read: Marriage Age Tends to Decline

Women with obesity are at high risk of experiencing hypertension and diabetes. If pregnant women have uncontrolled blood pressure, they may be at risk of experiencing preeclampsia. In addition, pregnant women with high blood sugar levels are at risk of developing gestational diabetes. The risk of bleeding during delivery can occur due to these conditions.

Health problems during pregnancy can also have an impact on the fetus. Pregnant women with high blood pressure can inhibit fetal growth in the womb. The baby is also at risk of being born prematurely or before its time.

If the baby is born prematurely, the risk will progress to tengkes or stunting. Babies who experience stunted growth in the womb and are born prematurely have a 7-7.5 times greater risk of experiencing tengkes compared to those who do not.

Therefore, this condition should be a consideration for couples who are going to marry and have children. The trend of marriage age in the world, including Indonesia, deserves mutual attention. Data from the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN) shows that the average age of marriage in 2012 was around 20 years old, while in 2023 it became 22.3 years old.

Health

Although age is one aspect that must be considered in pregnancy, Dwiana said that the mother's health is also an important aspect that should be taken into account. A woman over the age of 35 is not necessarily not allowed to get pregnant. However, health monitoring must be carried out more intensively at that age.

"The reason for the pregnancy age limit is not just a matter of numbers. The issue is that for women above the age of 35, epidemiological data shows that most of them are not in healthy conditions, making them at risk for pregnancy," she said.

Also read: Marriage Rates Fall, Marriage Perspective Changes to No Longer Sacred

Expectant mothers must be in good health. Pre-pregnancy checkups are important, especially for women over 35 years old. The examination is carried out to ensure that there are no medical conditions that can endanger both the mother and the fetus. If pregnancy risks are found, interventions need to be made first before deciding to conceive.

KOMPAS/DEONISIA ARLINTA

Nining Pujiastuti (41) is staring at the screen showing the results of her ultrasound examination, which was conducted at Sedayu 1 Community Health Center in Bantul, Yogyakarta, on Friday (10/2/2023). Ultrasound examination is very important for pregnant women to detect early signs of pregnancy-related complications that can lead to maternal and infant mortality.

In addition, during pregnancy, mothers must also undergo routine check-ups at least six times. This examination is recommended to be done once in the first trimester, twice in the second trimester, and three times in the third trimester. With regular check-ups, the health conditions of the mother and the fetus are expected to always be monitored. If there are problems found, further treatment can be given immediately.

"A healthy mother also has the chance to give birth without experiencing childbirth complications, both during pregnancy, the process of childbirth, and postpartum. The mother and baby can also remain healthy after giving birth," said Dwiana.