Pros and Cons of Being a Mother Over the Age of 40

Older mothers are becoming a common phenomena in the United States as parents are waiting until they are financially secure, grown up, and ready to have a child. However, there are many benefits to having a child later in life, there are also many health related risks and developmental issues. This article will examine four pros and four cons of being an older mother over the age of 40.

Pros of being an older mother over 40

Financial Stability

Children are an expensive investment at nearly any age. Women over 40 are typically more financial secure than young mothers and can better provide for the financial needs of the child.

Experience

Younger mothers have dreams and careers that must be put on hold for taking care of a young child. However, older mothers have already had many years in their careers and have developed themselves as mature adults.

More likely to be married

According Elizabeth Gregory Director of the women's studies program at the University of Houston, older women looking to become mothers have a higher frequency of marriage, where both partners split the work equally. Two parents raising a child together take a lot of financial and emotional stress away from the situation, whereas a single parent would have a tougher time.

College educated

According to dailymail.co.uk, there is a direct correlation between rising birth rates and likelihood of parents having a college education. This is not to say that parents without a college education would be unsuitable parents; but that statistically college educated individuals have a higher income, which is important for raising a child.

Cons of being an older mother over 40

Birth complications

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, older mothers with low-risk pregnancies have a disproportionately high rate of Caesarean delivery. Older mothers over the age of 40 also have a statistically higher rate of birth defects in their child. Adoption is a common rout for older women looking to become mothers, as it does not carry the same pregnancy risks. According to the March of Dimes website, mothers at the age of 25 have 1 in 1,250 odds of having a child with a birth defect, whereas mothers at the age of 45 have a 1 in 30 chance.

Less energy

Young mothers in their 20's have considerably more energy than older mothers do.

Retirement age

With college age, children returning home in order to save money to move out many parents are coping with living with their kids for a few years longer than anticipated. Older parents are often at retirement age when the child plans on going to college, which makes having them move in afterwards a complicated situation.

Fertility

According to the March of Dimes website, females over the age of 40 have significantly tough time conceiving because of endometriosis, blocked fallopian tubes, and fibroids. However, the website also states that your doctor can treat many of these fertility problems.

Sources:

http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1155.asp

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1274405/Women-waiting-longer-children-U-S--record-41-unmarried.html

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/main/5489740.html

http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/mar2007/nichd-08.htm