Halle Berry proudly cradled her growing baby bump when she stepped out for the “The Call” premiere in Buenos Aires yesterday and has also become the face of a growing demographic – pregnant women over 40.
The 46-year-old actress looks simply stunning and she has been glowing radiantly ever since she announced that baby number two was on the way.
During her first red carpet appearance since gaining a baby bump she opted for a fitted black dress that made it a bit difficult to see her growing tummy.
This time, her fitted purple dress has her bump on full display and she couldn’t stop cradling the bundle of joy.
Even with a pregnant belly, her physique looked incredible in the purple gown that featured a high split to show off those famously toned legs.
While her bump is peaking out when she turns to the side, from the front the athletic actress is still rocking a perfect hourglass figure which is why experts told CNN she is likely to have a healthy, natural pregnancy.
Most women know it’s not exactly the norm to have children when you’re in your 40s (or even your late 30s for that matter), but Mrs. Berry’s physical condition and healthy habits means she has nothing to worry about.
By 40, a woman’s reproductive chance is less than 5% per cycle, so a natural pregnancy is rare. And pregnant women in their 40s face increased risks for several health issues, including gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, breast cancer and miscarriages.
But Dr. Petra M. Casey said those risks vary significantly from patient to patient.
“Underlying health is a huge factor in the outcome of pregnancy,” she said.
Casey, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Mayo Clinic, gave birth to her two children at age 38 and at 41. “I don’t, unfortunately, look anything like Halle Berry,” she joked.
“Some women are incredibly healthy at 40; some are sick at 20,” she said. “That all makes a huge difference in the challenges they may face in being pregnant.”
Berry looks healthy and has less body fat than most Americans. She also makes a great salary, so she can afford to pay for good medical care.
What’s so surprising is that Halle certainly isn’t the only women in her 40s who is expecting a baby. Apparently that age group is having a shocking increase in pregnancies while other age groups are falling behind.
As CNN contributor Jen Christensen explained, “While birth rates for almost all other age groups are at historic lows, according to a 2012 report from the National Center for Health Statistics, the rate for women in their late 30s and early 40s is on the rise.”
So far there aren’t many real explanations as to what is causing the trend or what the likely projections are for this trend in the future.
Either way, we’re excited to hear that Mrs. Berry will likely have a healthy pregnancy and make Nahla a big sister.
