Pregnancy in advanced age of mothers and fathers

There is a higher incidence of infertility, chromosomal aberrations, poor results of in vitro fertilization, ectopic pregnancies, spontaneous abortion, preeclampsia, placenta previa, gestational diabetes mellitus, caesarean section, chronic diseases with higher rates of admission into intensive care units, and a higher rate of maternal mortality among women who delay pregnancy into advanced age. This is mainly due to socioeconomic causes as well as the increased use of contraceptives. Problems due to advanced maternal age arise also with egg donations. Only chromosome aberrations are related to the age of the donor. Paternal age also appears to play a significant role in the outcome of the pregnancy. However, opinions vary in the literature available. Counseling the couples should be addressed.