For decades, women have been told that having a baby after the age of 35 is dangerous. Recently, however, scientists have found that the optimal age to have kids is a lot later than you might think.
These days, more and more women are waiting until later in life to conceive. With contraception readily available and more women graduating college than men, many women choose to focus on their careers before settling down and starting families.
It’s been said that as the age of motherhood has risen, so have pregnancy complications and abnormalities. But is that actually true? What is the optimal age to have a baby? While medical complications certainly shouldn’t be ignored, some scientists have uncovered benefits of having children later in life.
Researchers at the University of California completed a study in November that found 35 to be the optimal age for women to have their first babies. These mothers were found to have a longer life expectancy as well as improved mental function.
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The study compared postmenopausal women who had babies when they were 15 to 24 with women who had their first kid after the age of 35. The older group of women had better problem-solving and verbal skills, mental acuity, and memory. In short, their minds were healthier.
The reason for this phenomenon has to do with hormones. While estrogen and progesterone always increase during pregnancy, they more beneficial to a mother’s brain chemistry after the age of 35.
There are many pros and cons that come with having a baby at any age, but if you decide to have kids, they’re a joy whenever they come!
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