Getting pregnant

More and more women are having children at an older age. They choose to first enjoy themselves or pursue their career and then, have children. In many ways this is a good idea. Being a more mature person hopefully will make a woman more mature as a mother. The feeling of losing out on life that some younger mothers have will not be there. After all, you have had time to fill you bucket-list already.
But there can be a danger, too, in waiting before having children. The older you get, the less chance do you have of getting pregnant. The risks of complications also increase with age. Let's say you start trying to have a child when you are in your late 30s. If you don't get pregnant immediately you might well be over 40 when conceiveing. The risks of miscarriage and high blood-pressure, for example, have increased. So has the danger of the baby having a genetic disorder, the risk of getting a child with Downs syndrom is 1 in 100 when you are 40.
However, the desire to have a baby and the advanced medical care that is available these days are also strong forces to reckon with. Many are willing to take the risk, and are rewarded.
Others are not so lucky. According to some estimates, half of all pregnancies end in miscarriage! Often, the woman is not even aware of being pregnant, the miscarriage seems like an unusually heavy period. The reasons are varied, and often not even known. But research shows that the most common reason is chromosomal abnormality, at least in the first trimester miscarriages.
Since it is so common, it is often overlooked by doctors. For the woman expriencing it, though, as well as her partner, it can be a devastating experience. There are many good websites that explain why these things happen and also forums where you can tell your personal pregnancy experience and get support.
Despite all these risks, most women choose to try and conceive. When all goes well, it is such a rewarding experience! Nothing can compare to the feeling of having a baby inside your belly. Well, maybe when the baby is born and you get to hold him or her in your arms!