What is the best age to have a baby?
“There isn’t one age that suits everybody. As far as medical outcomes go, the best age is between 25 and 35. If a woman’s in her 40s, she’s two or three-fold more likely to get gestational diabetes. She’s more likely to have blood pressure problems. If she has those prior to pregnancy, she’s more likely to develop pre-eclampsia. This can lead to stroke in the mum, kidney failure and seizures. It can lead to pre-term delivery of the baby.
“One in three pregnancies in over-40s women will end in miscarriage. Five percent of babies born to 45-year-olds will have Down’s Syndrome. Women choose a time they feel is good for them to have a baby — they’re not thinking of the medical factors, but of social supports and financial security.”
