Whether you want to get pregnant or are already pregnant, staying healthy is a relevant concern, regardless of where you are on your journey to motherhood.
Since your body, along with its needs, evolves as you age, being pregnant in your 20s is totally different from being pregnant when you are in your 30s and definitely different when you are in your 40s as well. But the one thing that remains true is that you can have a healthy pregnancy at any age.
There are many factors to consider when you get pregnant and there are many things that will be affected in your body. Read on and find out the tips for a healthy pregnancy at any age.
Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy at Any Age: Your 20s
Physically, your 20s is the most ideal time for you to get pregnant. You are at your most fertile stage so getting pregnant is fairly easy because you are your peak when it comes to fertility. You are also at a lower risk when it comes to the possibility of a miscarriage which is a concern for anyone who wants to be pregnant or is pregnant.
Your body is at its prime to carry a baby and your skin is still supple enough, full of elasticity and moisture, to bounce back after giving birth.
In your 20s, you are also at the lowest risk for complications such as gestational diabetes. Since you are at the prime of your life and fertility, you just need to eat healthy, do some light stretching, and walk around to have a healthy pregnancy.
Avoid smoking, drinking, and stress. Make sure that you get enough sleep so that your baby can grow normally inside the womb. At this age, there’s not much that you need to do to have a healthy pregnancy since your body is at its healthiest.
Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy at Any Age: Your 30s
It’s no longer that easy to get pregnant in your 30s. As you approach your mid-30s, your fertility starts to dwindle.
So your doctor might recommend additional screening for you and your baby because your risk for miscarriage and genetic abnormalities start to rise at this age. The likelihood of complications during pregnancy and delivery also increase at this stage of life.
Some tips for a healthy pregnancy in your 30s, would be making sure that you speak with your OB-GYN before conceiving. If you can identify early on any potential problems or chronic conditions, such as gestational diabetes or high blood pressure, you can minimize the risk of complications or miscarriage.
At this age, it is important that you get your doctor’s approval for any exercise or physical activity, since your body may no longer be as agile or as quick to recover from possible strain or injury.
Low-impact exercises may be recommended such as yoga or swimming. Staying active in your 30s while you are pregnant can greatly help when it is time for you to deliver the baby.
Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy at Any Age: Your 40s
Health wise, it may be harder to conceive in your 40s, but it does not mean that it is impossible. In fact, these days, a lot of women in their 40s are actively trying to get pregnant and a great number of them are able to do so.
By the age of 40, most women have already established their careers and are at a more stable stage in their life in terms of work and emotional health. Financially, most women have saved enough so they can afford to step back from work and focus their time and resources on raising a child.
Pregnancies at the age of 40 and up though are medically considered as high risk regardless of how healthy you may be when you become pregnant.
Some of the things that a doctor will closely monitor during your entire pregnancy and especially on the first trimester will be the following:
- Gestational diabetes
- Preeclampsia
- Possibility of miscarriage
- Ectopic pregnancy
- Low birth weight
- High blood pressure
- Possibility of Down Syndrome or other birth defects
In your 40s, you may have more aches and pains than a woman who is 20 years and pregnant. You may have joint pains from the sudden heaviness in your belly or you may be more prone to pregnancy-related fatigue.
Aside from eating healthy food, supplements, and exercise, you need to be more careful with physical activity and exertion to make sure you have a safe and healthy pregnancy.
These tips for a healthy pregnancy at any age should be able to guide you and make sure that when you see those two lines in your pregnancy kit, you are more than prepared to bring about a bouncing baby and have the healthies pregnancy that you possibly can at any age.
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