Pregnancy Over 35
Getting ready to have a baby is a process that can take time for anyone. The moment when a person or a family decides they are ready to have a child can look different for each individual. So many factors come into play, including employment security, insurance, and the state of the pandemic.
We are in a world where people are increasingly prioritizing their education and careers into their 20’s, 30’s, and beyond. For some, it’s simply a matter of not wanting to have children until later! It is no surprise, then, to find out that globally, the age of birth parents rises every year. In 2020, the average age a person gave birth for the first time was just under 30 years old.
Transgender people specifically can be at risk of having life factors that complicate steps to becoming a parent. Income inequality, inconsistent access to insurance, and housing instability are all issues faced by the trans community, which can impact family formation. Some trans and nonbinary people can be alienated by their families of origin, which can make creating a support structure more challenging. This can dissway potential parents, leading to pregnancy processes taking longer than one might prefer or initially anticipate.
Pregnancies that occur over the age of 35 are considered of “higher risk” than pregnancy for someone under age 35. This is due to data showing that older birth parents are at greater risk of health complications during pregnancy and delivery, as well as a recorded increase in risks to the baby. Common complications that arise after age 35 can include preeclampsia, premature birth, gestational diabetes, and miscarriage.
These and many other conditions begin to rise in likelihood after someone is age 35, but they also rise again more sharply when the pregnant individual is age 40 and above. Even knowing this it is important to remember that each person’s body ages differently. This is why counseling about pregnancy and associated risks with a medical professional is necessary for anyone, especially those over 35, considering a pregnancy.
This doesn’t mean that mature parents can’t have healthy pregnancies! Those who are worried about their physical wellness and the issues pregnancy can cause can talk to their medical provider about additional monitoring or tests through their pregnancy. Fetal testing is often available for older gestational parents; throughout the pregnancy of a birth parent over 35, it is common to have genetic testing done to pre-screen the baby for genetic differences that might need additional accommodations after birth.
Assistive reproductive procedures such as egg retrieval and IVF may still be done with more mature individuals. However, it should be mentioned that successes for retrieval and/or the successful use of one’s egg cells do drop after the age of 40. As you approach the latter half of your thirties, you may want to consider your options for fertility preservation if you believe you are still not ready to start your pregnancy journey.
If you’re over 35 and are worried that you have been on hormone therapy too long, have hope. While it may take a few months for your cycle to resume, it has been established that taking testosterone likely does not impact ovulation ability once off the medication. This has been true for those who have even been on testosterone for multiple years. So if you are considering being pregnant in the future, don’t think that you have to put off medical transition while you wait for your time to have a baby!
There can be a lot of information to navigate while deciding if you want to become pregnant, as well as how to have a pregnancy with your best personal outcomes. Trans Fertility Co.’s Resource Library is here to help you. With an ever-growing collection of content created by and for the trans community, we will continue to represent as many stories as possible!
If you have any questions or would like to share your story please email Trans Fertility Co. at Adennis@Collaborate.Consulting