Shock at What Woman Pregnant at 34 Told by Doctor: ‘Ridiculous’ – ryan

It’s no secret that women are becoming mothers later in life, yet some feel it is frowned upon—especially by those in the medical field.

Recently, Ana, from San Fernando Valley, California, shared a TikTok video of herself with a filter that covered her skin with fine lines, making her appear older than she is.

The text layered over the video explained how her doctor made her feel. It read: “POV – you’re 31 weeks pregnant (and about) to turn 35, and your doctor says, ‘We might need to schedule your delivery due to your advanced maternal age.’”

Newsweek spoke to IT Program Manager Ana, who recently turned 35, about her video, which has over 815,000 views and was shared to @wabi_sabi818.

According to Statista, the vast majority of births in the U.S. are to women between the ages of 20 and 39.

“I hadn’t even turned 35, and my doctor had already decided that I would have to schedule my delivery,” Ana said. “I was shocked that this was even a conversation we were having and upset at the fact that she made it sound as if this was already decided without my consent.

“I made sure to tell her that I respectfully declined her offer and would like to wait to go into labor naturally or at least until I hit the 40-week mark.”

Medical Insights on Advanced Maternal Age

Shweta Patel, an obstetrician-gynecologist based in Winter Garden, Florida, told Newsweek about the increased risk of complications for women who are pregnant over the age of 35. These include gestational diabetes, hypertension and chromosomal abnormalities like Down syndrome.

“In addition to the routine stuff, additional antenatal monitoring is recommended, including having twice-weekly non-stress tests starting at 36 weeks and growth ultrasounds in the third trimester to ensure that the ‘older’ patient’s placenta is not slacking on providing nourishment to the fetus and constricting its growth,” she said.

Patel, the founder of GAYA Wellness, a virtual healthcare provider that offers women’s health services, added that a scheduled delivery is often recommended as there’s an increased risk of stillbirth after 39 weeks.

She said: “To mitigate this risk, induction of labor or scheduled delivery is often recommended between 39 weeks and 39 weeks and six days.

“Women in this age group face higher risks of preeclampsia, placental issues such as previa or abruption, preterm labor, and an increased likelihood of cesarean delivery. Fertility challenges and miscarriage rates also rise with age. However, with appropriate prenatal care and monitoring, many women in their 30s and 40s have healthy pregnancies and babies.

“Ultimately, I am sorry Ana was made to feel that way—it was unnecessary. Being younger may help with the quality of the eggs, but the actual pregnancy itself, as it progresses, relies more on the mother’s fitness and health conditioning rather than age.”

TikTok Reacts

Ana’s clip sparked a discussion online, with other mothers sharing similar experiences.

She told Newsweek: “I was shocked when I realized we now would be considered ‘old’ due to being over 35 and pregnant.”

But according to the comments, younger women feel like they aren’t treated like their age either.

Ana explained: “I had an overwhelming number of comments from many pregnant women in their early twenties who said they were treated like ‘teenagers’ because they were considered too young.

“But here I am, at 35, and considered ‘old.’ The video made me realize there is no ‘good age’ to be pregnant. We are either too young or too old.”

Many women in the comments made light of the situation.

“I had my last at 37 and when I saw I was listed as “geriatric pregnancy” I would refer to my uterus as Betty white and ask my ob at my checkups how Betty white was holding up,” said one user, and another wrote: “Same sis, same! I was 37 and damn did I feel like I should be in a nursing home and not having a (baby).”

If you have a family dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.