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Article The Best Age To Have A Baby

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Having A Baby Later Makes You Brainier

Many experts wouldn’t actively encourage women to give birth in their late 30’s but a recent study has revealed that women who had their last baby after the age of 35 years, showed evidence of improved mental ability.

According to a study by the University of Southern California, the ‘study provides strong evidence that there is a positive association between later age at last pregnancy and late-life cognition’.

The study involved 830 post-menopausal women, and in terms of verbal memory and cognition, those who had their last baby over 35 years outperformed 24-year-old+ mums and those who and their first baby between 15-25 years of age.

Is This True?

This all has to do with the hormones estrogen (which has a beneficial impact on brain chemistry, function and structure) and progesterone (linked with growth and development of brain tissue), which get released in abundance during pregnancy. An outpouring of estrogen and progesterone, especially in later life, appears to be beneficial, said Roksana Karim, lead author of the study.

However, despite the good news for older mums, Karim adds that “we would certainly not recommend that women wait until they’re 35 to close their family”.

The Other Side Of The Story

John Mirowsky, a sociologist at the University of Texas at Austin, agrees, saying to Psychology Today that a woman is biologically at her prime to have a baby in her late teens or early twenties.

“Women in their twenties are least likely to have developed chronic health problems that would put them or their babies at risk, and they have the lowest rates of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, and infertility.”

However, this age tends not to be the sociological “best age” with many twentysomethings considered too scattered and irresponsible to have a child.

Putting all the research together, Mirowsky notes that the optimum age at first birth in terms of the mother’s long-term physical well-being was 31 years old.

We don’t know if there’s really a ‘magic’ age to have a baby but for those mums who had their kids later, at least you can look forward to more brain power ahead.

What do you think is the best age to have a baby? Tell us in the comments below.

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Comments

  • I was 27 and 29. But I feel it’s when you feel you’re ready

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  • I was 31 and 32. I would have loved them in my 20’s but I didn’t meet my partner until I was 31 and I’m glad I never had kids with my ex

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  • I think the best age to have kids is late 20s but it depends on each individual.

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  • The best age to have a baby is when you feel ready and want to. It’s different for everyone.

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  • There are pros and cons to any age – I had mine older, simply because that’s when I met my husband. I would have preferred to have them earlier.

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  • I had mine at 30…sometimes i think should have them ealier to enjoy them longer ????

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  • There is nothing in the article about the higher risk of disabilities at Mother’s age of 35 and older.

    • Well ive been at all stages as i had my first baby at 17 , 21 , 23 , 30 and 41 and at 17 i was definitely not ready as i was still selfish and wanted to go out n party i have always said i wish i had my kids in my 30s as i was better mum at that age n im now nearly 44 with a 2 yr old toddler n he wears me out but honestly i would have another one tomorrow if my body could handle it ..

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  • This is totally up to the individual. Some cope as young mums, others don’t. Some cope as older mums, some don’t. I has mine at age 23 and 26, I sometimes wondered if it would have been better to have them younger so I could grow up with them and also be a younger grandma

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  • Take note they state last baby, Not first with more to follow. You have to be able to cope with the sleep deprivation which some older Mums have more struggles coping with. Some struggle to cope with the late nights and extra travel associated with school social events and sports & hobby activities until their child is old enough to learn to drive. Not all parents manage what they consider to be late nights well. School concerts that their children perform in can finish quite late, especially if you have a reasonable distance to travel home. Things that need to be considered if you deliberately delay having your first child and then want more. I know paren ts have their own set of circumstances to consider

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  • Hmmm… I’m still pretty sceptical about this. From my experience people tend to learn a lot of what they will learn up until early 20s, and unfortunately sometimes if you aren’t born with it, you just aren’t smart. I’m not exactly a brainiac myself, especially when it comes to maths.

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  • These ‘studies’ come up with such crap. The best age is when it is right for you and your circumstances.

    • I agree – it is so individual and the right age is different for everyone.

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  • Really? Seriously? I think this study is a load of rubbish. When is the right time to have a baby? When circumstances allow? When your body works well for you and allows a baby to grow? At 30, I had tried for 4 years. I found parenthood a real challenge as we were so set in our ways and a baby was such a change to our life and routine. I know of 20-year-old Mums who function amazingly as parents. They’re freer, calmer, just out of their teens and more relaxed about parenting than I was. I often thought younger was the better option. At the end of the day, we don’t necessarily have control over the situation. A baby is a blessing at any time.

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  • The wrap up of this article is there is no magic age. It is individual and very much depends on individual circumstances. Maturity is hardly reflected by age!

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  • Very interesting. I’m sure a study could be shown for any age though 🙂

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  • There are so very many variables that affect the “best” time o have a baby.

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  • I am an older mum and I hope the study is accurate, but I think genetics and environment plays a huge part on our aging process.

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  • First child at 25 and miscarried …my last at 37 and can’t say my memory improved.
    Will take this with a grain of salt I think.

    • Haha same as me im nearly 44 with a toddler and my brain is drained

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  • More brain power for me then. I had my kids after 40 ( not a deliberate choice BTW).

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  • Is the best age to have a baby for the baby’s sake or for the mother’s sake?
    I had all of mine before I was 30 and loved that I had so much more freedom for work after that.

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  • I’m an older mum. I hope the studies are correct 🙂

    Reply
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