Folha readers share experiences with late pregnancy

Women have been postponing pregnancy due, in part, to cultural changes. If before marriage and starting a family were a priority for most, today other things are ahead. Studies, career building, search for financial stability and awareness of the evolution of science in fertility treatments are among the reasons given by the Brazilian Society of Assisted Reproduction.

Although it is possible, getting pregnant after 35 brings some threats of maternal problems. For pregnant women, there is a higher risk of developing preeclampsia (high blood pressure) and gestational diabetes. There is also a greater willingness to thrombosis and to suffer a miscarriage. As for the baby, there is a greater risk of malformation, premature birth and chromosomal changes.

To reduce the probability of developing these problems, it is important to pay more attention to medical monitoring, for example, to verify the need for hormone replacement. In addition, it is necessary to maintain healthy habits, from food to physical exercise with professional monitoring.

What can also contribute at this stage is to meet and talk to other women who have gone through the process. Therefore, readers of Sheet shared their experiences with late pregnancy.

Tatiane Elias, 48, is a university professor in Santa Maria (RS). Recently, at age 47, she became pregnant without planning. Despite the initial scare and apprehension, she says she had a peaceful and uncomplicated pregnancy. She redoubled medical care, maintained an adequate diet and resorted to pelvic physiotherapy.

Juliana Salles, 39, from São Paulo (SP), underwent IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) to fulfill her dream of being a mother. The architect has multiple sclerosis and has had thyroid cancer in the past, so she knew the process would be more delicate and needed planning. The pregnancy was twins and delivery had to be done at 35 weeks. For her, pregnancy is a very important phase in life, but a process that demands a lot from the body.

“There are many uncertainties and surprises. I don’t regret anything, because today I have my daughters. But I don’t intend to get pregnant anymore, I wouldn’t be able to go through all this again”, he explains.

Some women still get pregnant more than once after 35, as in the case of Andrea de Paula Roberta. The psychoanalyst lives in Jataí (GO) and went through a pregnancy at age 36 and another at age 40. Both were a surprise for her and, fortunately, without any problems.

Although late pregnancy has become common in recent years, it is not uncommon to find women who became late mothers a few decades ago. Francisca Colucci, from São Paulo, became a mother at 35. At the time, she was a surprise because she was not planning and was using contraceptives. Although the delivery was performed at 8 months, the process was smooth. “I loved every moment of transformation in my body,” she says.

Whether planned or not, the important thing is to be aware that it is necessary to redouble care at this time. Jaqueline Araújo (55), from Brasília (DF), got pregnant at 43 and leaves some advice for that period.

“They really enjoy this unique moment. Don’t abuse it, do prenatal care with discipline. Take care of your health with healthy eating, do hydrotherapy for pregnant women and drainage. Rest in the last few months, don’t make unnecessary efforts”.

And she adds: “I love being a mother every day of my life”.