| Abstrakt: |
A woman's decision regarding the 'right time' to embark upon a pregnancy may vary with personal, family, cultural and religious beliefs. However once a woman over 35 years of age has made a decision to proceed with a pregnancy she faces an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcome, particularly in those with co-morbidities, multiple pregnancies and/or those conceived through ovum donation. These women need support and carefully planned obstetric care. Women seeking assisted reproductive technologies at over 35 years of age should be offered pre-pregnancy counselling and be advised of the benefit of single embryo transfer. Society as a whole, midwives, obstetricians and gynaecologists, should advocate for policies that enable women to reproduce safely without personal cost to their education, careers, identity and their own or their offspring's health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
