There is more risk for women over the age of 35 when they fall pregnant.
Fertility specialist Zaher Merhi, MD, FACOG, HCLD of New Hope Fertility Center in New York Cit explains that pregnancies involving older women can be complicated for both the mother and child.
For one, there is an increased chance of miscarriage, due to the higher probability of having a chromosomally abnormal embryo that could lead to complications such as Down syndrome.
There is also a higher risk of maternal complications.
Women's Health describes these as, "gestational hypertension, which can lead to preeclampsia, a condition that can lead to serious health problems for the mother including kidney and liver failure."
Women's Health adds, "these pregnancies are more prone to gestational diabetes, a temporary form of diabetes where the body is not producing enough insulin to regulate sugar during pregnancy. Preterm birth and an increased likelihood of birth by c-section are other potential complications."
However, despite geriatric pregnancies being riskier, they are totally acceptable.
"Having mentioned those risks, most geriatric pregnancies end up with a great outcome (healthy mum and baby) as long as there is a close monitoring in the prenatal period and during the pregnancy," says Dr. Merhi.