4 Benefits of Waiting to Have Children

There was a time when women were expected to be married with children before they reached their mid-20s. Today, it’s fairly common for women to wait until their early-30s to consider doing either of these things. 

In spite of this, married couples – and women in particular – often feel outside pressure from friends and family to start a family. But is that really the best course of action?

Benefits of Waiting to Have Children

It can be intimidating to think that you have a ticking biological clock. But that clock has a lot more time than most people realize. Yes, it’s true that the number of eggs in your body decreases as you age – and that pregnancy beyond the age of 35 carries certain risks – but risks are everywhere in life. 

With today’s birth control pills, you have more choice than ever regarding when you get pregnant. Here are some reasons it’s okay – even beneficial – to wait:

The Passing of Time

On the surface, waiting until later in life seems like it would increase your risk of having birth-related complications. And in a very real sense, it does. But you also have to consider the fact that, according to researchers, the risks associated with childbearing at an older age are counterbalanced or outweighed by the positive changes that take place in the world over that time period. 

In other words, take a hypothetical woman born in 1950. If she had a child at the age of 20, that child would’ve been born in 1970. But if she would have waited until age 40, that child would have been born in 1990. (When medicine was better and there was a higher rate of successful, healthy deliveries.)

“Those twenty years make a huge difference,” study author Mikko Myrskylä explains. “We need to develop a different perspective on advanced maternal age. Expectant parents are typically well aware of the risks associated with late pregnancy, but they are less aware of the positive effects.”

It’s always important to look at both sides of things; otherwise, it’s easy to be misled. 

Protects Against Cognitive Decline

According to researchers at the University of Southern California, women have better brain power after menopause if their last baby was born after the age of 35. There’s a positive association between late-age pregnancies and late-life conditions. This includes a lower risk of memory loss.

You May be More Financially Stable

There are no financial guarantees in life, but it’s possible that waiting to have children later in life could give you time to become more financially stable. The theory is that, by waiting to have children, you have more time to start and grow your career before having it “disrupted.” This allows you to increase your income, save more money, and invest earlier (which increases your opportunity to benefit from compounding interest). Likewise, your children might be more financially stable when they reach adulthood!

 

Feature Photo by Josh Willink from Pexels