Pregnancy and older women

Q I'm a 42-year-old woman who has not had a child, but husband and I want one. We are both from big families and have finally decided to start our own. What are the dangers that could come with pregnancy at such an advanced age?

L.S., Sacramento, Calif.

A Doctors say there are what some consider to be additional risks of having a baby when the potential mother is 35 or older. The main concern, medical experts say, is that the risk of conceiving a baby with a chromosomal problem goes up every year. They point out, for example, that the risk of having a baby with Down syndrome increases from about 1 in 1,000 at age 30 to 1 in 400 at age 35, 1 in 100 at age 40, and 1 in 30 at age 45.

Additionally, research indicates that a woman's chances of having a baby less than 5 1/2 pounds (low birth-weight) or a premature delivery increase with age. The good news is that if an older woman is of normal weight and has no medical problems, officials say her risk of complications during pregnancy is probably similar to that of younger women who also have no health problems.

Doctors continue to say that every woman has a chance of having a baby with problems, no matter the age of the mother.