Over 35 and pregnant?

People 35 and older have healthy babies every day. If you’re over 35, you might worry about increased risks, and it’s true that certain risks go up with age.

Common concerns with over-35 pregnancies:

Have trouble getting pregnant
Have twins or more
Develop gestational diabetes or high blood pressure during pregnancy
Deliver prematurely
Need a cesarean section
Have a baby with birth defects
Have a miscarriage

Having a baby after age 35 doesn’t mean you’ll have a difficult pregnancy — it just means that we’ll keep a close eye on you and your little one to make sure you’re both doing well.

If you have an ongoing condition, we’ll watch it more closely.
We might need to change your medications to be more baby-friendly.
We’ll recommend prenatal testing for birth defects like Down syndrome because the risk of certain problems is higher for older birthing parents.

Ready to get maternity care?
Find a hospital or care provider near you.

Northern California members:
Visit Your Pregnancy to sign up for prenatal classes, get weekly emails, view and prepare for appointments, and more.

Learn about CenteringPregnancy®, a unique prenatal care program that includes group support with other new moms.