Being pregnant after 40
6-minute read
Key facts
- There are a few pregnancy complications that are more common in women over 40 years.
- The risk of having a baby with a chromosome abnormality increases as you age.
- It’s a good idea to have early and regular antenatal care at any age.
- Along with routine antenatal tests, you may choose to have other tests done.
Most people over 40 have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies. But there are some things you need to think about.
What can I do to have a healthy pregnancy?
Taking good care of yourself is the best way to take care of your baby. During pregnancy, it’s a good idea to:
- eat a healthy diet
- aim for a healthy weight gain
- stay active
- avoid alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs
- get regular antenatal care
What antenatal care will I need?
Good antenatal care is important for both you and your baby. Antenatal care is the care you get while you’re pregnant. It’s an important way to keep yourself and your baby healthy.
Getting early and regular antenatal care may increase your chances of having a healthy baby.
Different types of tests can be used to check your health and your baby’s health. These include blood tests, urine tests and ultrasound scans.
Vaccinations
Your doctor will probably recommend that you get the:
- influenza (flu) vaccine — at any time during your pregnancy
- pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine — preferably between 20 and 32 weeks of pregnancy
They may also organise a blood test to check your rubella immunity. If you are not immune to rubella, they will organise for you to be vaccinated against rubella once you have had your baby.
What pregnancy complications happen in mothers aged over 40?
There are a few pregnancy complications that are more common in women over 40 years.
Possible health complications
When you get pregnant later in life, there is a higher chance of complications. But these risks do not increase all at once.
Pregnant women aged over 40 years are more likely to have:
If you’re healthy and haven’t had previous problems with pregnancy and giving birth, being older is less of an issue.
Your doctor or healthcare professional will give you advice on lifestyle changes you can make.
Possible pregnancy and birth complications
There are some other complications that increase in older pregnant women. In early pregnancy, these are:
- having twins or even triplets
- ectopic pregnancy
- having a miscarriage
In later pregnancy, complications can include:
- gestational diabetes
- placenta praevia
- pre-eclampsia
- growth restriction of your baby
- premature labour
- greater chance of needing a caesarean section
If you are aged 40 years or older, your doctor may suggest that you give birth by 40 weeks of pregnancy. This may be done with induction of labour.
Induction of labour may be recommended because after 40 weeks, the chance of stillbirth slightly increases.
You will have the chance to discuss this with your midwife or doctor. How and when you give birth will depend on your specific circumstances and wishes.
Possible health risks for your baby
Pregnancy later in life can also increase the chance of some health conditions for your baby.
The overall chance of having a baby with a chromosome difference is small. But as you get older, this chance increases.
Prenatal screening tests look at the chance of your baby having one of these conditions:
- Down syndrome (trisomy 21)
- Edwards syndrome (trisomy 18)
- Patau syndrome (trisomy 13)
What’s the difference between screening tests and diagnostic tests?
Antenatal tests for genetic conditions are offered to all pregnant women. You can choose whether to have these screening tests. Speak with your doctor or midwife to help you decide.
If the screening test results show an increased chance of your baby having a chromosomal condition, you can choose to have a diagnostic test. A diagnostic test can confirm if your baby has the condition or not.
The main diagnostic tests are:
You may also want to have genetic counselling. A genetic counsellor can talk with you about what might happen with your baby, and how you might handle the situation.
Resources and support
Your doctor or midwife can answer any questions you may have about your pregnancy. They can also help you prepare for the birth.
The Baby Coming You Ready website has information about pregnancy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Speak to a maternal child health nurse
Call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby to speak to a maternal child health nurse on 1800 882 436 or video call. Available 7am to midnight (AET), 7 days a week.
Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.
Last reviewed: April 2024
