Gynaecologist identifies risk factors of late pregnancy in women

A Consultant Gynaecologist, Dr Bode Okulate, on Tuesday, said that late pregnancies could be associated with some complications, such as preeclampsia, eclampsia, diabetes and miscarriages.

Okulate, the Medical Director of G-Spring Hospital and Maternity Home, Lagos, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He stated that women from the ages of 35 and above were more vulnerable to the complications.

The gynaecologist said that the issue of fertility and pregnancy were connected with age, stressing that the earlier a woman got pregnant and started a family, the better.

“As women grow older, fertility decreases significantly. Also, genetic problems can sometimes lead to a higher rate of cesarean sections.

“Their pregnancy is of high risk; so also the life of the baby, especially in women with first pregnancy at that age.

“Some of the children are born with deformities, such as Down Syndrome and others,” Okulate said.

According to him, the best age bracket for a woman to have babies is between 20 and 30 years.

Okulate added that some women, even at the age of 40 to 45, could still conceive if the person was still having regular menstrual flow.

“No doubt, fertility drops with age, but there is no scientific proof that infertility will set in if a woman is not deflowered before the age of 25, as some women and teenagers think.

“Even from the age of 40 to 45 years, a woman can still conceive, provided she is still having regular menstrual flow.

“From the age of 40, about 10 per cent of women can conceive, while from 45, only about four per cent of women can conceive.

“Scientifically, the age of 20 to 30 years remains the best age bracket for women to have babies.

“Unfortunately, most young women of these days think of settling down to start a family from 35 years and above,” he said.

Okulate noted that the more a woman became older, the greater her chances of having miscarriage.

According to him, the chances of a woman having multiple-pregnancies (twins) are very common around the age of 35. (NAN)