From age 40 to 44, the rate of miscarriage is 34 per cent, and it rises to 53 per cent for women 45 and older (compared to 10 per cent at age 20 and 12 per cent
at age 30). After
age 40, the risk of pregnancy complications, such as high blood pressure and diabetes is twice as high as it is for a woman in her 20s. The odds of genetic problems also jump as you get older: at 40, your chance of having a child with Down's syndrome is one in 110; at 45 it's one in 30.