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How to Detect Down Syndrome While Pregnant
Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that happens when your baby has an extra chromosome, usually a copy of chromosomes 18 or 21. That extra chromosome leads to developmental delays and characteristic facial features associated with Down’s. There’s no way to prevent Down syndrome, but genetic counselors may be able to help you predict how likely you are to have a Down syndrome baby. Screening tests during pregnancy can help you find out if your baby has this condition.
Risks for Older Pregnant Mothers
Although delaying pregnancy until you are older may be a good idea for security and financial reasons, it may also carry considerable health risks to you and the baby. It is known in the obstetrical field that mothers who are over the age of 35 are considered to be of advanced maternal age. While the risks for some conditions become higher as you get older, most older women are still delivering healthy babies.
How to Detect Breast Cancer Early
When it comes to breast cancer, early detection is the best protection. When treatment begins before breast cancer has spread beyond its initial site, the five-year survival rate is almost 100 percent, according to the American Cancer Society. If the cancer has spread to nearby lymph nodes, the five-year survival rate is still higher than 80 percent. In marked contrast, if breast cancer is not found until it has spread to other organs, the five-year survival rate falls to 20 percent.
Risks of Unprotected Sex and Pregnancy
While the safest way to avoid unwanted pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases is not to have sexual relations, using condoms or other protection can go a long way toward preventing such risks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Teenage girls and older women alike, even during planned pregnancies, also run a small risk of complications related to their pregnancies, according to the March of Dimes.
What Are the Risks of Having a Baby at 35?
There are many reasons that women are waiting until they are over 35 to have children. Some women choose to wait for schooling and career reasons, other might have health issues that necessitate a delay in pregnancy. Be realistic with yourself and with your husband or partner about the potential risks and challenges of conceiving and having a baby at 35, including the possibility of long-term bed rest. Whether it’s her first or fifth child, if a woman prepares properly, she can still have a healthy pregnancy and deliver a healthy baby at 35.