Following Hollywood actor Anne Hathaway’s announcement that she is expecting her third child with husband Adam Shulman at age 43, a US doctor has stepped forward to dismantle the fear-driven narratives surrounding late-stage pregnancies. Also read | Anne Hathaway is 43 and pregnant with her third child: Doctor says late pregnancy is no longer unusual, can be safe
Dr Kunal Sood, a Maryland-based physician specialising in anesthesiology and interventional pain medicine, shared an Instagram video on June 22 aimed at rebalancing the conversation on maternal age. While acknowledging biological realities, Dr Sood highlighted that a person’s health profile is far more telling than the numbers on a birth certificate.
The video began with a ‘stitch’ clip featuring a pregnant woman lying in a hospital bed, hooked up to fetal monitoring equipment. The overlaying text read, “43 and pregnant. Here are all the complications I had…’ as the video transitioned to show a peaceful, healthy newborn baby wrapped tightly in a swaddle, the screen flashed the word: ‘None’.
‘Age does matter, but…’
Reacting to this case, Dr Sood broke down the science of childbearing in your 40s. He highlighted that while medical statistics point to real, elevated risks as women age, statistics alone cannot predict an individual’s journey. Dr Sood noted that the social reaction to older pregnancies is often overwhelmingly negative.
“The moment many women hear ‘pregnant at 43’, they start talking about everything that could go wrong,” Dr Sood said, and explained: “But that’s not the whole story. What often gets lost in the conversation is that many women over 40 still go on to have completely uncomplicated pregnancies and healthy babies.”
He did not shy away from the medical shifts that occur with time, noting that bodily functions inevitably change as women age: “Age does matter and it’s true that the risk of conditions like gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, chromosomal abnormalities, and preterm birth gradually increase over time.” Dr Sood added, “Part of that comes from age-related changes in egg quality, blood vessels, and placental function.”
It takes two: the role of paternal age
A crucial aspect often missing from the public discourse is the biological contribution of the father. Dr Sood pointed out that reproductive ageing is a shared reality rather than a burden placed solely on women: “Reproductive ageing is also not just about the women. The father’s age can also contribute to certain reproductive risk through age-related changes in sperm DNA.”
Expanding on this in his video’s caption, he wrote, “Advancing paternal age can also contribute to reproductive risks through age-related changes in sperm DNA, and studies have linked older paternal age to certain genetic mutations and pregnancy complications, although the absolute risks remain relatively low.”
A holistic view on late pregnancy
Dr Sood urged expecting parents to look at the bigger picture. Instead of focusing solely on chronological age, he advised considering a holistic approach that combines medical care with daily habits. “In reality, a pregnancy is influenced by much more than a birth certificate,” Dr Sood shared, adding, “Overall health, prenatal care, lifestyle, family history, and plain biology all play a role.”
In his video’s caption, he echoed these sentiments by asking: “Did you or someone you know have a healthy pregnancy after 40? Age alone does not determine pregnancy outcome. Overall health, prenatal care, blood pressure, and glucose monitoring, and other factors all play important roles.”
Concluding his message, Dr Sood left viewers with a reminder that medical probabilities are not final destinies: “Statistics can help us understand risk, but they cannot predict an individual pregnancy. And videos like this are a good reminder that while age may change the odds, it does not get to write the outcome.”
Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.
