andy lau expecting baby no 2
Andy Lau and his wife Carol are expecting their second child. (Photo: TPG)

News has it, Hong Kong Actor Andy Lau, 54 and his Malaysian wife Carol Choo, 50, are expecting their second child. The pregnancy was reported by Next Magazine, with a cover photo of Carol and her apparent baby bump.

With more women choosing to focus on their career over starting a family, it is becoming a norm for women to plan their pregnancy at 40 or even older, says obstetrician and gynaecologist, Dr Chua Yang, from A Clinic for Women.

To enjoy a healthy pregnancy, maintaining good health becomes highly essential.

healthy pregnancy andy lau
Take care of your body and a healthy pregnancy is possible at any age. (Photo: 123RF)

Vitamins
As a start, you should have started on your prenatal vitamins and folic acid before you got pregnant. If you did not, it’s not too late, start on them now. Studies have shown the risk of miscarriages are drastically reduced and furthermore, it helps to improve the baby’s health.

Tests
Do note too, that women who are pregnant in their 40s are more likely to have a child with chromosomal disorders. Your ob-gyn may request for an amniocentesis to be done to test for Down’s syndrome and other disorders that could affect the baby.

Exercise
It you are already on an exercise regime before getting pregnant, do not start. Continue the activity with your doctor’s advice. If you do not exercise, please start as being active is essential during pregnancy. Exercise not only prepares the mother for labour, but it also reduces the possibility of blood clots and swelling.

Diet
Yes, you’re pregnant… but that does not mean you are eating for two. You only need to eat about 300 more calories per day, which is equivalent to “one slice of whole grain bread and one tablespoon of peanut butter.”  Stick to healthy, nutritious diet and not snack on high calorie, high-sugar goods. Over-eating would lead to excessive weight gain, and other health related issues.

Beware the Dangers
Essentially, many women already have fertility issues which means that there is a higher chance that their pregnancy could have been a result of IVF or other fertility treatment. This in turn could mean that they have fertility issues which may also put their pregnancy at a higher chance of a miscarriage, shares Dr Chua Yang.

The older expectant mother should keep all her appointments with the ob-gyn. “As the women get older, they have inherent risks for high blood pressure and diabetes. Pregnancy state will exaggerate these and put them at a higher risk for pregnancy-related conditions like preeclampsia and gestational diabetes,” explains Dr Chua Yang.

Preterm labour is also more common, as is having a baby that’s small for gestational age. A slightly longer labour and a higher chance of a C-section are some of the other concerns.

Good News
If you  have a good start on your pregnancy – eating well, exercising regularly, getting all those tests your ob-gyn recommends, you’ll do just as well as the younger expectant women.

Here’s to a healthy pregnancy, at any age!