Up to what age you can give birth. Late childbirth. What time to give birth: it’s not too early, until it’s too late

What is the best age to give birth? This question is of concern not only to potential mothers, but also to scientists who are conducting research on this topic. Research results are conflicting. On the one hand, women in labor under the age of 17 and after 35 years are more likely to be at risk of pathologies, and on the other hand, a connection has been revealed between childbirth after 40 and an increase in life expectancy. Scientists from England conducted a detailed study that showed: the highest health indicators are in the period from 22 to 35 years old, and the most stable health is in a woman at 34 years old. It was this age that the British called the best for conceiving and giving birth to a baby. After 35 years of age, conception, especially naturally, becomes more difficult. It should be noted that British practicing gynecologists do not support the opinions of theorists. Pregnancy diagnosed by them with the help of ultrasound in women after 35 years is not too frequent. At this age, the ability to naturally fertilize gradually decreases. In addition, having given birth to a first child at 34, a woman will not be able to have a second child before the age of 37, thus falling into a risk group.

Despite the fact that after 30 years, a woman already has economic and social stability, British gynecologists believe that it is not worth delaying pregnancy too much. After 35, difficulties with conception, infertility and the need for artificial insemination are more likely. Scientists and doctors from Russia believe that elasticity of muscles and skin is important for the first birth, which is most pronounced at the age of 20-24. After 24 years of age, the elasticity decreases, which can slow down the birth process.

In addition, the tone of the pelvic floor muscles also affects normal labor. The more elastic these muscles are, the smoother the labor will be. The pelvic floor muscles lose their elasticity after the age of 27. In order for a pregnant woman, whose age is different from the ideal, to give birth to a baby normally and without complications, she needs regular strengthening and muscle-developing gymnastics for pregnant women, and after childbirth - a special set of supporting exercises. Pregnant women after 25 years of age should be especially sensitive to their health, and the gynecologist should become a reliable friend of a woman at least during pregnancy. The human body is an amazing machine, and during pregnancy, a woman even becomes younger. Regardless of age, the growth of cartilaginous tissue resumes, the ligaments soften, but, despite the help of Mother Nature, close supervision of a gynecologist is necessary.

No less important than the birth of the first child is the birth of the second child. Many women are interested in the question of when is the best time to give birth again? Usually, a gynecologist warns that the onset of a second pregnancy 1.5 years after the first or earlier can lead to the birth of a baby with low weight. This time is not enough for the full recovery of the body after childbirth. The second pregnancy, which occurs 2 or 3 years after the birth of the first child, will be optimal. The difference between babies at 3-4 years old will be suitable from the point of view of psychology.

“Obstetrics and gynecology is really a male specialty, it’s hard physical labor,” says Sergei Vasiliev, deputy chief physician for medical work at Minsk maternity hospital No. 2.

In his opinion, a woman should treat herself as well as her jewelry and car, and be examined by a gynecologist at least once a year.

“So that in five years time you don’t catch yourself with myoma up to the navel,” Sergei Vasiliev directly notes and absolutely frankly talks about childbirth, contraception and women's health.

Sergei Vasiliev, Deputy Chief Physician for Medical Work at Clinical Maternity Hospital No. 2 in Minsk. He stood at the origins of laparoscopy in gynecology in Belarus. He is married and has three daughters.

"Soon in Belarus, as in the West, the first child will be born at the age of 30"

- Do women hesitate to be examined by a male gynecologist?

- No. Now the attitude towards this issue has changed. Previously, I worked part-time in private medical centers, and, I remember, back in the early 2000s, a French woman contacted us. She asked to be watched by a male doctor during her pregnancy. Perhaps this western wave has already reached us, when a woman is not ashamed of a male doctor. Moreover, women tend to listen to male doctors more often.

- Has the fashion become late mothers before us already? Up to what age can you give birth?

- It is best to give birth to a child between 21 and 35 years old. Optimally, if this happens at the age of 25-28. According to the classification of the World Health Organization, the reproductive age in our country is up to 49 years. But from the age of 35, there are risks associated with genetic abnormalities, the same Down syndrome. At 40-45 years old, a woman is already overgrown with fibroids, endometriosis, arterial hypertension, impaired fat metabolism, liver and kidney diseases ...

If she is going to give birth after 40 years, she must approach this consciously. Prepare, eliminate all risks, consult with specialists. If all her organs and systems are functioning properly, there are no questions.

- If you are 30 years old and have no children yet, moreover, you don't have a suitable partner either ... You need to quickly look for him and give birth in an emergency?

- Of course not. In Germany, for example, the average age of a primiparous mother is 31 years. We are also gradually approaching such indicators: first, a woman must get an education, find a job, get on her feet, and then plan a pregnancy.

We used to have such terms as "young primiparous" and "age primiparous". A 30-year-old woman was considered "age". Now there are no such concepts. 30 years old - what kind of old age is it? The very youth!

- What affects a woman's ability to get pregnant and bear a healthy baby?

- Her state of health. It is important how her body was formed by reproductive age. How she, while still a teenager, fed and developed. Take today's 16-year-old schoolgirl - she has a bunch of diseases: chronic gastritis, scoliosis, vegetative-vascular dystonia ...

- Are there more complicated pregnancies now?

- Yes. And this is connected, in fact, with progress. For example, 40 years ago, a woman with complex hormonal dysfunctions simply would not have had children. Further, this genetic branch would be removed. Today we help such women to get pregnant and give birth.

"If it hurts to give birth, they'll give you anesthesia."

- Today many women are afraid to give birth. What should they do?

- Unfortunately, childbirth is a painful process. And to make sure that a woman does not feel anything at all will not work even with the help of modern methods. But it is possible to partially anesthetize both through injections and, for example, a jacuzzi in which the patient can lie down during childbirth.

Ours is not the same as in America. Where, as soon as a woman entered to give birth, like it or not, she is given regional anesthesia.

Our approach is more balanced. Regional anesthesia is an intervention. During it, an anesthetic is injected into the spine. Pain sensitivity disappears, and deep tactile sensitivity remains. That is, if with such anesthesia they cut with a knife, the woman will feel only some kind of pressure. But in order to do such anesthesia, there must be indications: painful and active contractions when the cervix is ​​dilated at least four centimeters.

In a primiparous pregnant woman, the average duration of labor is 12-14 hours, in multiparous women - 10-12 hours. The woman lies in the prenatal ward, she is being watched by midwives and doctors. They, like the woman herself, rate the pain of contractions on a 10-point scale. Depending on the situation, a decision is made on pain relief.

If the contractions are so-so, regional anesthesia will weaken them even more - and this will not end well.

- And if the pregnant woman herself wants to be injected with anesthetic and just ask the doctor ...

- All pregnant women in anticipation of childbirth want anesthesia. This is a natural desire. If she really hurts and she wants to - they will.

But it is possible to anesthetize not only due to regional anesthesia. Massage, jumping on rubber balls, common antispasmodics also help.

- Are there many pregnant women today who use regional anesthesia during childbirth?

- In our maternity hospital - up to 10% of women with natural childbirth. In case of caesarean section during elective operations, we perform regional anesthesia for up to 88% of patients. The woman remains conscious with her. If childbirth has begun and a cesarean is urgently needed, then most often we resort to general anesthesia.

- What if a woman asks for a caesarean without testimony?

- In Colombia and Venezuela, 80-90% of pregnant women are cesarean. For this, they have one indication - the desire of a woman. We don't have that. There must be good reasons, a situation where a woman really cannot give birth on her own.

"Before pregnancy, you even need to go to the dentist."

- How do you feel about partner childbirth?

- Positively. And we choose such births more and more often. They are important for a woman who has never given birth. The husband, whom she loves and whom she trusts, in this case creates a very good psycho-emotional background.

- And for the birth at home?

- There is only one good moment in childbirth at home - the home environment. This is where the positive ends. Childbirth is an unpredictable process, and the stakes are very high: a woman can die or lose a child. Fortunately, this rarely happens. But again, how can you control the baby's condition during childbirth at home?

For example, a pathology such as an umbilical cord entanglement occurs in 30% of pregnant women. In most cases, it goes unnoticed: the child is born, and we see that there was a cord entanglement. But it may be that during the advancement of the head, the umbilical cord is tightened around the neck, like a loop. Everything here will depend on how quickly you help and save the child. If a woman lies in the delivery room, five to seven minutes - and the baby was taken out. At home, the baby is left to fate.

But, for example, a child was born, and a woman had tissue tears during childbirth. Bleeding may be profuse. It's like you open the water in the tap, and it starts pouring, already gurgling. God forbid, at home someone will reach there with his hand to tear something off without anesthesia. This can lead to shock associated with blood loss. What happened next? It is good if a woman lives in the city and an ambulance will come to her in 15 minutes.

- Have you ever had cases when a woman tried to give birth at home and was urgently brought to the hospital?

- There was a case when an ambulance was carrying an already giving birth woman, bleeding, with a pressure of 60 to 40. And once a patient was admitted with a clinically narrow pelvis and an incipient rupture of the uterus. She had already given birth for four to six hours. The child was large - 4.5 kg, the pelvis did not allow him to pass. All internal organs have already swollen there. We took her straight from the emergency room to the operating room.

This happens, but rarely. But if during childbirth at home you lose your wife or child, who will you blame? A neighbor who advised you to give birth at home? Of course not. Then all your life you will not forgive yourself. So why experiment?

- Supporters of childbirth at home often cite grandmothers and great-grandmothers as an example, who also gave birth like that?

- Do you know how much infant and maternal mortality was during the time of our grandmothers and great-grandmothers? So many. And today we have an infant mortality rate of about 3 ppm. That means three cases in a thousand. At the same time, there are about 120 thousand births in the country per year.

- Despite this indicator, not so long ago there were three high-profile stories related to the death of children in Slutsk and Novopolotsk. How can this be?

- It is impossible to reduce mortality to zero. And such cases are rare. As a rule, healthy children under the condition of physiologically proceeding pregnancy in a healthy mother do not die. This is nonsense. Most often, there are objective reasons for an unfavorable outcome.

Most infant deaths are associated with abnormalities in the placenta. The placenta is the feeding surface for the baby. If you look at it under a microscope, in perfect condition it should look like a new long pile carpet. Each villi is a nourishing vessel for a child. The more of these vessels, the more the child receives oxygen, amino acids and other important substances.

But if, during the fertilization of the egg, a defective fertilized egg is obtained, a high-quality placenta cannot form from it. Its villi will be thin and small, and will not be able to feed the baby properly.

Therefore, the health of the baby is influenced by the secretory phase and hormonal background of the pregnancy, whether the woman had stress. During the war, there was even such a concept - stressful amenorrhea, when a woman simply did not have periods. The body perceived the war as unfavorable conditions, and ovulation did not occur. Nature protected women from pregnancy.

- How to reduce the risks of infant mortality?

- Prepare for pregnancy and behave correctly during it. Doing everything that is called three letters - healthy lifestyle (healthy lifestyle). It is also important to avoid stress and eat a complete and balanced diet.

Brain stress is like a chronic poison. The centers that regulate the functioning of the female genital organs are located in the brain.

- How to live without stress?

- To resort to psychotherapy, physical activity ... When the brain receives impulses from the muscles, stress is blocked. When a person swims and runs, he thus avoids problems.

- How often do our people plan pregnancy?

- Almost always.

- Yes?

- There are fewer and fewer weddings now.

- But I somehow RSPTs "Mother and Child", and they said the opposite ...

- The Republican Scientific and Practical Center “Mother and Child” is a republican institution. They work a lot with women from the regions. And our patients are from Minsk. According to statistics, in our maternity hospital, pregnancy is most often planned. At least minimally, before getting pregnant, the girl goes to a gynecologist for an examination.

- But what exactly should a man and a woman do when planning a pregnancy?

- A man should go to a urologist, and a woman should go to a gynecologist and get tested. If one of the parents had diabetes mellitus, it makes sense to pass tests for this part and go to an endocrinologist. If the pressure rises periodically, you need to visit a cardiologist.

And what else must be done - go to the dentist and put your teeth in order. Caries is an infection, and against the background of pregnancy, immunity is suppressed. Under certain circumstances, this infection can enter the bloodstream and cause severe flare-ups such as periodontitis or sepsis. How can a child develop normally against this background?

"Combined oral contraceptives can be taken for years."

- Let's talk about contraception. Coitus interruptus ... Doesn't it seem strange to you that today, when people have access to other methods of contraception, someone else is using it?

- I have never met a more stupid, senseless and unreliable method of contraception in my life. You need to understand that the release of sperm during intercourse occurs even before the main ejaculation. That is, sperm cells begin to be released at the very beginning, and in 10-20 seconds they can penetrate not only the vagina, but also the uterine cavity. And to get pregnant, one sperm is enough.

At the same time, interrupted intercourse is not enjoyable. Because of him, a man has an orgasm not to the end, a woman - even more so. The female genital organs, which are responsible for receiving positive emotions, are concentrated in both the vagina and the cervix. A woman just starts to taste - here everything is extracted and stopped. What is the pleasure of this?

Fortunately, coitus interruptus is becoming less common as a method of contraception. People are becoming more responsible and use condoms, local contraceptive drugs: vaginal creams, balls, tampons. And all this can be bought at the pharmacy without a prescription. There should be a more balanced approach to the use of oral contraceptives.

- Do combined oral contraceptives harm a woman's health?

- Modern oral contraceptives, with the correct selection, are the best option. If you follow the instructions and recommendations of the doctor, there will be no side effects. Moreover, such drugs have not only a contraceptive effect, but also a therapeutic one.

Oral contraceptives are like a sanatorium for the ovaries. When a woman accepts them, her ovaries are dormant. The condition can be compared to how the car is idling.

Previously, our grandmothers at the age of 18-19 got married, had a sex life, and got pregnant. Then the child was carried, breastfed and pregnant again. A woman for her entire reproductive age had at most 20-30 ovulations. That is, her ovary worked 20-30 times in her entire life. Now what? Eggs ripen every month in vain - pregnancy does not occur. And today a woman who does not get pregnant has not 20-30 ovulations, but 200-300. The more the organ works, the more likely it is to break. Where do you think uterine fibroids and endometriosis come from?

- How long can I take combined oral contraceptives?

- For years, until a woman decides to become pregnant and in the absence of contraindications.

- And while not taking a break?

- It makes sense to take breaks. But not a single woman, purely psychologically, will be able to take oral contraceptives for six years without a break. After six months or a year, she will need to make sure that the female reproductive system is working properly, and she herself will interrupt the appointment.

In any case, such drugs should be taken under medical supervision. So that if something happens, the doctor can cancel them.

- They say that a woman should not wash her genitals with soap. Like, this is how she kills the natural environment ...

- You can and should wash with soap, but not with household soap, but with toilet soap. Laundry soap is 70% alkali, which corrodes not only the external genitals, but dirty laundry. But it is important to understand that you should not wash yourself with soap every day. A lactic acid environment must be maintained in the vagina. If you douche and wash yourself with soap every day, this will finally destroy the microflora of the vagina.

Intimate hygiene gels are milder detergents. And, of course, if you have a choice, it is better to use them, not soap.

- How often should genital hygiene be carried out?

- As it gets dirty. One to three times a day - with ordinary water, including after using the toilet. You can do this with soap and water no more than once a day.

- Does a cytology smear really reveal cancer?

- With the help of cytology, we can detect cervical cancer at an early stage and cure it. Cancer arises from a tumor, not two centimeters, but several cells. Therefore, every healthy woman in Belarus should undergo an oncocytology examination once a year.

The ideal age for the birth of the first child - what is it, what does it depend on and what is it conditioned by? A hundred years ago (not such a long interval for history), a woman giving birth to her first child at 25 was a rare occurrence. By this age, the mother of the family managed to give birth to at least two children, because they got married earlier - after 20, the chances of a happy marriage were rapidly falling.

Today we cannot say that it is too late to give birth after 25. Moreover, statistics show that in Russia and the countries of the former Soviet Union, the first births, on average, occur at the age of 25-26 years. It turns out that women began to become pregnant after receiving a profession and the first years of securing in the workplace.

Favorable period: at what age is it better to give birth

It is impossible to give a monosyllabic answer here, since in addition to physiology, social factors should be taken into account. Many modern women decide to become pregnant only after they have received an education, they have their own housing, in a word, some kind of social guarantees, as they say, in their pockets. At the same time, the Western way of thinking has not yet been adopted: there they are increasingly striving to give birth after 30 and later, when not only the material and career issue is settled, but also the experience of travel, the so-called "life for oneself" is also behind them.

If we rely on physiology, then the reproductive period of a woman can be conditionally divided into several sub-periods. All of them are suitable for the birth of a child - reproductive functions work, a woman is physically able to conceive and give birth.

Maternity age periods:

• 17-20 years old;
• 20 to 30 years old;
• 30 to 40 years old;
• 40 years old and above.

There are no universal advice here. For some, the natural development of events will be earlier motherhood, when a very young girl decides to become a mother. Without education, perhaps without a material stable base, nevertheless, a woman easily decides on a child. And a certain percentage of such cases are very successful - at a young age, the body recovers quickly, does not react so sharply to lack of sleep, the young mother does a lot and is optimistic about the future.

But it is definitely impossible to say that this is the most favorable period for the birth of a child. Physical health may slightly outpace psychological health, so-called mindful parenting. At this age, not all girls understand that it is worth having a child in full readiness for parenting - understanding the aspects of upbringing, caring for a baby, round-the-clock responsibility.

What is the optimal age for the birth of the first child?

Gynecologists themselves believe that the second period of a woman's reproductive age (the one from 20 to 30) is the most suitable. Approximately 25-26 years old is the peak of the physiological and psychological readiness for the birth of a child. The body is still young, but no longer growing, only preparing for childbirth.

What is the favorable age of 25-27 years;

• The woman does not yet have chronic diseases that complicate pregnancy;
• Gynecological health is also normal at this age (on average);
• This is a good age for conception, since there are still several healthy years left in stock for subsequent pregnancies.

It must be understood that this age is considered optimal also because it is easier to conceive a child during these years. The ovaries are working at full capacity, but after 30, their functions will slowly begin to fade. So, today, by the age of 35, many women have their ovaries prematurely aging, the supply of eggs dries up (they are laid even before the birth of a girl), and there may be problems with conception.

Suitable age for having a second child

In this case, the factor of recovery of the mother's body after the first birth is also taken into account. It is desirable that at least two years pass between childbirth. In this case, there are more chances for a successful pregnancy, and it will be easier for the mother herself to bear the child when the first one has grown a little.

The interval of 3-4 years is considered to be the optimal internatal period. If the first childbirth fell on a period of 25-27 years, and the second - on 28-32 years, both psychologically and physiologically, the woman falls into a conditional norm. This, of course, is nothing more than averaged data - just scientists calculated in which cases women recovered faster, when the second birth was easier, etc.

In addition, when the second child is born 3-5 years after the first:

• The uterus still "remembers" the first birth process, the birth canal is the most ready for a new birth, which makes them shorter and easier;
• It is not so difficult for a woman to psychologically pause her career; many take two maternity leaves in a row easier than a new parental leave after another career break.

Well, the birth of a third child, if you really want to keep within the norm, should not be postponed until the age of 35. The main thing is that women clearly assess their capabilities, risks, understand how much effort is needed for the subsequent pregnancy and raising another baby. It is more correct to find out the recommended age not in generalized medical advice, but from your gynecologist and therapist.

"Ceiling" of motherhood: until what age can you give birth?

Everyone knows that in Europe and the United States, the bar for female reproductive age is only rising. Thanks to the latest technologies, there are more and more women in childbirth, and when a woman after 45 years has children, no one faints from surprise. If the hormonal background is able to maintain pregnancy, the woman is healthy, how old she is is a secondary question.

But risks are risks. Therefore, you need to firmly assess your condition - to be examined more often, to understand that not everything can work out the first time. There is a threat of giving birth to a child with genetic abnormalities, but today it can be detected at a time suitable for termination of pregnancy. This is not the greatest consolation, but both a woman and a man of age who decide to become pregnant must think sensibly and envisage possible scenarios.

To give birth to a healthy baby, older pregnant women need:

• Register on time and undergo a full list of examinations, it will be more authentic than the list of younger expectant mothers;
• Be sure to consult a geneticist;
• Even before pregnancy, solve the issues of chronic diseases as much as possible;
• To visit a psychologist, if the expectant mother herself is uneasy on the eve of an important upcoming event, she wants to talk to someone.

How many children to have, when to give birth to them is a purely personal question. Nowadays, women are given more opportunities for motherhood, the deadline is increasing, it is considered the norm to give birth after 40. The extreme age, the middle age are increasingly conditional.

The normal age for pregnancy is when you consciously, taking into account your psychological, physiological and material readiness, decided to become a mother. Ideally, with full agreement on this issue with her husband. And you need to think about it not for a couple of weeks, but come consciously.

At what age to give birth to a child? At eighteen, they say, still young, the mind itself is not. Up to twenty-five - the very study, the first job, career, not up to children. After 30-35 - already old-born ... So when else? The Fontanka correspondent clarified this question with the help of specialists.

At what age to give birth to a child? At 18, they say, she is still young, she has no mind. Up to 25 - the very study, the first job, career, not up to children. After 30 - 35 - already old-born ... So when else? The Fontanka correspondent clarified this question with the help of specialists.

Elderly: how much is it?

Not so long ago, in the middle of the last century, this critical threshold was 22-24 years old. Our mothers were told that it is necessary to give birth before 25. At the moment, it is generally accepted in obstetrics that an old-born mother is a woman over 35 years old. Thus, the border of assumptions and indulgences in the designation of childbearing age is constantly growing. And the reasons for such leaps, probably, should be sought, including in the peculiarities of our today's social life.

A woman has long become a special emancipated: she receives a higher education, as a matter of course - gets a job, builds a career. Each of them today has their own ideas about the level of life support necessary for comfort: an apartment, a car, a position, prestige, connections. These socially adaptive realities come to the fore, displacing many of the desire to start a family and have children on the second line in the list of plans for life. And nature is not keeping pace with social evolution. And if in twenty years the doctors will argue that 40 is an absolutely normal age for birth, but now it is still believed that it carries certain difficulties. Although a healthy child, according to many doctors, can be given birth at 20, and 30, and 40 years old, if health, ecology, psychological climate in the family allow.

So when?

But, nevertheless, the older the woman, the more difficulties arise during pregnancy. For comments on the specifics of childbearing in adulthood and on the possible dangers during this period, we turned to Yulia Vladimirovna Dolgo-Saburova, obstetrician-gynecologist, mycologist, candidate of medical sciences, leading specialist of the N.V. PN Kashkina St. Petersburg Medical Academy of Postgraduate Education, a member of the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of St. Petersburg and the North-West Region.

“Both earlier and now it is believed that it is better to give birth to a child in the third decade of life, optimally - at 20 - 27 years. At this age, the female body functions harmoniously, of course, provided that there are no exogenous intoxications (smoking, alcohol, drugs), chronic diseases, stress and in the presence of a full-fledged monogamous sex life. After thirty, half of women have relative progesterone deficiency and increased levels of male sex hormones, and this contributes to miscarriage. Also, with age, the incidence of various diseases of internal organs increases. Pregnancy after thirty is more difficult to carry, there are more complications. "

It is logical that the longer a person lives, the "richer" his past is for experiments with health, the more the body wears out. Alexey Valerievich Larin, a psychotherapist-sexologist, vice-president of the RAS, chairman of the Moscow society of sexologists, in one of his interviews notes that among young people under 25, the frequency of having a child with Down syndrome is 1 percent, after 35 years - already 3 percent. That is, the likelihood that a healthy child will be born after 35 remains quite high. Although, of course, this figure falls with the age of the woman. And if a woman decides to give birth under 50, then the danger can reach 30 percent. Although the main difficulty, according to Aleksey Valerievich, here lies in the fact that people are more frightened than there really is a danger (that is, gynecologists, most likely, are insured). And women are really afraid. Yes, age leaves a certain mark. But this is not the main determining factor.

And what about men?

“What is interesting: even 10 - 15 years ago, doctors said that the number of normal living sperm in a man should be 15 million, - continues Aleksey Valerievich Larin. - Now 5 million are considered the norm. In 10 years, it is quite possible to admit up to 3 million. ecology, lifestyle ". By the way, Yulia Vladimirovna Dolgo-Saburova says about the impact of harmful factors on the genetics of men and women: “A woman receives all eggs during intrauterine development, and numerous damaging factors constantly affect them. The genetic material of a woman is not renewed during her life! If a man smokes a pack of cigarettes a day, this will affect the state of his sperm, but if this man quits smoking and drinking, goes in for sports, monitors his diet, work and rest, then in a few months his spermogram will be not to be recognized. Therefore, a man at 70 is capable of becoming a father of a healthy child. "

So, dear women, you should not compete with men in riotous, unrestrained fun: they will then recover if they wish, and your children will take the rap for your "exploits".

Better to do everything on time

Another aspect of the criterion for choosing the age for the birth of children is noted by Yulia Vladimirovna Dolgo-Saburova: “If a woman gives birth to two or three children under the age of thirty, then by fifty she will be able to nurse her grandchildren, and by seventy - with her great-grandchildren. And this is important, since in the period of perimenopause, the maternal instinct flares up in women with renewed vigor ... At the age of 30 - 35, women give birth not because of a good life, but because the consumer society inexorably dictates its conditions. You have to get on your feet, make a career, buy an apartment, two cars, see the world, and then a child - according to the leftover principle. Another stupid slogan: "We / I / must / must give the child everything." And the child does not need to give everything, first of all he needs to give love. On the other hand, they say that after thirty, motherhood is more meaningful, that a woman becomes wiser, knows how to prioritize, and falls into hysterics less. I can say from my own experience that this is not the case. The older you get, the worse you endure various loads, including lack of sleep, physical fatigue, etc. I believe that everything needs to be done on time, or at least to strive for it. "

Several common truths

Yulia Vladimirovna Dolgo-Saburova once again recalled the basic rules regarding the health of expectant mothers and their children: “The recipe is the same for everyone: a full-fledged family, adequate upbringing, including sexual. Children need truthful information. They should receive this information from parents, teachers, psychologists and doctors, and not in the doorway in the form of taboo vocabulary. Teenagers need to be told about sexual hygiene, that monogamy is correct and safe, and polygamy and promiscuity (promiscuous sex life - Ed.) Are dangerous to health. Even before the onset of sexual activity, schoolchildren need to know about modern methods of contraception and the dangers of abortion, about various sexually transmitted infections and methods of their prevention. There are no trifles in sex education. For example, everyone knows that you can't walk in short skirts and thin tights in the cold, but we also don't recommend wearing tight low-waisted jeans, thongs and synthetic underwear, or using daily panty liners. This contributes to the occurrence of inflammatory diseases and congestion in the vessels of the small pelvis. And it would be nice if girls learned this from their mothers at the age of ten. Both boys and girls need to remember the responsibility not only for their own health, but also for the health of their future partners. What's so simpler: while you are looking, use condoms ... And one more thing: a woman should go to a gynecologist once a year, and a man should visit a urologist once a year ... "

You say: what are the simple and familiar rules to almost everyone from childhood? And yet, maybe it's better to remind you for the hundredth time? Otherwise, where do mommies at the age of 14 come from and boys for whom "I want!" more important than the girl's health?

There are many persistent misconceptions about the optimal time for conception, which, unfortunately, are often guided by couples thinking about replenishing the family. We will talk about the most common of them.

Myth number 1. You have to give birth up to 25 years

This myth of when is the best time to give birth sounds almost like a slogan. Despite the complete lack of a scientific basis, it remains very common. The history of the appearance of this myth goes back to the middle of the last century, when in Soviet obstetrics women giving birth to their first child after 30 years (and not after 25, as the authors of the myth claim!) Were called “old-born”. The term sounds, frankly, unflattering: what a woman, and besides a future mother, would want to be called old! In the days of our grandmothers, they got married and gave birth to their first child much earlier than now - on average, from 20 to 25 years. Against this background, women giving birth to their first child after 30 years, involuntarily stood out from the general number of patients and attracted more close attention of doctors. In Soviet obstetrics, indeed, it was believed that it was necessary to give birth before the age of 25, tk. at this age, in most cases, there are fewer chronic diseases, and the hormonal background, on which the course of pregnancy and childbirth largely depends, is in the most favorable state.

However, it is obvious that there is no magic in the number "25": there are no violations or drastic changes in the sexual sphere of a woman at this age. It is perfectly possible to endure and safely give birth to a baby at 25 and 30 years old, and even much later - for this it is important to take care of your health, lead a correct lifestyle and with the recommendations of doctors. Today, doctors are forced to explain to their patients, who are worried that they "did not have time" to give birth before the age of 25, that after this age no fundamental changes have occurred in their bodies, they are still young, healthy and capable of giving birth to healthy children. So do not strive at any cost to have time to give birth before the age of 25 - there are much more important criteria that should be considered when planning a pregnancy!

Myth number 2. The earlier you give birth, the better.

This delusion is more radical: the authors of the myth are convinced that it is necessary to give birth in adolescence, since a very young and healthy mother definitely cannot have problems with pregnancy and childbirth. So at what age to give birth? In fact, this is not at all the case: it is fraught with no less, and sometimes even more, dangers than the "age" one. There are many reasons for this: this is not an established hormonal background of a young girl, and the nervous system, which is not mature enough to regulate such complex processes as gestation and birth of a fetus, and too active metabolism, and the incomplete formation of the body as a whole. The first menstruation appears on average from 12 to 15 years, but this transformation of a girl into a girl does not mean that she is already ready for motherhood. In fact, at this age, a girl is still a child, a teenager, in whose body changes are gradually taking place associated with growing up. As you know, change is the least successful time for testing, and pregnancy at puberty, unfortunately, is no exception to this rule.

According to statistics, the greatest number of complications is recorded during pregnancy, which occurred at the age of 16–17 years. The main percentage falls on the threat of termination of pregnancy; this is due to insufficient production at a young age of progesterone - the main hormone necessary for carrying a pregnancy. At a young age, pregnancy is much more likely to end in premature (up to 37 weeks) childbirth. This is due to the pathologically high tone of the uterus due to the immaturity of the nervous system and the hormonal background of the uniparous. The stress associated with the onset of pregnancy is also more difficult for other organs and systems of a too young mother: early pregnancies are more often complicated by preeclampsia and hepatosis - toxicosis with impaired renal and liver function. In early pregnancy, the highest number of fetal malnutrition was recorded. This term denotes an insufficient weight of a newborn (less than 2500 g) due to a violation of placental blood flow during pregnancy. The reason for the insufficient blood supply to the fetus is again associated with an excessive load on the cardiovascular system for a young age, and a significant role in this is played by the high metabolic costs for the continued growth of the mother's own body. So you should not rush too much with planning a pregnancy - everything should be on time!

Myth number 3. After 30 years, pregnancy always proceeds with complications

This widespread opinion is in fact also a delusion - there is no direct relationship between the age of the expectant mother and the course of pregnancy. It cannot be denied that with age, the risk of developing infertility, genetic disorders during conception, and the formation of chronic diseases in the mother increases. All of these factors can adversely affect the course of pregnancy and fetal development. However, it is necessary to clearly understand that the “age-related” pathologies of pregnancy are not associated with the passport age itself, but only with the state of health of the expectant mother.

What is the best age to give birth? Currently, in megacities there is a significant increase in the age of primiparas: the average age of a woman giving birth to her first child has shifted to 28–33 years. This is due to changes in the social way of life, which cannot but affect the biological age of growing up of a woman. Modern young girls study longer, later than their mothers and grandmothers, they begin an independent life, build a career and get married. A decrease in physical activity against the background of an increase in the comfort of life has brought unexpected results in the physiology of a modern woman: along with an increase in life expectancy by the 21st century, the age at which the first child is born has also changed dramatically. At the same time, the percentage of complications in the course of pregnancy did not increase in comparison with the statistics of 20–30 years ago, when the first birth was more often at the age of 20–25 years. To date, the results of clinical and statistical studies in the field of demography have shown that the successful course and outcome of pregnancy depend on the health and lifestyle of the future parents, the level of medical care and the environment. Passport age in this matter is in the very last place.

Myth number 4. Career first, then children

Today, many girls who are keen on building their own careers are in no hurry to change the status of a successful business woman to the status of a future mother, believing that this issue can be relegated to the background. The most common justification for this position is a glance at Western Europe and America, where the victory of careerism over motherhood took place back in the 70s of the last century. "Look, in the West, everyone gives birth after 40 years, and nothing!" - say the adherents of this idea ... and they are very mistaken.

If we talk about the possibility of childbirth in principle, then, of course, with the current level of development of reproductive medicine, this is feasible at 40, and 45, and even sometimes at 50 years old. But if you look into the details, for example, to assess the ability of an elderly body to endure the stress associated with the course of pregnancy and childbirth, a decrease in the metabolic rate, the extinction of the hormonal background, the picture will cease to seem so rosy. Especially, if you think about what moral and physical costs are sometimes many years of painstaking construction of a successful career - such stresses, which are inextricably linked to the life of a successful woman, cannot but affect health, and it is this factor that is so important for the possibility of a successful motherhood. So do not put off for a long time the important issues of the birth of children, so that they do not become the most difficult!

Myth number 5. The main thing in family planning is material well-being

Many people believe that the most important thing in planning a pregnancy is material well-being: a separate apartment, a good salary, and so on. Of course, the increase in the family is inextricably linked with the increase in costs, so that, at first glance, the position "wealth first, then the child" may seem quite logical and justified. Expectant parents will have to invest in setting up a nursery, buying a dowry for the baby: clothes, furniture, strollers, etc. Taking care of the health of the unborn child, many men and women think about additional costs for medical care - concluding a contract for pregnancy, childbirth and supervision for a newborn, and this also requires significant financial investments. There are also such forward-thinking parents who, even before the birth of a child, plan the costs of his education in early development groups, school and even university.

You can go even further in this matter: for example, planning a pregnancy only after you have accumulated money for additional education, a prestigious internship, your first car, an apartment, a child's wedding ... The only problem is that for all these financial projects, most potential mothers and dads will have to spend many years, strength, and most importantly - health. But the health of future parents is the main and most important "dowry" for the child, the guarantor of the successful course of pregnancy and the birth of a healthy baby. And, as you know, health cannot be bought for any money!

Myth number 6. After 40 years of age, it is too late to give birth

The most common explanation for this idea is that pregnancy and childbirth are a significant burden on a woman's body, and after 40 years, the risk of developing serious diseases increases. That is, giving birth after 40 years is dangerous for the expectant mother herself. Another reason for such a categorical statement is the growth (first of all - Down's syndrome - the presence of an additional 21st chromosome in the fetus) in pregnant women "aged". This explanation is based on fear for the health of the child. Finally, there is another, "complex" fear in planning pregnancy after 40 years - an increase in the risk of complications of pregnancy and childbirth. It is difficult to argue with all of the above arguments - they are all, to one degree or another, well-grounded. Indeed, with age, the risks of all kinds of complications associated with additional loads on the woman's body increase.

However, this does not mean at all that pregnancy after 40 years will certainly be complicated, the woman's well-being will necessarily worsen, and the child will not be able to be born healthy. Reminding a woman of her age and advising not to postpone motherhood "for later", doctors indicate the optimal time to plan pregnancy, but this does not mean at all that after the optimal period, the issue of childbirth must be closed. Medicine knows hundreds and thousands of cases of a favorable course, successful delivery and the birth of healthy children from parents whose age significantly exceeded the fatal mark "40". Of course, when planning a pregnancy at the "balzac age", you need to be thoroughly examined and soberly assess your health - as, in fact, at any other age. It is wrong to say that it is too late to give birth after 40 years - we are talking about an increase in risks, but not about the imminent threat of the development of pathology in both the expectant mother and the fetus.

Myth 7. You need to get pregnant according to the lunar calendar

A very common "pseudo-scientific" version of pregnancy planning. The reasons for the "seasonal" approach to this important issue are explained in a variety of ways: from the availability of fresh vegetables and fruits, the air temperature and the number of sunny days to the influence of the signs of the zodiac and the lunar calendar. Some authors emphasize the importance of the season (or month, or decade) of conception, while others stress the importance of choosing the “right” time for the birth of a child. It is quite difficult to reasonably prove (or dispute) the influence of the horoscope and the lunar calendar on pregnancy planning, but as for the direct influence of "seasonality" on the course of pregnancy and fetal development from the point of view of health ... Of course, the sun's rays are useful for the expectant mother and baby. air and fresh vitamins from natural vegetables and fruits. But after all, pregnancy lasts 9 months, or three seasons, - therefore, regardless of the season of conception, there is enough sun and vitamins for everyone!