Just a few decades ago, obstetricians called expectant mothers after 26 years old. Today, no one is surprised when a woman gives birth to her first child at 35, 40 and even later. And many consider late motherhood to be completely natural. Although, as usual, the coin has two sides …
FACTS ONLY
Adherents of late childbirth often suggest looking back in time when women gave birth from early adolescence to the onset of menopause. That's right, just do not forget that in every peasant family, children were born almost every year - which means that the mother's body was constantly rejuvenating. And, despite hard work and difficult living conditions, forty-year-old women of the century before last had much better health than their modern peers. In addition, we must not forget about the high infant mortality rate of those times: only the healthiest babies survived …
Today, thanks to the development of medicine, mothers of Balzac's age manage to avoid many problems. Yet science is not omnipotent (at least not yet), so every middle-aged woman dreaming of a baby must be prepared for certain challenges.
After 35 years, hormonal changes begin in the body, affecting the ability to conceive and carry a child. Yes, the latest advances in obstetrics and gynecology significantly reduce the risks - but still, the probability of losing a baby in mothers after 40 even today exceeds 30%. And if 150 years ago no one considered this a serious problem (as already mentioned, there were many children, and the fittest survived), now everything is perceived completely differently. For a modern woman, the loss of a child at any time is a great stress. And for an "aging" mother, who was probably seriously preparing for pregnancy, she believed that this was her last chance, miscarriage could be a real tragedy.
In addition, over the years, we all acquire a magnificent bouquet of chronic diseases. Hypertension, varicose veins, cardiovascular diseases, thyroid dysfunctions - this is not a complete “gift set” for most women over forty. And you need to understand that even for a young body, pregnancy is a serious stress, which means that chronic ailments may well worsen. And this will affect not only the well-being of the expectant mother, but also the health of the baby. Although, of course, a lot depends on heredity and lifestyle, so some middle-aged ladies can give a decent head start to the young.
Perhaps it makes no sense to list all the problems that an "age" mother is at risk of facing. However, it is worth mentioning what worries most women preparing for pregnancy after 35. From this age, the likelihood of having a baby with chromosomal abnormalities increases dramatically. And the older the expectant mother, the higher the risk. However, now, in the early stages of pregnancy, most of the possible pathologies can be excluded - and calmly bear the long-awaited baby.
Promotional video:
Some more statistics. Even after 45, more than 80% of women are able to give birth to a healthy child. And yet, do not close your eyes to the remaining 20%: agree, this is a lot.
MANY KNOWLEDGE ARE LITTLE SADNESS
Of course, motherhood at any age is not just physiology. And older moms have their advantages. According to studies, despite a difficult pregnancy, difficult childbirth, congenital ailments of a baby, many late children develop better, turn out to be calm and friendly and even become physically healthier than their peers born in young families. This is explained by the attitude of the parents, the psychological climate and material stability in the family.
Everyone knows how important the emotional and psychological mood of the mother during pregnancy is. Mothers aged 40+ almost never have "accidental" children. Having a baby in mature couples is a conscious decision. People are confident in their relationships, do not doubt their feelings for each other, and they are happy to accept the imminent addition to the family. Later children are always desired and loved.
An adult woman during pregnancy does not worry about where to get money for the maintenance of the child (the couple had enough time to take care of this in advance). She is not worried about how her husband will perceive the appearance of the baby (since everything has been discussed a million times, and the character of her husband has not been a mystery to her for a long time). She is not afraid of difficulties: she is mentally ready for any surprises (not only pleasant ones) and has probably already thought about what to do if difficulties arise. And, of course, she is not tormented by doubts from the series "I want - I don't want", "Was I in a hurry?", "But what about study / career / entertainment?" In a word, when the expectant mother is calm and loves and waits with all her heart for her unborn baby, this has an extremely beneficial effect on the development of the baby.
If the child is born not completely healthy, the adult mother does not panic: she was ready for such a development of events. And from the first days he begins to examine and treat the baby with the best specialists. And if we are not talking about incurable diseases, most of the problems can be solved by the age of one year: neonatologists claim that the compensatory capabilities of an early age can work wonders.
But young mothers are often not ready for such a turn in life - although they do not always have absolutely healthy children. You yourself understand: ecology, stress during pregnancy (exams, work, often both at the same time), and sometimes a frivolous attitude towards the upcoming role of the mother. In general, without proper support, young mothers risk losing precious time …
MOMS NEED DIFFERENT
But now the baby has grown up. He is already running, babbling, seeking to know the world. In general, the most interesting thing begins: intensive communication with the child. Which not all young mothers can afford. Many are trying to get back to work as soon as possible - because they need to make a career, and money is not superfluous. Alas, there are not enough princes for all young ladies, and most young families can hardly make ends meet. Therefore, the child is often "handed" to the grandmother or starts going to kindergarten, and sees his mother only on weekends and in the evenings (moreover, tired and therefore not eager to take part in baby games). Of course, there are exceptions - but these are the exceptions.
In adult mothers, such problems arise much less often. At least due to the fact that the material base in the family is already quite solid, and a woman does not need to share the role of a breadwinner with her husband (of course, there are exceptions here too).
Perhaps someone will notice that it is physically difficult for “mature” mothers to keep up with a nimble child. But look around: there are certainly ladies who, in their forties, have become domestic hens. But now there are more and more other examples: middle-aged (according to the passport) women ride bicycles, rollerblades, ski, do fitness, swim, and some even jump with a parachute. Do you really think that it is difficult for them to play tag with a child?
Well, you can analyze for a long time all the pros and cons of late and early motherhood - there is hardly a definite answer to this question. The main thing is that the expectant mother of any age understands what awaits her, be ready for any development of the situation and, of course, loved her baby from the first days of pregnancy - then the child will certainly become happy.
Marina SHUMAKOVA