Women who give birth after 35 years of age are often said to be in the ‘advanced maternal age’ category. And if you’ve never heard this term being used before, you have most likely heard that waiting for too long to have a baby can be risky.
Why have women started waiting until they reach their 30’s to jump into family life?
There are multiple answers to this question, some of which include climbing the career ladder, creating a home, finding the right partner, and making sure they have a stable income. All of these things play an important role when it comes to creating a family.
Conceiving after the age of 35 has always been categorized as I’ll-advised due to the risk factors involved.
For instance, the risk of giving birth to a baby with Down Syndrome increases after 35 years of age.
But compared to 20 years ago, there has been a shift when it comes to giving birth later in life.
Pregnancies for women in the 35 to 39 age group have been on the rise since the 70s. Women in their 30s are generally healthy enough to carry a child even though the risks increase with age.
Regardless of what age a woman might be, bringing a child into this world can be a frightening thing. However, it is no longer unusual for women to wait a bit longer before creating the next generation.
There are a number of studies being carried out on this subject.
For instance, one New England Centenarian study discovered that having a child later in life could actually add a few more years to your life. Another study titled ‘Feeling Old vs. Being Old‘ has concluded that having a child when in a later stage of life may help you live a more relaxed and in turn happier life.
Raising a child can also benefit the adult brain. Research published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society explains how giving life lessons to your baby and watching it learn and develop can in fact improve your own memory, mental reasoning, and problem-solving competence, all of which keep your mind fresh.
So if you are over 35 and you still haven’t started your own family… Do not worry. You can still give birth to a healthy baby even in this ‘advanced age of maternity.’
Research shows that getting pregnant at a later stage in life can certainly be done, and even might have its own benefits. Live healthily and concentrate on building the life you dream of, you are allowed to have a child later in life.
Do you believe women should aim at becoming mothers earlier or later in life? Let us know your thoughts on the subject by joining the conversation in the comments and please share this article if you’ve found it of value.
