Science News

40% More Pregnancies Amongst Women Over 40

As more women are pursuing careers for longer, the birth rate in women over 40 had increased by over 40%, with 17,000 births in this age group from 1999 to 2000. The overall birth rate in England has been falling since 1990, but increasing in women over 30 years of age. Better contraceptive options, medical advances making it possible for women to have children later and the fact that it is more socially acceptable for older women to have a baby later have all led to this trend. The downside of having babies later is the reduction in your fertility as your eggs are older, and the increased risk of miscarriage in older women, perhaps partly attributable to the increased risk of chromosomal/other genetic problems.

24th Mar 2002