As you age, you have an increasing chance of having a baby born with a birth defect. Yet most women in their late 30s and early 40s have healthy babies. See your doctor regularly before you even start trying to get pregnant. She will be able to help you prepare your body for pregnancy. She will also be able to tell you about how age can affect pregnancy.
During your pregnancy, seeing your doctor regularly is very important. Because of your age, your doctor will probably suggest some additional tests to check on your baby’s health.
More and more women are waiting until they are in their 30s and 40s to have children. While many women of this age have no problems getting pregnant, fertility does decline with age. Women over 40 who don’t get pregnant after six months of trying should see their doctors for a fertility evaluation.
Experts define infertility as the inability to become pregnant after trying for one year. If you think you or your partner may be infertile, talk to your doctor. She or he will be able to suggest treatments such as drugs, surgery, or assisted reproductive technology.
During the first prenatal visit, you can expect your doctor or nurse to do the following:
At the first visit, you should ask questions and discuss any issues related to your pregnancy. Find out all you can about how to stay healthy.
Later prenatal visits will probably be shorter. Your doctor will check on your health and make sure the baby is growing as expected. Most prenatal visits will include:
- checking the baby’s heart rate
- checking your blood pressure
- checking your urine for signs of diabetes
- measuring your weight gain
While you’re pregnant your doctor or midwife may suggest a number of laboratory tests, ultrasound exams, and other screening tests. Visit the Doctor’s Visits and Tests page in the Healthy Pregnancy section of our website for more details on prenatal tests and procedures.
Your doctor will give you a schedule of all the doctor’s visits you should have while pregnant. As your pregnancy progresses, you’ll see the doctor more often. Most experts suggest you see your doctor:
- about once each month for the first six months of pregnancy
- every two weeks for the seventh and eight month of pregnancy
- every week until the baby is born
If you are over 35 or your pregnancy is high risk because of health problems (like diabetes or high blood pressure), you’ll probably see your doctor more often.