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\"All women have had our eggs since fetal life, and those are the same eggs we've had all of our lives, and they just begin to divide more abnormally over time, so there are genetic risk factors,\" Mehta-Lee said. \"And diabetes, hypertension and obesity all disproportionately affect women who are older, and those can affect how we carry pregnancy.\"

Women who are pregnant in their mid-30s and beyond face risks including miscarriage, genetic abnormalities, fetal growth issues, preterm birth, preeclampsia and stillbirth, according to Mehta-Lee.

What to expect from a 'geriatric pregnancy'

Although the risks can sound scary, there are benefits of having a closely monitored pregnancy.

Candy, the Maryland mom of two, found the care she received reassuring. She had a total of 10 sonograms during her pregnancy with her older son, Brooks.

\"As much as I hated the term 'geriatric,' getting so many sonograms was awesome,\" she said. \"It totally put my mind at ease.\"

Mehta-Lee said the first thing she does with her patients of advanced maternal age is to talk to them about the pregnancy and what they can expect.

\"We spend a long time talking about what their risks are and we talk to them about the available screening tests,\" she said. \"Some choose to meet with a genetic counselor to make the decision for an invasive test, and that access may be different than for a younger patient.\"

\"Most women are reassured after that conversation. They don't tend to be nervous,\" she added.

Women in their 30s and 40s are first screened for Down syndrome and other chromosomal abnormalities in their pregnancy, according to Mehta-Lee.

After that, they may have more ultrasounds throughout their pregnancy and more frequent doctor's visits and testing as their due date approaches, as compared to younger women.

\"When someone is over 35, her doctor is going to look for things a little bit more, just to make sure things are going well,\" Mehta-Lee said. \"It offers an opportunity for the doctor to look one more time, to think about it one more time, and that's not necessarily a bad thing.\"

Editor's note: This article was originally published on Oct. 23, 2018.

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