More than 19% of women who have a child are aged 35 and over. Much more than in 2003, where they were less than 16%. The 2010 national perinatal survey shows that more and more French women are crossing the age of 35 to have a baby. A threshold from which fertility drops and it becomes more complicated to give birth. Why is it getting complicated? What are the risks ? >> Read our article on late pregnancies.
Late pregnancies are more risky for the mother but also for the child, more exposed to the risk of malformation and disease as well as overweight. >> Read our special feature on overweight.
Another finding of the study, the proportion of overweight women before their pregnancy has increased in recent years. They are more than 17% (2010 figure) against 15% in 2003. An increase in line with the evolution of the French population.
On the positive side, however, mothers seem to be aware of the risks of smoking for their unborn baby. Pregnant women are less likely to smoke in 2010 than in 2003. A reassuring figure when we know that women aged 15 to 49 smoke more than before.
The survey focused on births occurring between March 15 and 21, 2010 in 553 maternities. 15,187 women were involved in the study.
