Expectant mamas who become pregnant at 40 or later are usually educated on the risks. They have a higher likelihood of developing gestational diabetes, hypertension, and preeclampsia [1, 2]. These conditions, not a mama’s age, are usually triggers for a C-section birth.
I’m over 40. Can I opt for vaginal birth over a C-section?
Yes, you can. However, if this is your first baby, you’re more likely to need a C-section versus a mama who’s given birth before. Among women on their second or third baby at 40 or older, almost 80% can have a safe vaginal birth [3].
What are specific reasons I may need to give birth via C-section?
Common triggers are the baby’s position, the placement of the placenta, preeclampsia, preexisting conditions that make it risky to go through labor (for example, cardiovascular disease), certain infections, fibroids, scarring on the uterus or cervix, and others. At age 40 and older, more people have these and certain chronic conditions that make vaginal birth risky.
What are the risks of a C-section if I’m 40 or older?
A large-scale study conducted in France from 2012-2013 proved that C-sections are often prescribed as a precaution, triggered solely by the age of the expectant mama or at her request. The problem with this is that age brings increased chance of complications from C-section, such as severe bleeding or infection [4]. These complications may be worse than the risks from vaginal birth.
