Things to note when having a second child at the age of 38

With the opening of the two-child policy, more and more people are preparing to have a second child. However, there are many factors to consider when having a second child, such as the woman’s pregnancy age and physical condition are very important. If you are too old, there will definitely be certain risks in pregnancy. At the age of 38, you are already considered an elderly mother, so there are many things you need to pay attention to. So what are the precautions for a 38-year-old woman to have a second child?

Pregnancy at the age of 38 is considered advanced pregnancy, and there are many things to pay attention to:

1. Have a physical examination before pregnancy. This is a test that both husband and wife need to undergo. Especially for women who are preparing to become pregnant, in addition to routine examinations of the heart, liver, kidneys, etc., they should also focus on examining the reproductive system. If you have a sexually transmitted disease, you should wait until you are fully treated before becoming pregnant.

2. Take folic acid orally one month before pregnancy. Taking folic acid can prevent neurodevelopmental disorders. If you do not take folic acid in time before pregnancy, you should continue to supplement it after pregnancy until the 12th week of pregnancy.

3. Pay special attention to health care during pregnancy and ensure regular prenatal checkups.

4. Down syndrome screening should be performed during 16-20 weeks of pregnancy. This test involves extracting blood from the pregnant woman and testing the amount and concentration of various substances in the blood in order to determine possible diseases that may occur in the fetus.

5. Amniocentesis should be performed after 20 weeks of pregnancy. This examination is not necessary for normal young pregnant women. Studies have shown that the older the pregnant woman is, the higher the incidence of congenital idiocy and fetal deformities. This is because as women age, their ovaries gradually age and degenerate, the eggs they produce naturally age, and the chance of chromosomal abnormalities increases. This test can directly obtain the number of chromosomes, and based on the test results, it can be determined whether the fetus has abnormalities. There is a 0.5% chance that this test will result in miscarriage.

6. Pay more attention to indicators such as blood sugar and blood pressure. Older pregnant women are more likely to suffer from pregnancy-related heart disease, pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome and gestational diabetes. Because the blood volume in pregnant women is significantly higher than that in non-pregnant women, the burden on the heart is increased. Pregnant women who already have heart disease may have to terminate their pregnancy early due to intolerance.

7. It is more difficult for older women to give birth naturally, so they need to prepare in advance. Older pregnant women have higher indications for cesarean section, and usually 90% of older pregnant women choose cesarean section. The pelvis of older pregnant women is relatively hard, the ligaments and soft birth canal tissues are less elastic, and the uterine contraction force is correspondingly weakened, which can easily lead to prolonged labor, even dystocia, fetal birth injuries and asphyxia. Hope this helps.

What are the benefits of having a second child for women?

1. Reduce the risk of femoral disease

During pregnancy, the force applied to the femur changes, making the support of the femur stronger. This greatly reduces the risk of femoral fracture in women who have been pregnant. Therefore, women who have given birth are much less likely to develop femoral osteoarthritis than those who have never been pregnant.

2. Improve symptoms of endometriosis

Pregnancy is the best treatment to prevent recurrence of endometriosis and reduce the severity of lesions. The large amount of progesterone produced during pregnancy inhibits the growth of ectopic endometrium and reduces the functioning of prostaglandin receptors, thereby reducing the severity of symptoms. It is worth noting that although pregnancy can suppress symptoms, it cannot completely cure it.

3. Relieve dysmenorrhea

Excessive prostaglandins are one of the main causes of dysmenorrhea. A large amount of prostaglandins have an excitatory effect on the uterus, which can cause strong contractions of the uterine muscles and lead to dysmenorrhea. When a woman is pregnant, the progesterone produced in the body reduces the prostaglandin receptors, so the symptoms of dysmenorrhea in women after giving birth will be significantly improved.

4. Reduce the occurrence of uterine fibroids and gynecological cancer

Diseases such as uterine fibroids and gynecological tumors are often related to the stimulation of female hormone secretion. Large amounts of estrogen can over-stimulate the uterus, ovaries, breasts and other organs, and can easily induce various diseases. The progesterone concentration in women after pregnancy is at a high level, which can inhibit the stimulation of estrogen and greatly reduce the incidence of gynecological diseases.

5. Delay menopause

Generally speaking, women ovulate every 30 years. With the cessation of ovulation and the arrival of menopause, women will enter old age. During pregnancy and lactation, due to the effect of hormones, the ovaries in the pregnant woman's body stop ovulating and do not resume until the 4th to 6th month of lactation. Because the ovaries delay the release of 10 to 20 eggs, menopause may be delayed in women who have given birth.