SingaporeMotherhood | Parenting

January 2018

Older, Wiser, and Fertile: Being a Mum later in life can be Oh-So-Cool

Having a later-in-life pregnancy can be a breeze even if you’re no spring chicken. Let us tell you how.

Mums who conceive later in life, you’re older, wiser, and in good company. Think singer Gwen Stefani (who had Apollo Bowie Flynn at 44), actress Halle Berry (she gave birth to daughter Nahla Ariela Aubry at 41), and songbird Celine Dion (42 when she had her twin boys). Closer to home, we have Queen of Caldecott Zoe Tay and actress Carole Lin who both gave birth at 42 – Zoe to her third son Nathan Chionh and Carole to daughter Brooklyn.

Yes, you may be in the perfect percentile for increased pregnancy issues. However, with advanced medical services and increased health awareness, pregnancies can be just as smooth no matter whether you’re in your 20s, 30s, or 40s. In addition, there are ample options for pregnancy coverage that can protect you and your little one before, during, and after delivery (more on that later). It is no longer as risky to have a baby later in life. If you’re in this group – or planning to be – congratulations!

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Expectant Mum Check Up

You’re Fertile & Fabulous!

It’s a myth that women aren’t able to conceive later in life. Quite the contrary, the over-40 baby boom shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, according to the Singapore Department of Statistics, the number of women conceiving in their 40s has doubled over the past three decades. Hey, if Salma Hayek can look like a goddess with her pregnancy glow at 40, so can you!

Expectant Mum Playing Music for Her Baby

You’re Likely to be Highly Educated & Tech-Savvy

As higher education becomes the norm, more Singaporean women are opting to settle down and start their families later in life. And with technology being readily available, more couples are opting for assisted reproductive treatments such as IVF (In-Vitro Fertilisation) to conceive. In fact, almost a quarter (24% according to AIA survey statistics) of expectant parents in Singapore have attempted IVF.

Expectant Mum Preparing for Her Baby

You’re Financially Prepared for Parenthood

Having children later in life has its perks. You’re at the peak of your career and financially prepared for parenthood. However, these deeper pockets may be necessary to help cover increased pregnancy risks for both mother and baby.

According to the Ministry of Health, approximately 3% of newborns are born with congenital anomalies each year. Furthermore, obstetric complications have risen, ranking as the sixth top condition for hospitalisation since 2004. As of 2016, the infant mortality rate stands at 2.4, a 33% increase from 2015. The Down Syndrome Association (Singapore) has also highlighted that one in 800 newborns are diagnosed with Down’s Syndrome every year.

Needless to say, it is important to ensure that expectant mothers and babies get the protection and support they need. And whether you’re conceiving early or later in life, one thing’s for sure: the majority of married couples see value in prenatal insurance and coverage for pregnancy complications.

Expectant Mum Exercising

AIA Mum2Baby: Have a Well-Protected Pregnancy

AIA recognises that you are financially ready for pregnancy and beyond. It also understands that you want to have peace of mind early in your pregnancy (there are enough things to worry about!). With that in mind, the AIA Mum2Baby plan, which consists of AIA Pro Lifetime Protector and AIA Baby Protector, covers expectant mothers as early as 13 weeks into pregnancy.

Protecting Mums-to-Be Against:

  • 10 pregnancy complications including Fatty Liver of Pregnancy, Pre-Eclampsia, and Postpartum Haemorrhage
  • Hospitalisation due to pregnancy complications
  • Provides continued coverage after birth up to 3 years

The Gift of Lifelong Protection

AIA Mum2Baby: Protect Your Baby As Well

The AIA Mum2Baby plan offers you the opportunity to provide your little one with protection starting from birth and through to adulthood.

Protecting Babies Against:

AIA Mum2Baby offers your baby protection, for up to 3 years on –

  • 23 congenital illnesses, including Cerebral Palsy and Down’s Syndrome
  • Incubation
  • Premature babies’ admission to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit) / HDU (High Dependency Unit) for (AIA is the only insurer that does not restrict birth weight limits for premature babies’ admissions to the NICU)
  • Hospitalisation for Hand, Foot and Mouth disease for up to 3 years

Child Excited for A New Sibling

AIA Mum2Baby: Protection that follows your little one through adulthood

AIA Mum2Baby gives you the option to transfer AIA Pro Lifetime Protector to your baby within 60 days from birth without any medical check-ups, for guaranteed coverage through adulthood. Protect your baby no matter what!
This includes special needs babies, as well as babies conceived via IVF, IUI, ICI, and ICSI.

We’re looking forward to brighter days ahead but the fact is, the future is uncertain. Doctors are diagnosing more pre-schoolers here with developmental issues. There were 4,400 such children in 2014, a 76% jump from the 2,500 children in 2010. Hence, it’s all the more important to ensure your child has additional protection.

Transfer the AIA Pro Lifetime Protector to your little one, and build on with AIA’s suite of first to market riders:

  • Child Critical Cover: First in the market to cover all three conditions – Autism, ADHD, and Dyslexia
  • Double Critical Cover: Offers Singapore’s highest early critical illness coverage of S$350,000. It resets the coverage amount to 100% after 12 months from the previous claim, allowing for multiple claims for multi-stage critical illness up to 200% of the coverage amount
  • Total Critical Accelerator: First in market to provide your child with guaranteed coverage for pre-existing critical illness right through to adulthood, without any medical check-ups
  • Payor Benefit: This allows your child to remain protected should anything happen to you, the parent

Having taken so much care to conceive, it is imperative to protect both mother and baby even before birth. So give your child the head-start he/she needs by opting for the AIA Mum2Baby plan today. Besides providing protection to both mum and baby, it helps save up for your child’s education through investments. Protect your child through adulthood and ensure they’ll have financial readiness to fund their dreams in the future!

This article was brought to you in collaboration with AIA Singapore.

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Happy Expectant Mum in a Field

Older, Wiser, and Fertile: Being a Mum later in life can be Oh-So-Cool