Abstract
Author(s): KATARZYNA OLSZAK-WÄSIK1, WIOLETTA ROZMUS-WARCHOLIÅSKA2, AGATA WÅOCH3, BARTOSZ CZUBA3, KRZYSZTOF SODOWSKI3, VIOLETTA SKRZYPULEC-PLINTA2, ANITA OLEJEK1
Motherhood is one of the most important, durable and intensive interpersonal bonds. Nowadays, more and more women, especially in developed countries, experience motherhood in 40 year of age or even later. In this age group high incidence of cardiovascular diseases, arterial hypertension, diabetes, thyroid gland diseases as well as obesity is observed. Moreover, the risks of breast and cervical cancer increase. Due to improvements of health care and medicine development, especially reproductive medicine, reproductive period in women was prolonged. More and more pregnancies develop as a result of assisted reproduction technology (ART). However, advanced mother’s age is related to increased frequency of obstetrical complications. The probability of fetal congenital defects and chromosomal abnormalities increases. Physical convalescence after labor slows down with age and in elder women confinement complications are observed more often. Late motherhood also influences psychical health of mothers, and the effect often persists for their future lives. In the nearest future, the phenomenon of intentional postponement of motherhood will be for sure more and more common. Hence, there will be a necessity to optimize preconception and obstetrical care including the needs of pregnant women in this age group.