Pregnancy brings with it a raft of physical changes, most of which are not particularly pleasant. While causing some women considerable misery, most are not signs of a serious problem.

Common pregnancy complaints are especially trying for women over 35. Older women may interpret some of the discomforts of pregnancy as more severe because of their age. Most of the time this is not the case. Younger women have all of the same complaints and problems that you will experience, although in some instances your age may make the symptoms worse or make it more likely that you will experience a particular symptom.

General Physical Health

Pregnancy may exacerbate some of the general physical problems that tend to become more common as we age. For example back pain is common in pregnancy but also increases as we age. Women need to take especially good care of their backs during pregnancy back strengthening exercises, careful lifting technique, and workplace modifications are all especially important.

Stress incontinence, which is the involuntary loss of urine with coughing or laughing, is more common as we age and can first appear during pregnancy. For this reason, doing pelvic floor exercises may be especially important in older mothers. As we age, our skin loses its elasticity and may be more sensitive to some of the changes caused by pregnancy, possibly including such things as stretch marks. If you have been pregnant before, you may notice more pelvic pain in this pregnancy because of loosening and shifting of your pelvic ligaments.

Treating Problems

Your care provider can provide useful tips for dealing with most minor complaints of pregnancy. Often, simple measures are helpful such as raising your legs if your legs and ankles are swollen. Always check with your doctor before taking any medication, even over the counter products.