Things are changing for pregnant women over 35, according to Unii’s award-winning obs and gynae.

When the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, first fell pregnant in 2018 the press made much of how, at 37, the pregnancy would be termed ‘geriatric.’ The etymology of the word (from Greek gēras ‘old age’ + iatros ‘doctor’), which became popular in the early twentieth century, is considered outdated and even offensive by many women. However, Unii Expert Dr. Shree Datta, who leads our our Preconception Journey and our Pregnancy Journey, says “the goal posts are changing.”

The award-winning obstetrician and gynaecologist, who has dealt with hundreds of pregnancies involving women over 35, told Unii Babies Podcast Dr. Saranya Ravindran that you are far less likely to have the term used at the hospital than you once were and even, if you did hear the word used to describe a pregnancy, it’s more likely to be used in cases where the maternal age is 40-plus. Little comfort to women in their fifth decade, we’re sure you’ll agree, but with an increasing number of women choosing to become mothers later and more and more older people voicing their dislike for the word “geriatric” generally, it’s a reason to be cheerful about the future.

For now, Unii strongly supports any mother’s desire to self-advocate and speak about any language to her healthcare team, from her first midwife appointment to choosing her obstetrician and drafting her birth plan.

Still, healthcare professionals will always need some way to communicate with each other that a case is potentially higher risk because of the patient’s age, in the best interests of both mum and baby. So, what would they use instead that could fulfil a professional need while being sensitive to patients? “Advanced maternal age” is common but not necessarily superior. We’re interested in terms you’d prefer. Let us know in the comments.

Unii Babies is created and owned by London-based family wellbeing educational platform Unii.com, which offers hundreds of episodes of expert-led video courses and a library of medically reviewed articles devoted to improving both baby and child health and your parenting journey. We can also have your parenting questions expertly answered. Contact us with what you want to know, and you may see one of our experts discuss it on our podcast or Unii.com: Because Family Matters.

This podcast is for reference and entertainment purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied upon as such. Specific medical advice about your specific circumstances should always be sought separately before taking or deciding not to take any action.

Dr. Shree: Meghan Markle’s Pregnancy Unlikely to be called Geriatric Today

Dr. Shree: Meghan Markle’s Pregnancy Unlikely to be called Geriatric Today