From a biological standpoint there is a limited window for getting pregnant from reproductive age until menopause. While there is a big window of opportunity, there may never be a perfect time to have a baby. You may end up expecting much sooner than you imagined, or life may work out that you end up pregnant much later. Due to the higher risk stigma of pregnancy after age 35, or social norms and expectations, a lot of women feel pressure to have children prior to age 35. The technical term for having a baby over the age of 35 is elderly primigravida for a first time mother, or elderly multigravida for a second time mom. This is also commonly referred to as advanced maternal age. The reason there is a classification for women who are pregnant over age 35 is that many risks increase after this age. Labeling an expecting mother who is 35 as a higher risk from the start can come along with anxiety and stress, but there are also some benefits to being a mother in your mid thirties and beyond. This episode examines the evidence behind the risks associated with advanced maternal age and what pregnancy over 35 means for you and your baby.

Show notes: http://pregnancypodcast.com/episode121/

Thank you to Zahler for their support of this episode. Zahler makes a high quality prenatal vitamin that has the active form of folate, that I prefer after all of the research I have read on folic acid, plus it has omega 3s and DHA. This is the prenatal vitamin I take and the one I recommend. Zahler is offering an exclusive discount to listeners of the Pregnancy Podcast. To check out the vitamin and find out how you can save 25% when you buy a one month supply on Amazon go to http://pregnancypodcast.com/vitamin/