What Is The Best Age To Become A Mother?
Discussing the best age to become a mother can be a sensitive topic. New information and scientific advances are constantly shedding light on new aspects of it.
Below we review some interesting facts on the subject.
What we have always known
Previously, the recommendation was that women should have children as soon as possible. In fact, women have always been encouraged to have children as soon as they could and wanted to.
Over the years, the age norms for becoming a mother have varied depending on the culture and geographical region. However, it has been estimated that women are physiologically most fertile between the ages of about 24 and 25. The probability of a pregnancy is then about 20% higher than otherwise.
The older you are, the harder it is to get pregnant. At the beginning of the age of 30, the probability of a woman becoming pregnant is about 15% and after the age of 35, the probability is reduced to about 8%. After 40, the figure is about 2%.
Although it is now possible to get pregnant when you are older, there are some risks for both mother and child that are worth noting.
Why is not 40 the best age to become a mother?
These days, women are not limited to the home and family. It is now common for women to work, and having children therefore often ends up further down the list of priorities. This means that many women are waiting to have children later in life.
Being a mother means not only taking care of a child, but also knowing how to balance family and work. That is why many women are waiting to become mothers.
The problem is that a late pregnancy can lead to complications, and not just during pregnancy.
Possible complications of a late pregnancy
Genetic anomalies, such as Down’s syndrome, tend to appear more often if the mother is older. This may be due to aging cells, which are sometimes not divided properly.
It is also possible to have a miscarriage or that complications arise during childbirth.
Women with high blood pressure or diabetes may experience bleeding or complications with the placenta. If the woman did not have these diseases before pregnancy, she is at risk of developing gestational diabetes or high blood pressure.
If you choose to become a mother after 40, it is good to ask for help and information from your family doctor and gynecologist. They review each case and know how to give you the best advice for your particular situation.
What is the best age to become a mother?
According to the latest studies, the average age for first-time mothers in Sweden is about 29 years, and for women in Stockholm, who have the highest average age among first-time mothers, this age is 30.2 years. In other words, more and more people wait until they are over 30 years old before having children.
At the age of 20, many young women feel that they are too immature and not ready to give birth to a baby. They want more experience, meet more people, have a more stable economy and find a stable partner.
At the age of 40, on the other hand, they worry about the risks of a pregnancy. The age of 30 is therefore the ideal age for the majority of Swedish women.
It is more common to have a stable career and partner at this age, and the age of 30 gives a new maturity that is completely different than in previous phases of life.
Motherhood is a personal decision
Regardless of what is considered the best age to become a mother, it is up to each individual woman to choose for herself when she feels ready. You know for yourself what is best for you and what will work best in your life.
There are women who feel ready already at a young age, while others do not feel the maternal instinct until much later.
It does not matter what you choose, as long as you have all the information you need for your age. The best age to become a mother is when you feel best prepared to take on the challenge.
