Advantages and disadvantages of becoming a mother after 40
No fertility expert would claim that becoming a mother after 40 is the best time to do it. That is far from being the case. The general recommendation is for women to enter into motherhood before the age of 35. After this age, egg quality declines considerably.
Recent data shows that the number of women having children after the age of 40 has tripled. It is becoming obvious that females, whether it be for social, financial or professional reasons, are entering into motherhood at an increasingly later age and many times have to turn to assisted reproduction techniques for assistance (artificial insemination, in vitro fertilisation, egg donation, etc.).
Why do women postpone motherhood?
Are there advantages? Or only disadvantages? To respond to these questions we are fortunate to have the collaboration of Eva María Bernal, mother of 3 children, Rodrigo, Martín and Aitana, all conceived through assisted reproduction. Her first child was born when Eva was 39, and the other two, twins, when she was 44. Eva also founded the blog ‘Creando una familia’ and the webpage named after her, where she provides emotional and strategic support to individuals undergoing assisted reproduction treatment.
Q: What do you believe are the main reasons why women are waiting longer to become mothers?
A: In my opinion, as women we want to be in control of our present and our future more than ever. Having children is wonderful, but it’s such a huge change in a person’s life. Nowadays we have the ability to decide whether we want it and when we want it, and in the majority of cases parenthood is delayed. In addition to this, we are dealing with a financial crisis and a false sense of eternal youth (at least in terms of eggs), and this is also a problem when it comes to our fertility.
Q: Does postponing motherhood have more advantages or disadvantages?
A: I think it has many advantages, and the main one is the sense of awareness we have when entering into motherhood and our mind-set towards our children. This doesn’t mean that we will never feel flustered, because that almost goes hand-in-hand with raising kids, but we are more prepared to manage our moods and emotions. The biggest disadvantages include difficulties getting pregnant, increased risks during pregnancy and, in particular, the risk of premature delivery.
Data on delayed motherhood
To take a closer look at the causes of this phenomenon, we would like to reference a study published in 2012 in the prestigious scientific journal “Human Reproduction”, in which several conclusions were discussed about how women and couples who enter into parenthood at an advanced age feel. The study was carried out on 46 couples and 15 single mothers who received in Vitro Fertilisation treatment when the female was already to 40 years of age or older.
Advantages of becoming a mother after 40
The final conclusion is clear: the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, both at the personal and family level. The study cited the following advantages:
- Career stability: this is normally accompanied by financial security and greater flexibility in terms of working hours so that you can take care of your children.
- Better emotional preparation: a committed and more stable relationship, as well as a positive outlook on family life.
In terms of disadvantages: having to turn to assisted reproduction treatment in order to conceive, difficulties having more than one child when the mother was a first time mother at 40 and a lack of energy. The majority of people know that our energy levels at the age of 40 are evidently not the same as when we were 20 years old.
Our experience at URE Centro Gutenberg
At URE Centro Gutenberg we have also noticed a considerable increase in the number of women becoming a mother after 40 or older: the number of in Vitro Fertilisation cycles, with own eggs, in women between the ages of 40 and 44 has risen by 11% in just the last five years.
The chances that these patients will be able to get pregnant, though limited, are quite acceptable. Precisely, results from 2014 reveal an improvement, and the chances of getting pregnant, per treatment cycle, are around 30%.
We believe that new medical protocols, together with the equipment and new techniques used in the IVF laboratory, are responsible for these success rates which we hope to improve on in the years to come.
To sum up, women who are 40 or older shouldn’t give up on becoming mothers using their own eggs, but they shouldn’t delay motherhood any longer, either. If after six months of trying to conceive naturally it hasn’t happened, it’s advisable to book your first appointment with a specialist in reproductive medicine.