My mom had quite a big gap between her oldest three and her youngest two children. In fact, she was in her forties when she gave birth to my youngest sister. I was seventeen at the time and while I was surprised that she was having another baby so late in life, I didn’t realize just how many potential concerns there are for both mother and baby when a woman gets pregnant in her later years. Of course, with some proper planning and preparation, having a baby later in life can be the ideal choice for a family. Just make sure to consider the potential benefits and difficulties so that you’re prepared!
Pregnant After 35 – Considerations
- Delaying reproduction often makes it’s more difficult to reproduce – By age 35, most women have a 15 to 20 percent chance of getting pregnant in a given month, and by 45 this goes down to just 3 or 4 percent
- Birth weight of newborns tend to decrease as the mother’s age increases, which is unhealthy for development
- Parents have had more time for higher education and greater labour participation meaning they likely have more income and greater family stability
- Households that are financially stable and established contribute to a better environment to support raising children
