Maria Katrina Paras

Article (news)

Getting Pregnant Later in Life

<p><strong>Cameron Diaz</strong> became a mother later than many expected. She was 47 when she and her husband, Benji Madden, <a href="https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/culture/story/cameron-diaz-benji-madden-daughter-raddix-68054436" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">welcomed their daughter, Raddix</a>, and 51 when their son, Cardinal, joined the family. In May 2026, <a href="https://abcnews.com/GMA/Culture/cameron-diaz-benji-madden-announce-birth-3rd-child/story?id=132630831" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the couple announced the arrival of their third child, Nautas,</a> when Diaz was 53. In a culture that still treats motherhood as something that must happen on a narrow schedule, those ages naturally caught people&#39;s attention.</p><p>Since the celebrity couple has never shared how their children were conceived or carried (<a href="https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/celebrity/articles/did-cameron-diaz-benji-madden-141745855.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAG5yzniMDjtZGs9YcqijlyVIzJ4kp1ojOxG6W-5OV-L6P6y9V0RQNdXK3hHhgE_c1RagyZNLPp0QZKRfZWvVAGIuHBE1g__-KDzXDjYm7EwipHD-76gJ7BYGrMS_IYUDvtvdTbK_SszYy4ijrEsmU1gM5Eux79V4ft7nsNeSmRKW" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">news reports say it&rsquo;s allegedly via surrogate</a>), it wouldn&rsquo;t be right to use their story as proof that a woman&rsquo;s fertility remains the same through her 40s and 50s. What it does show is that motherhood can take different forms and happen on a different timeline.</p><div><br></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width: 700px; display: block;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1788426968056IMG_1120.jpeg" style="width: 700px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-inner">Pregnancy in your mid-life: possible or health risk?</span></span></span><strong>The more useful message is this: there is no single timeline for becoming a mother, but women deserve clear information about the reproductive timeline they do have.&nbsp;</strong></div><p>To help women navigate these questions with clarity, Metro.Style spoke with <strong>Doctor Kristine C. Tangco, MD, FPOGS, FPSUOG, an OB-GYN at Cardinal Santos Medical Center.</strong> She is a fellow of the Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecological Society &nbsp;(POGS) and the Philippine Society of Ultrasound (PSU) &nbsp;in OB-GYN, and currently serves as Chair of the PSUOG Board of Examiners for 2026.&nbsp;</p><div><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></div><div><strong>Age is a factor, not a verdict</strong></div><p>In medicine, pregnancy with an anticipated delivery at age 35 or older is commonly described as one involving &quot;advanced maternal age.&quot; The term can feel like an alarm bell, especially when 35 does not feel old in any other part of life. Yet the 35-year threshold is used because age is associated with changes in pregnancy risk, not because every woman suddenly becomes high-risk on her birthday. &quot;I prefer to think of maternal age as one factor in assessing a woman&#39;s individual reproductive health, rather than as a label that defines her pregnancy,&quot; says Dr. Tangco.</p><p>The most significant age-related change is fertility. Ovarian reserve declines over time, but egg quality is the bigger concern: the decline becomes more noticeable in the mid-30s and more pronounced after 40. Conception may take longer, while miscarriage and chromosomal abnormalities become more common.</p><div><br id="isPasted"><br><strong>The safest route starts before trying</strong></div><p>For women hoping to conceive in their late 30s or 40s, the smartest first appointment may happen before the first pregnancy test. <a href="https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/good-health-before-pregnancy-prepregnancy-care" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Preconception care helps identify health issues that could affect pregnancy</a> and gives you time to manage them properly.</p><p>Dr. Tangco begins with medical, surgical, menstrual, reproductive, medication, previous-pregnancy, and family histories. Blood pressure, weight, blood sugar, thyroid health, and existing conditions are also assessed. Depending on the patient, an OB-GYN may recommend a transvaginal ultrasound, a test of fallopian-tube patency, and bloodwork such as anti-Mullerian hormone to help assess ovarian reserve. No single test, however, can predict whether a woman will conceive.</p><div><br></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width: 700px; display: block;" width="700"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1788427199974IMG_1122.jpeg" style="width: 700px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" width="700"><span class="fr-inner">Before you plan to get pregnant after 35, consult with your trusted OB-GYN first</span></span></span></div><p>The basics matter, too. Women at average risk are generally advised <strong>to take at least 400 micrograms of folic acid daily before conception;</strong> <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/folic-acid/about/index.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the CDC recommends starting at least one month before pregnancy</a> because the baby&#39;s brain and spine begin developing very early. <strong>Smoking and recreational drugs should be avoided, alcohol limited, and regular movement, balanced meals, adequate sleep, and a healthy weight made part of the plan.<br></strong><br>And the male partner should not be treated as a footnote. <strong>&quot;Fertility is a couple&#39;s issue, not solely a woman&#39;s issue,&quot;</strong> Dr. Tangco says. A semen analysis is a simple first-line test when infertility is suspected, while the man&#39;s age, health, medications, smoking, alcohol use, and other habits may also affect fertility.</p><div><br></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded" style="width: 700px; display: block;"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><br><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1788427300917IMG_1124.jpeg" style="width: 700px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib"><span class="fr-inner">Women are advised to load up on folic acid&mdash;whether it be supplement or from nutrient-dense foods</span></span></span></div><div><strong>After 35, waiting has a different cost.&nbsp;</strong></div><p>For women 35 and older, <a href="https://www.asrm.org/practice-guidance/practice-committee-documents/fertility-evaluation-of-infertile-women-a-committee-opinion-2021/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">fertility evaluation is generally recommended after six months</a> of regular unprotected intercourse without conception, rather than the usual 12 months for younger women.&nbsp;</p><p>After 40, Dr. Tangco advises an earlier consultation instead of automatically waiting six months, especially when cycles are irregular, or there is a history of endometriosis, fibroids, pelvic surgery, recurrent miscarriage, or other known concerns. A fertility workup commonly examines ovulation, ovarian reserve, the uterus and fallopian tubes, and semen. The next step depends on the results. Medication may help in some cases; IUI may be appropriate in selected situations; and IVF may be recommended based on age, egg reserve, tubal or sperm factors, and prior treatment.</p><p>Egg freezing is another option, but it is not a pause button. It preserves the age of the eggs when they are frozen, so younger eggs generally have better potential. No procedure guarantees pregnancy; early counseling simply gives women more choices while time is still on their side.<br id="isPasted"><br><strong></strong></p><div><strong>More monitoring does not mean expecting the worst</strong></div><p>Once pregnancy begins, the focus shifts from age alone to the woman&#39;s actual health and the pregnancy in front of her. Miscarriage, chromosomal abnormalities, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, placental problems, cesarean delivery, and stillbirth become more common with increasing age, but they are possibilities, not predictions. <strong>Good prenatal care is designed to catch problems early.</strong></p><p>An early ultrasound can confirm the pregnancy&#39;s location, gestational age, number of embryos, and early development. Genetic-screening choices, including NIPT, should be discussed with the patient (NIPT means noninvasive prenatal testing, which is a safe blood test used during pregnancy to estimate the risk of a fetus having specific chromosomal conditions); <a href="https://www.acog.org/advocacy/policy-priorities/non-invasive-prenatal-testing/current-acog-guidance" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">current American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) guidance says screening and diagnostic options should be offered to all pregnant patients, regardless of age.</a></p><div><br></div><div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1788427494678METRO BEAUTY & WELLNESS BANNERS.jpeg" style="width: 700px;" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-rounded"></div><div><br></div><p>Women should seek urgent medical advice for vaginal bleeding, severe abdominal or pelvic pain, a severe headache, visual changes, sudden swelling, shortness of breath, or decreased fetal movement later in pregnancy. These are not symptoms to watch and wait on. &quot;Increased monitoring does not mean that we expect something to go wrong,&quot; Dr. Tangco says. <strong>&quot;It means that we understand the risks and are being proactive.&quot;<br id="isPasted"></strong><br>Cameron Diaz becoming a mother at 47, 51, and 53 reminds us that family life does not always arrive according to a familiar timetable. For a woman who hopes to carry a pregnancy later, however, the safest takeaway is not to assume that age no longer matters. Instead, replace fear with information and a plan. <strong>A healthy pregnancy after 35 or 40 is entirely conceivable. The goal is not to discourage it, but to approach it with open eyes, expert care, and as many informed choices as possible.</strong></p><div><br></div><div><em>Dr. Tangco holds clinic at Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City, Metro Manila. MAB Room 162, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 12 noon to 4 p.m. For appointments, call (02) 8727-0001 local 2164.</em></div>

<p>An OB-GYN explains why later motherhood still calls for earlier planning, realistic expectations, and personalized care.</p>

An OB-GYN explains why later motherhood still calls for earlier planning, realistic expectations, and personalized care.

Getting Pregnant After 35: What You Need to Know About Fertility

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Getting Pregnant After 35: What You Need to Know About Fertility

Danah Gutierrez

Published September 03, 2026 04:00 PM PHT

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Updated September 03, 2026 05:28 PM PHT

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Wellness

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Pregnancy After 35

Pregnancy in 40s

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Cameron Diaz Pregnancy

Cameron Diaz Motherhood

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