While age ain't nothing but a number in most circumstances, it does play a role in your overall health and well-being throughout your life. And if you are planning to get pregnant and have a baby, age can have an impact. If you are a woman planning to get pregnant and carry a child after the age of 35, there are some things you should know about the process. Get to know some of the important facts so you can be as prepared and knowledgeable as possible as you plan and conceive your baby. 

It May Take a While to Get Pregnant

Sometimes, getting pregnant at all after the age of 35 can be a struggle (and sometimes, you get pregnant on the first try). The point is, you should know that it could take you several tries to get pregnant before you see a positive test result. 

Do not get discouraged after a few months of trying if you are not pregnant yet. You should, however, seek out the help of a fertility specialist if you spend a close to a year trying to get pregnant and see no results. You may need some extra help conceiving if this is the case.

You Have a Higher Risk of Gestational Diabetes

Once you do get pregnant with your baby, you should be aware that your risk of developing gestational diabetes is elevated in comparison with a younger expecting mother. When you are pregnant over the age of 35, you may need to watch your diet very carefully and closely monitor your blood sugar. 

Your obstetric care provider will likely test your blood sugar every time you come in for an appointment and may even require you to monitor your blood sugar at home. A low-sugar and healthy, well-balanced diet along with regular exercise can also lower your risk of gestational diabetes and help to control your blood sugar. 

Chromosomal Abnormalities Are a Risk

Another thing to keep in mind when you are preparing for pregnancy after 35 is that there is a higher risk of chromosomal abnormalities in the baby when you are this age. This can mean many things from down syndrome to other more serious chromosomal issues. 

The key is to talk to your obstetric care provider about the risks and benefits of chromosomal testing during pregnancy. Whether you ultimately do the testing is entirely up to you, but it can let you know if anything is going on with your baby that you should be aware of before delivery. 

Remember that just because your over 35 pregnancy carries some risks and can be difficult to achieve, does not mean that these issues will definitely happen to you. You can and may very well have a completely "normal" healthy pregnancy with no issues to speak of. And with good obstetric care, you can closely monitor your pregnancy and will be able to deal with any issues as they arise if you do have some difficulties. 

Now that you know more about planning to get pregnant after 35, you can contact your obstetric care provider for a preconception appointment.