Are High-Risk Elderly Pregnant Women Prepared for These 3 Diseases?
Older pregnant women generally refer to those over 35 years old. Nowadays, with the fast-paced lifestyle and high stress, many couples choose to marry and have children later in life. However, after 35, the body's metabolic capacity changes and blood vessel elasticity decreases, making it prone to internal medical diseases during pregnancy. What internal medical diseases should older pregnant women be aware of?
1. Hypertension
Hypertension is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases, related to various factors such as age, family history, lack of physical activity, excessive body weight, long-term smoking and drinking, high-salt diet, and abnormal fat metabolism. Hypertension is a systemic disease, and as age increases, blood vessel elasticity decreases, thereby worsening the condition. If blood pressure is not controlled, it can affect the internal organs. Older pregnant women are prone to gestational hypertension, which puts the body's microvasculature in a state of spasm, reducing organ function and increasing the risk of hypertensive heart disease, acute renal failure, etc. Additionally, abnormal placental blood vessels can significantly reduce amniotic fluid, leading to placental abruption and endangering maternal health. Older women should control their blood pressure before pregnancy, adopt a low-salt or no-salt diet, and consume no more than three grams of salt per day.
2. Renal Diseases
As age increases, the body accumulates more toxins, resistance decreases, and the number of glomeruli decreases. During pregnancy, combined with renal diseases, as the pregnancy progresses, the uterus expands continuously, compressing the ureter and kidneys, increasing heart load, and worsening the condition. This also affects fetal growth and development, leading to premature birth or fetal death. Many renal diseases are often irreversible, so complete treatment is difficult, and the goal is to delay disease progression as much as possible. Therefore, patients should regularly undergo heart function checks during pregnancy and strictly follow medical advice for medication or even termination of pregnancy if abnormalities are found.
3. Diabetes
The older and more obese a person is, the higher the risk of diabetes, as these individuals are insensitive to insulin. When diabetes is combined with pregnancy, it can affect the mother. Poor blood sugar control can lead to infections, combined hypertension, obesity, metabolic syndrome, increased risk of miscarriage, and may cause congenital malformations or growth restrictions in the fetus. For diabetic women over 35, they should undergo a glucose tolerance test before pregnancy and only conceive after comprehensive assessment by a doctor. Pregnancy should occur when the body is in its healthiest state to achieve optimal birth outcomes. Maintain a good mindset and undergo comprehensive checks before pregnancy.