Complications of Pregnancy for the Woman Over Age 40
The complications of pregnancy most likely to occur in a woman over age 40 are those related to the phenomenon that her circulatory system may not be as competent as when she was younger or her body tissues may not be as elastic as they once were (hypertension of pregnancy, preterm birth, and cesarean birth). Post-term birth also oc- curs at a higher rate in this age group than others (see Assessing the Pregnant Woman Over 40 for possible effects).