Whether your pregnancy was planned or a surprise – or you are still thinking about having one, getting pregnant later in life does come with some increased risks.  But it’s not all bad!  This article will look at some of the risks and also the pleasures of having a baby at 45.

First let me assure you that 45 is NOT too old to have a baby.  If your body is still ovulating and fertile then it’s possible to carry a healthy and happy child full term.

Fertility is the major concern for older mom’s since the bodies chances of conceiving fall dramatically each year after the age of 35.  There are also increased risks of miscarriage, premature births and the baby having birth defects such as Down Syndrome.

If you choose to get genetic testing done, you also need to consider how you will feel about the results if they are positive for various defects and what you plan to do in that situation.

The mother’s health is also at a higher risk with gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia being more common in older mothers.

But that doesn’t mean those things will happen, just that you are at a higher risk for them.  By keeping in close contact with your health providers throughout the pregnancy you can minimize or manage some of these risks.

Usually older parents are more able to cope both financially and emotionally with having children later in life and know what to expect, especially if they have done it before and already have a family. 

Of course bringing a new baby into the mix if your other children are already grown up can be challenging, but hey, new siblings are always a challenge anyway.

You will need to be aware that you’ll be much older at most of your child’s big life moments such as their 21st, wedding and perhaps even the birth of their own children. 

Today more and more women are having babies later in life so it’s more socially acceptable now that it used to be.  It’s not uncommon to hear of women in the mid and late 40′s becoming parents today and many times you might even hear of women in their 50′s giving birth as they have not reached menopause yet.