{"id":36561,"date":"2018-02-01T11:01:26","date_gmt":"2018-02-01T09:01:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/?p=36561"},"modified":"2022-04-12T17:37:45","modified_gmt":"2022-04-12T15:37:45","slug":"everything-you-need-to-know-about-getting-pregnant-at-40","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ivi.uk\/blog\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-getting-pregnant-at-40\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything You Need to Know About Getting Pregnant at 40"},"content":{"rendered":"

The thought of getting pregnant at 40 is, for some women, a scary thought. Although getting pregnant after 40 is possible without fertility treatment,<\/strong> your chances of conceiving are lower than they would have been in your 20s or 30s. This means, although it’s not impossible, it may take longer for you to conceive. While most women in their 40s have healthy pregnancies and healthy babies, there are some things you need to know about getting pregnant at 40.<\/p>\n

Why Does a Woman’s Fertility Decline?<\/h2>\n

You may be wondering why your fertility declines as you age. Well, women are born with all the eggs they will ever have. The highest number of eggs your body possesses is at about 20-week gestations (while the girl is still in utero) when your egg supply would have been at around 6 to 7 million eggs. At birth, the egg numbers will decline to just over a million.<\/p>\n

By puberty, between 300,000 to 500,000 eggs remain in the ovaries. From this number, only 300 eggs will be ever fully mature and are released during ovulation<\/a>. As you age, the numbers of eggs decline. And, as you become closer to menopause, your ovaries become less responsive to the hormones responsible for triggering ovulation. This can also affect how well fertility drugs work.<\/p>\n

Healthy Living is Important<\/h2>\n

Healthy living is essential when you are trying to get pregnant in your 40s. Sticking to a healthy diet, regular exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and stopping smoking will ensure the health of your body and your baby. When you are in your 40s trying to conceive, your age is already working against you, so by practising healthy living, you can help improve your chances of successful conception and the birth of a healthy baby.<\/p>\n

Antenatal Care for Over 40s<\/h2>\n

\"Everything<\/p>\n

While you are pregnant, antenatal care is an important way to ensure both you and your baby remain healthy. Antenatal care is carried out regularly by your doctor or midwife. They will provide advice, answer any questions you may have and help prepare you for birth. Due to being in your 40s, you are more likely to:<\/p>\n