Prenatal Genetic Counseling Issues in Women of Advanced Reproductive Age

An increasing number of women are choosing to delay childbearing into their latter 30s and 40s. For these women, the major reproductive risks are for spontaneous abortion or offspring with chromosome abnormalities. Also there is an increased risk for some sporadic autosomal dominant and X-linked recessive disorders (representing new mutations) with advancing paternal age (≥55 years of age), which is correlated with advancing maternal age. Genetic counseling and the option of prenatal diagnosis should be made available to all women 35 years of age and older. Fortunately, most such women can be reassured that the outlook is favorable for the delivery of a healthy child to a healthy mother.