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How to become pregnant after 40?

While it is difficult, you can do it

Photo of a mother holding and playing with her child.

In a world in which women are trying to find a relationship after 30 and many already believe that forties are the new thirties, it should come as no surprise that many women have no choice but to take a shot at being pregnant after they have crossed 40. However, fertility drops rapidly with age and the risk of malformations, especially Down’s Syndrome, in the fetus is higher among older moms. Knowing this, is it wrong to want a baby at this age? Are you being irresponsible if you are considering pregnancy at such a late stage in your life? (Related: Mommy Makeover)

These are questions that trouble many women who either because of their careers or due to the way in which their relationships worked out, could not have children in their 20s and 30s. While detailed data is difficult to get, it is estimated that approximately 100,000 babies are born each year to mothers between the ages of 40 to 44 and about 7,000 to women 45 and older in the United States. The main reason for such low number (though it is rapidly growing) is that advanced maternal age raises the risk of birth defects, multiple births, premature birth and health problems later in life. But it is important to remember that many younger mothers have fertility problems, and many older mothers do have perfectly healthy babies. Among the celebrities that have had healthy babies around 40 are Courtney Cox, Brooke Shields, Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Julianne Moore, Holly Hunter, Nicole Kidman and Adrienne Barbeau. However, Rachel Hunter and Halle Berry had said that if they do not get pregnant by 40, they wouldn't go beyond that, though Halle did get pregnant eventually at 41. Marcia Cross got pregnant at 44. (Related: How to raise twins?)

So what is a 40-year old woman gotta do?

The very first thing you need to do is to discuss this issue with your physician and undergo all the tests that may be needed. If you are in good physical condition, the doctor might advise you to hurry up. If that does not work, the doctor might then suggest fertility treatment. (Related: Infertility Cure book review)

And how do you get pregnant?

Well, there is no rocket science to it but the key is to make love during your most fertile days. The window of opportunity to get pregnant is very short, and therefore, while it sounds funny, the more time you spend in the bedroom with your man, the better it is (Related: How to make a baby).

We have a lot of tips on seduction and spicing up your marriage to make sure he can rise to the challenge.

What else can you do to make sure your pregnancy happens?

Keep your stress away since that can reduce a woman's fertility. So a little pampering will help. Massages, spa trips, facials, romantic getaways, and positive attitude will definitely help.
Pop a pill of folic acid. It also does not hurt to take supplements and vitamins. (Related: Fertility Diet book review)
It is also to be noted that it is not just women who need to worry about getting too old to be pregnant. Men too have their biological clocks and not only relationship with an older man less likely to result in a pregnancy, complications during pregnancy and birth defects are more likely. For instance, one study found that men over 40 are six times more likely to father a child with autism than their younger peers.

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What do you think?