When it comes to having children, most experts would agree that it's much easier for women to conceive while they're still young, preferably if they're in their mid to late twenties.
But these days, more and more women are delaying their pregnancies, especially those who choose to focus on their careers first, or those who want to make sure that they're fully ready to commit to the responsibility of having a child. But with older pregnancies come complications, and difficulty when it comes to conception.
However, researchers have found a silver lining to delaying your pregnancy; it can possibly make you live longer.
Older first-time moms may live longer
According to scientists at Portugal’s Coimbra University, women who gave birth to their first children later in life were more likely to live longer compared to women who gave birth in their teens, as well as in their 20s.
What the researchers did was to compare the life expectancies of European mothers at age 65 to when they had children. They found that the ones who gave birth later in life had a higher life expectancy compared to moms who gave birth early on.
They share, "The most surprising factor is the age of women at pregnancy, which may provide evidence to promote pregnancy in the early 30s."
Meanwhile, another study, published in the Menopause journal, supported the initial hypothesis. The researchers found out that women who gave birth at 33 or older had a genetic marker in their DNA that contributes to longevity.
Have a baby whenever you're ready
Most fertility experts agree that for women, it's much easier to have a child when they're in their 20s as compared to their 30s, or even 40s. However, the most important consideration when it comes to having a child would be to have a child whenever you're ready.
Don't feel pressured to have a child just because you see that your friends are already having babies, or if your parents are pressuring you to have a child so that they can have a grandchild to take care of. At the end of the day, the responsibility falls on both you and your husband on whether or not you're ready to have a child, and you shouldn't be forced to have a baby just because other people want you to.
Starting a family is an amazing experience, and it's much better to do it if you feel confident that you'll be able to be a wonderful parent to your child.
Source: independent.co.uk
READ: This is the absolute best age to have a child, according to science
*Republished with permission from theAsianParent Philippines
