Yesterday, Hilary Swank revealed that she is expecting twins. The star is 48 years old, which medical professionals regard as advanced maternal age. She may experience difficulties and will probably require further monitoring, according to OBGYNs. Morning Brew is read by more than 3 million people; you should too! At the age of 48, Hilary Swank is carrying not just one child, but two.
The actor said said on “Good Morning America” on Wednesday, “This is something that I’ve wanted for a long time.” “My next step is to become a mother.”
Dr. Kecia Gaither , who is the director of perinatal services and maternal-fetal medicine at NYC Health Hospitals/Lincoln in the Bronx and is double board-certified in OBGYN and maternal-fetal medicine, said that carrying twins and being an older pregnant woman both raise the risk for pregnancy difficulties.
Older mothers are at increased risk for problems such preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and high blood pressure. Additionally, they have a higher chance of miscarriage, stillbirth, and preterm labor.
Swank is an older mother, but it is still possible for her to deliver twins safely, according to Dr. G. Thomas Ruiz , the OBGYN lead at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California.
You can have a healthy baby and mom at 48 years old, according to Ruiz, as long as the patient is willing to comply with everything and has a thorough understanding of the dangers and consequences before becoming pregnant. Simply put, “Mom has more job to do.”
MORE MONITORING IS NEEDED FOR PREGNANCIES IN OLDER PEOPLE Ruiz believes Swank is collaborating with a perinatologist who carries a significant level of danger. This is due to the fact that more frequent checkups, including ultrasounds every three to four weeks, are customary for older mothers and those who are carrying multiples.
We are conducting all necessary surveillance in order to remain on top of any problems, according to Ruiz.
Doctors keep a tight eye on a patient’s fluid balance, cervix size, and other indicators of a good pregnancy. In order to avoid preterm labor, Ruiz added, it’s also not unusual for doctors to place pregnant women on modified bed rest throughout the third trimester.
A SPONSOR PREGNANCY AT 48 IS IMPOSSIBLE According to Gaither, the likelihood of a 48-year-old woman being pregnant naturally is around 5% . According to Ruiz, there is considerably less chance of a healthy pregnancy because the mother’s age increases the fetus’s risk for genetic disorders. For instance, a pregnant woman’s chances of carrying a child with Down syndrome by the time she is 45 are one in three .
Older mothers are more likely to miscarry because genetic defects in the fetus increase the chance of miscarriage. Odds of spontaneously conceiving twins increase with age, which is interesting.
Egg freezing and the use of donor eggs are a couple of ways to get past some of these issues.
People thinking about having an older baby should be aware of the risks. A mother, 51, received her twins directly from Ruiz. Despite the fact that older persons trying to get pregnant are more prevalent, Ruiz likes to make sure his patients are aware of both the chances and the risks. If a person over 45 says they want to get pregnant, he sends them for blood tests and other testing to determine their precise chance of conception.
The physical and emotional toll of a pregnancy at an elderly age, including all the monitoring and possibilities for bed rest, is then openly discussed.
As long as you realize this will be a more challenging pregnancy than when you were 28, we can get you through it safely with the right management and care, he said. “You can navigate it securely,”
