Pregnancy After Age 35
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REFLECTING ON THE TREND: Pregnancy After Age 35 A guide to Advanced Maternal Age for Ontario service providers, including a summary of statistical trends, influencing factors, health benefits, health risks and recommendations for care. A collaborative project of: Best Start: Ontario’s Maternal, Newborn and Early Child Development Resource Centre and the Halton Region Health Department 2007 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This Best Start Resource Centre manual was developed in collaboration with the Halton Region Health Department. The Best Start Resource Centre would like to thank Halton Region’s Health Department for entering into this partnership, and Kathryn Bamford, Reproductive Health Manager, for her persistence in determining a strategy to make this happen. The Halton Region Health Department is located west of Toronto and is responsible for public health in the communities of Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville. Halton region has one of the highest rates of pregnancy over the age of 35 in Ontario, and is very interested in strategies for care of this population. For more information on the Halton Region Health Department, call 905-825-6000 or visit www.halton.ca/health The Best Start Resource Centre would like to thank Michelle Schwarz, BScN, MPA, Public Health Nurse, at the Halton Region Health Department for her work in researching and drafting this publication. Best Start would also like to Key Informants and • Joyce Engel, PhD, • Hana Sroka, MSc, CCGC, acknowledge the important Expert Reviewers: Vice-President, Academic Genetic Counsellor, Mount Niagara College Sinai Hospital roles played by the following • Dr. Sean Blaine, BSc, MD Halton Region staff: CCFP, Lead Physician, STAR • Dr. Thomas Hannam, BSc MD • Lia Swanson, BScN, RN, Family Health Team, Stratford, FRCSC Reproductive MSc(T), Reproductive Health • Heather Kemp, Information Assistant Professor, Endocrinology & Infertility, Program Manager, Niagara Specialist, for providing Department of Family and Director, Hannam Fertility Region Public Health valuable support in the Community Medicine, Centre Department literature search University of Toronto, Researcher, Family Medicine • Donna Launslager, Health & • Philippa Holowaty, Best Start would also like to Genetics Program, Mount Sinai Education Committee Chair, Epidemiologist, and Karen thank Kirsten Sears, Health Hospital Multiple Births Canada Moynagh, Health Analyst, for Promotion student at the analyzing and interpreting • Janette Bowie, RN BScN, • Dr. Patricia Mousmanis, MD University of Toronto for her provincial birth data Public Health Nurse, Baby and CCFP FCFP, Coordinator of assistance with the glossary, Parent Program, Halton Region Healthy Child Development additional information and Health Department Program for the Ontario College reference sections. Best Start is grateful to the of Family Physicians, Clinical While the participation of the following people for sharing • Dr. June Carroll, MD CCFP Tutor McMaster University FCFP, Sydney G Frankfort Chair researcher/writer, advisory their expertise as advisors, • Kuy Ngo, RN, BNSc. Public committee, key informants and key informants and expert in Family Medicine, Associate Professor, Department of Health Nurse, Early Years expert reviewers was critical to reviewers in the development Family and Community Health Program, City of Ottawa the development of this Best of this manual: Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, Public Health Start resource, final decisions about content were made by the University of Toronto • Dr. Nanette Okun, MD BScN, The Advisory Committee: Best Start Resource Centre. FRCSC, Associate Professor, • Janette Bowie, RN BScN, • Donna Clarke-McMullen, RN, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wendy Burgoyne was the Public Health Nurse, Baby and BScN, Public Health Nurse, Maternal Fetal Medicine, project lead from the Best Start Parent Program, Halton Region KFL&A Public Health Mount Sinai Hospital Resource Centre. For more Health Department • Dr. Sharon Caughey, MD information about Best Start, • Laura Payant, BScN MScN, • Virginia Collins, CAPD, CLD, FRCS(C), Obstetrician/ contact: Perinatal Coordinator, Perinatal CCE, Director, Antepartum Gynecologist, Department of Partnership Program of Eastern Best Start: Ontario's Maternal, Doula Program, CAPPA Canada Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Ottawa, & Southeastern Ontario Newborn and Early Child • Laura Payant, BScN MScN, Development Resource Centre Federation of Medical Women • Andrea Rideout, MS, CCGC, Perinatal Coordinator, Perinatal of Canada CGC, Genetic Counsellor, c/o Ontario Prevention Partnership Program of Eastern Project Manager, The Genetics Clearinghouse & Southeastern Ontario • Virginia Collins, CAPD, CLD, CCE, Director, Antepartum Education Project, Mount Sinai 180 Dundas Street West, • Andrea L. Rideout, MS, CCGC, Doula Program, CAPPA Canada Hospital Suite 1900 CGC, Genetic Counsellor, Toronto, ON M5G 1Z8 • Rosy Rosati, RN, Cycle Project Manager, The Genetics • Kathleen Cooper, Senior Phone: 416-408-2249 or Monitoring Nurse, Hannam Education Project, Mount Sinai Researcher, Canadian 1-800-397-9567 Fertility Centre Hospital Environmental Law Association Fax: 416-408-2122 • Dr. Vyta Senikas, BSc MDCM, Email: [email protected] • Shirley Saasto-Stopyra, RN, • Kathy Crowe, RN, BSc, FRCSC, FSOGC, CSPQ, Website: www.beststart.org Public Health Nurse, Healthy Supervisor, Reproductive Associate Executive Families Program, Thunder Health, City of Ottawa Public Vice-President, The This document has been prepared Bay District Health Unit Health Society of Obstetricians and with funds provided by the Government of Ontario. Best Start: • Mary Louise Drake, EdD, RN, Gynaecologists of Canada • Hana Sroka, MSc, CCGC, Ontario's Maternal Newborn and Genetic Counsellor, Mount Adjunct Associate Professor, • Bobbi Soderstrom, BA, MLS, Early Child Development Resource Sinai Hospital Faculty of Nursing, University Centre is a key program of the BScN, RM, Associate Professor, of Windsor, Chairperson, Ontario Prevention Clearinghouse Building Blocks for Better Ryerson University, Midwifery (OPC). The information herein Babies (Canada Prenatal Education Program, Member of reflects the views of the authors Nutrition Program) the Professional Team of the and is not officially endorsed by Perinatal Partnership Program the Government of Ontario. of Eastern and Southeastern Ontario Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ............................................ 3 6.0 Pregnancy After Age 35: Considerations for Emotional Care 2.0 Pregnancy After Age 35: 6.1 Emotional Concerns ......................................... 33 Trends in Timing of First Pregnancy 6.2 Responding to Emotional Concerns ................ 36 2.1 Current Trends for Pregnancy and Birth......... 7 2.2 Factors Influencing the Timing 7.0 Pregnancy After Age 35: of First Pregnancy............................................. 10 Considerations for Preconception Care 7.1 Declining Fertility ............................................. 41 3.0 Pregnancy After Age 35: 7.2 Folic Acid for Women at Risk ........................... 43 Health Advantages 7.3 Workplace Reproductive Risks......................... 44 3.1 Increased Use of Folic Acid ............................. 15 7.4 Alcohol Use ....................................................... 45 3.2 A Purposeful Approach..................................... 15 7.5 Pre-existing Medical Conditions ...................... 46 3.3 Psychological Preparation for Parenthood...... 16 3.4 Higher Breastfeeding Rates ............................. 17 8.0 Pregnancy After Age 35: 3.5 Socio-economic Influences Considerations for Prenatal Care on Physical Health ............................................ 17 8.1 Similarities and Differences in Prenatal Care ................................................ 49 4.0 Pregnancy After Age 35: 8.2 Screening Tests ................................................ 51 Overview of Health Concerns 8.3 First Trimester Screening Tests....................... 54 4.1 Declining Fertility.............................................. 19 8.4 Second Trimester Screening Tests .................. 58 4.2 Increased Use of Alcohol in Pregnancy ........... 20 8.5 Two-Step Integrated Screening Tests.............. 60 4.3 Risks Associated with Work ............................ 20 8.6 Diagnostic Tests ................................................ 62 4.4 Greater Likelihood for Pre-existing Medical Conditions............................................ 20 9.0 Pregnancy After Age 35: 4.5 Environmental Toxins ....................................... 21 Preparation for Parenting ...................... 67 4.6 Increased Chance for Complications in Pregnancy...................................................... 21 10.0 Pregnancy After Age 35: 5.0 Pregnancy After Age 35: Looking Forward................................... 71 Specific Prenatal Risks 5.1 Greater Risk of Fetal Loss................................ 23 Acronyms...................................................... 74 5.2 Higher Chance of Chromosome Anomalies .... 25 5.3 Greater Chance of Conceiving Multiples ......... 25 Glossary........................................................ 75 5.4 Increased Risk for Maternal Medical Complications...................................... 26 5.5 Increased Risk for Labour and References.................................................... 82 Birth Complications .......................................... 28 Reflecting on the Trend: Pregnancy After Age 35 1 2 Reflecting on the Trend: Pregnancy After Age