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Pregnancy Risk Still High Over 35

Pregnancy Risk Still High Over 35

In 2008, women aged 40-44 years old had the same rate of abortion as women under 16

Daily Record

February 08, 2010

By Gayle Ritchie

The myth that women become infertile when they hit 35 is being exposed.

More and more of us are having unplanned pregnancies in our late 30s and 40s.

While many over 35s do struggle to conceive, figures show the birth rate in over 35s has shot up.

The truth is, if you are still having regular periods and unprotected sex, you could become pregnant.

Abortion statistics are the most obvious and reliable illustration of unplanned pregnancy. You’d expect the rate of abortion to be very low in the over-35 age group. However, in 2008, women aged 40-44 years old had the same rate of abortion as women under 16.

Contraceptive Awareness Week begins today. Coinciding with it, figures released by the Family Planning Association show almost 20,000 women aged 35-39 had an abortion in 2008.

Rebecca Findlay, of the FPA, said: "Every day, we talk to women who ring our helpline. They are still fertile, still able to get pregnant, but are not using any contraception because they think they’re too old to conceive and don’t need to worry about it any more.

"The message is that if you’re over 35, although your fertility is declining, it hasn’t disappeared completely. Fertility is an individual thing. It changes with lifestyle, health and from one reproductive system to another. It varies hugely from woman to woman and essentially from couple to couple. Don’t assume your age automatically makes you infertile and you don’t need to use contraception any more. Yes, it declines as you get older but your fertility still exists. This age group has the same sexual health needs as everybody else but is neglected.

“If you don’t want to get pregnant, the bottom line is to keep using contraception right up until the menopause. You need to use it for two years after the menopause if you’re under 50 and for one year after the menopause if you’re over 50.”

Anecdotes about the difficulties of conceiving at this late age, together with a lack of knowledge, can often lead to women abandoning their contraception before their periods stop completely.

Unplanned pregnancy at an older age can be devastating for women. The best contraceptive choices may be influenced by many factors including frequency of sex, lifestyle, the desire to conceive, medical conditions and menstrual dysfunction.

Statistics show the most common form of contraception (65 per cent) used by the youngest age group, the 16-19 year-olds, is the male condom. And of the oldest age group surveyed, those aged 45 to 49, some 11 per cent use the male condom and 11 per centuse the IUD, or coil. The contraceptive pill is used most by women aged 16 to 24, at 54 per cent. And 41 per cent of women aged 25 to 29 are on the Pill.

In general terms, 75 per cent of women use at least one form of contraception.

FPA statistics from 2008-09 show 25 per cent of women on the pill, 25 per cent using the male condom. Four per cent use the withdrawal method, six per cent use the copper IUD, three per cent the contraceptive injection, one per cent have implants, twoper cent use the rhythm method and one per cent use contraceptive foams and gels.

Two per cent use the hormonal IUD, which is made of plastic, one per cent use the female condom and one per cent use emergency contraception like the morning after pill.

And while six per cent of women are sterilised, 11 per cent choose to have their partners sterilised.

Rebecca said: "Access to information is improving. While women are using safe and reliable methods such as the condom and the Pill, there are 15 methods of contraception available.

"Worrying about pregnancy is common as the emotional and financial costs of an unplanned pregnancy can be high. Women lead busy lives full of demanding commitments and often end up prioritising other people’s needs above their own.

“But contraception is hugely important. Women should put themselves first and make sure they’ve got the right method for them from the choices available.”

For more information, visit www.fpa.org.uk

© 2010 Daily Record; Glasgow (UK). Provided by ProQuest LLC. All rights Reserved.

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