More women delaying motherhood

Thanks to advanced fertility drugs and treatments, more and more women are having children later in life. A recently released report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that the number of births to women over 40 exceeded 100,000 for the first time in 2003. Also, there were 1,512 first-time mothers between the ages of 45 and 54 last year.

This has been a controversial issue, leaving some asking: Just because older women can have children — does this mean they should?

Skeptics worry that children born to older couples may have to deal at a younger age with their parents’ declining health and possible death. Also, women who wait to become pregnant have higher risks of complications such as premature delivery, increased risks of death for the mother, fetus and newborn, and a higher chance of chromosomal abnormalities such as Down’s Syndrome.

Despite these arguments, researchers say older parents have some advantages over their younger counterparts. A study of 30,000 households reported that people who had children in their 40s were better off financially, spent more time with their children and were more connected to their children’s friends than younger parents.

Supporters also say that modern drugs are a godsend to women, who now do not need to choose between a career and a family. They also say that by being older, they are more mature, relaxed and confident — skills that allow them to be better parents.

We have all heard the stories of women in their 50s, or older, becoming pregnant and having children, and we have all said to ourselves, “Wow, how lucky for that woman”; or “Wow, what a medical miracle”; or “Wow, that woman is crazy.” But no matter where we personally land on that spectrum, we can all agree that the options available to women these days are amazing.