Community› The Bump Message Boards› Natural Birth
Natural Birth
New Discussion

Increased risks for women over 35?

babydontforgetbabydontforget
in Natural Birth

Today I interviewed a midwife who told me that at her practice they recommend that patients over 35 do non-stress tests on their babies each week starting at 37 weeks, and that these women be induced at 41 weeks if they go overdue. She said this was because of the increased risk of stillbirth in older women.

I was surprised to hear this, considering I'm interviewing midwives for a potential transfer of care away from my OB, who does not plan NSTs starting at 37 weeks (to my knowledge) and who said that he would wanted to schedule an induction by 42 weeks if I go overdue. Granted, he did say that if I went post dates they'd want to do some NSTs in in the 40th and 41st weeks...but he never mentioned NSTs starting at 37 and he has never said a word about my age.

Does anybody know what research this practice of midwives might be pulling from?

BTW, I turned 35 in July. 

Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
Report Reply to Post

Re: Increased risks for women over 35?

  • CelynCelyn member

    Sounds like that MW practice is more conservative than your OB :)

    My understanding of the data is that over 35, there are increased odds of overweight moms, fibroids, chronic hypertension in moms is what contributes to the increased risk of stillbirth over 35, not the age itself.  The risk before 35 is 1 %, and from 35-39, it increases to between 1.1-1.4%.

    image
    NorCalMOMS bio* NorCalBOTB* babywearingBIO
    Harmony Doula
    Report Reply
  • Loading the player...
  • babydontforgetbabydontforget
    Celyn, thank you! Do you happen to know the title of the study or names of the researchers? I'd like to track it down and read it, if possible.
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
    Report Reply
  • nosoup4unosoup4u member

    My mom tends to make things up, but she has always claimed that if you've been pregnant before, being pregnant over 35 isn't that risky. I have no idea if that's true, though.

    I'm turning 35 in a few months, and am actually planning on not being pregnant until I'm 36. I'm hoping my MW group won't be as conservative as yours sounds, but I should probably ask them, huh?

    DS1 - Feb 2008

    DS2 - Oct 2010 (my VBAC baby!)

    Report Reply
This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards
"
"