The pros of being an older parent?

[solgent]

I did learn, the older you are the more likely you are to have twins.

I've never heard that stat before. I'm not doubting it, but I think I can probably explain it in part:

I'm guessing that more older women use IVF, which in turn increases the chances of twins.

I'm not sure that the biology changes (though it may very well do so) but I'm pretty sure that all those IVF's play with the statistics.

It is true that older women are more likely to get fertility treatment (not just IVF) which increases the chance of multiples.

But it is also true that twins are more likely with greater maternal age alone.


From http://www.gynob.com/obpre.htm

Identical (monozygotic, or twinning from a single egg--"identical") twins happens once in 250 pregnancies. This is unaffected by age, race, or any other factors. Dizygotic twins (twins from fertilization of two eggs), however, is a different story.

In dizygotic, or "fraternal," twins, not only maternal age, but the number of previous pregnancies ("parity"), increases the chances of twins. Twins are three times as high in women over 35 with at least four other children than women under twenty pregnant for the first time. Taking parity alone, the chance of twins doubles from the first pregnancy to the fourth pregnancy. Racially, African-American women have a 1 out of 79 chance of twins; caucasian women 1 out of a hundred; Asian women more rarely--1 in 155 pregnancies.

 

[notafan]

DW and I are in our early 40's with a pre-schooler and a first grader and don't consider ourselves "old". We don't necessarily have as much energy as parents in their 20's but we are at a point in life where we are spending more time living life with our kids than trying to make a living.

 

[Queenofthecastle]

Thanks for this great thread, it really made me feel better. I am 34 and will be starting nursing school this fall as a second career. I think it's been stressing me out a little in the back of my mind that I need to wait until I graduate nursing school, get a job, get married, then have children. The thought of me being 37 by then and then working for a while after that to become financially stable has been scary. At this point I think I would be happy if I am able to have children before I turn 40.

 

[MomtoEmIs&Ow]

A funny- one of the "younger" moms at school asked me how old I was when I had oldest DD. I said 28. She looked at me with wide-eyed amazment and said "I can't believe you don't have any wrinkles!" I told her "don't worry, they're coming".

This makes me laugh especially as a young mom! I would never be stupid enought to say that 28 is not old! I guess that is because I just turned 28 My kids are 12, 5, & 2 though so you can imagine I have got, and still do get many of the 'looks' from people wondering how old I am if they do not know.

One thing that I notice about a lot of 'older' moms, is that they are often well dressed! I guess that comes with being 'establish'....

Also as an older mom you have a better 'concept' of time, and will be less likely to take for granted the time that you have while your kids are young. They grow up so quickly, and I didn't grasp the reality of that before as much as I do now.

Being a mom is great, no matter your age you will love it, some days more than other, but its always great!!!! Good luck with TTC!