The pros and cons of becoming a mother at 40

Nowadays, more and more women delay the moment of becoming mothers for the first time. The long working hours, the lack of stability and the changes that arise over the years have led to the 40 being called the “new 30”.

Many, however, believe that leaving pregnancy for later is a mistake, a risk that no one should take. Are they right?

Next, the awesome.club reveals the pros and cons of becoming a mother after the age of 40, clarifying doubts that arise in the minds of many women at a certain stage of life.

The improvement in these skills happens because, during pregnancy, estrogen and progesterone levels increase, as shown by a study by the University of Southern California, USA. This leads to better functioning of the brain, an effect that is enhanced in mothers over 35 years of age.

Being a mother at this age means that a woman has given a lot of thought to the idea of ​​forming her own family. By taking such an important decision calmly, the mother gains more confidence in herself and in the step she will take. Normally, at this age, a woman has a greater level of emotional maturity, family stability and a greater sense of responsibility, which is good for children, as we will show below.

Women waiting to become mothers tend to take more care of themselves during the months of pregnancy and breastfeeding. And this, of course, benefits the health of the baby. Furthermore, according to a study on the health of children of older mothers, these children are 22% less likely to be injured in an accident and a third less likely to be admitted to hospital. The study also revealed that these children achieve emotional well-being more easily, and that, at 2 years of age, they have better language development.

A study published in Journal of Public Health demonstrated that women who become mothers around 40 have a longer life expectancy. It is believed that this longevity occurs because these women generally have healthier lifestyle habits and a socioeconomic level that allow access to the most recent advances in medicine.

Fortunately, the times when women could only dedicate themselves to housework and raising children are in the past. Today, all people should have equal rights, including the right to specialize in some professional area. Having a child is a huge responsibility, and it is very difficult to take care of a child and invest in your career at the same time. That’s why more and more people prefer to develop to the fullest at work before having a child. And, at 40, many have already stabilized professionally and are in leadership positions.

This topic is linked to the previous one: the better a woman is positioned at work, the greater her economic stability, allowing her to face without difficulty the expenses that having a child nowadays requires.

The ideal age to have a baby according to experts is between 20 and 30 years old. After 35, the chances of pregnancy are halved, and a 40-year-old woman may find it very difficult to get pregnant naturally.

However, with the advances made in assisted reproduction techniques, infertility problems caused by age are becoming less and less frequent.

Fetuses of older mothers are more likely to suffer from chromosomal abnormalities. This occurs due to the aging of the ovarian reserve, produced with advancing age. This aging creates a greater risk that the eggs will divide the chromosomes incorrectly, giving rise to embryos with more or less chromosomes.

The miscarriage rate increases by more than 51% between the ages of 40 and 44, due to impaired ovarian function. From the age of 40, the quantity and quality of eggs decrease, and may generate embryos with a greater number of genetic alterations. And these embryos can end up in miscarriage in 40% of cases.

Both hypertension and gestational diabetes are common diseases in late pregnancies. They not only affect the mother, but can also compromise the baby’s health when not properly controlled by doctors. They are the ones who will decide if the use of medicine is necessary and will define the steps that must be followed. Here, prenatal care is essential to ensure the well-being of both the woman and the child.

Premature birth is one that happens before the 37th week of pregnancy. When the mother is over 40 years old, the chances of both premature birth and the need for a cesarean section increase. More than 3/4 of premature babies develop without complications. It all depends on the care and examinations performed during pregnancy and the care given to the newborn after delivery.

The ideal time to become a mother does not depend so much on age, but more on the physical and psychological health of the mother, and on her desire to start a family. And you, what do you think about late pregnancy?