The Perfect Pregnancy Age

Upon hearing that 46-year-old actress Halle Berry is about 12 weeks pregnant, I immediately thought about whether it was a good idea for her to announce her pregnancy so early on. If she was about, oh, say, 20 years younger, I wouldn't have thought this about her pregnancy. But the truth is, no matter how fit she looks, her risk of pregnancy problems – including miscarriage -- is extremely high. That fact is based solely on one number: 46.

Women who conceive between ages 35 to 45 have a 20 to 35 percent chance of miscarriage -- nearly double the risk compared to younger women, according to the American Pregnancy Association. That risk only increases with age.

If she did in fact conceive naturally, she surprisingly surpassed a less than 5 percent shot. Still, regardless of whether she made sure to take her prenatal vitamins while trying, Ms. Berry’s egg quality is the probably lowest it’s ever been before.

Medically speaking, Ms. Berry has passed her pregnancy prime.

But culturally speaking, her decision is no anomaly.