Getting Pregnant In Your 20s, 30s, And 40s. Here’s What You Need To Know

The pressure of getting pregnant or wanting to be pregnant never seems to comply with our body’s timing. And there are all those sitcoms we love and helpful articles (like this!) that talk about the right age to conceive, adding all the more to the pressure.

But apart from a sadistic eyebrow lift, nobody ever seems to talk about what it means to get pregnant at different ages, or at least the decades of our life. Well, we are shattering that particular glass ceiling to bring you the details on what to expect when you are expecting in your 20s, 30s, and 40s.

In This Article

Wine, Wild boys and Weekends

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Sounds like we’re describing your 20s? Well, we are in a manner of speaking. This is the decade when most of us finally move out of parental nests for good, and the inside pockets of our wallets seem more appealing. Most of us are working by now, so we want to chill with our girlfriends, date a few Mr. Wrongs, and prepare to meet our career goals by the time the big 30 comes up. But this is also the decade we finally own our sex lives, instead of sneaking around badly lit backrooms.

The power of youth that fuels our all-nighters is also the same that will backstop us in case we do get pregnant. This is considered to be the simplest decade for pregnancies as we are more resilient and our chances of developing pregnancy-associated concerns such as gestational diabetes are at their lowest. We can also adapt much better to the demands on our body that pregnancy brings.

Socially, we still have enough single friends for support and most of our parents are young enough to lend us a hand financially, physically, and emotionally in case necessary. Our careers are also not as fast-paced or intense (there are exceptions to every rule!) that the break after the baby is born or due to pregnancy complication appears to be destructive.

However, some of us are still quite young to adapt mentally to the challenges of pregnancy and we may not be in a position to support ourselves financially and emotionally.

30 Is The New 20

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Relax! You’re still young, believe us!

Mentally and physically, this could be the calmest decade for you to get pregnant. You have outlived your wild days, and are no longer working 28 hours a day to get ahead of the curve at work. Besides, if we survived our 20s, we can handle anything life throws at us, right?

You have grown into and, hopefully, accepted your own body, which makes you so much easier and kinder with yourself when you do get pregnant. Risks of pregnancies are still low, although the number of check-ups required may be higher. Socially, you don’t feel as though you will be missing out on the wild fun like you may have done if you were pregnant in your 20s. A couple of your friends or at least acquaintances may already be mothers, forming an instant support group for you.

There is that oft-repeated pregnancy risk after the age of 35, which normally results in C-section deliveries, but plenty of women have healthy babies all the while being fab lady-bosses, too!

Bumpy 40s

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This decade is slightly higher in the risk category as our bodies start to wind down to prepare for menopause. Ovulation is not as frequent as in our 20s and 30s, and the chances that we may have developed certain chronic conditions such as high blood pressure (thank you 28-hour workdays!) add to the risk of carrying the baby to a healthy full-term. There is also the risk that the baby may be born with chromosomal deficiencies, unfortunately! Your social life may take a hit as barre classes and juicing may no longer be on the agenda.

On the brighter side, there is always hope and enough miracles in this world that we live in. So do have a frank and lengthy conversation with your doctor if you intend to try or have conceived in your 40s.

Risks exist at every age, and even doctors can’t anticipate the unexpected. So don’t let your age put you off trying for a baby, unless your doctor has specifically voiced her concerns on doing so.

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