8 Differences Between Being Pregnant In Your 20s Vs 30s, According To Science
bySteph Montgomery
Whether you're planning a pregnancy, or just thinking about your future family, it's typical to think about things like child-spacing, how many kids you want, and when to start trying to conceive. When making your pro/con list, you might also consider things like your health, your relationship, and your career. In other words, deciding to have a baby can be complicated. Like, is there an ideal age to be pregnant? Are there actual differences between being pregnant in your 20sversus your 30s. If so, how drastic are they?
It seems that being pregnant in your 20s and your 30s both have their pluses and minuses, depending on you, your life, and how you look at it. For instance, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), getting pregnant in your 20s might be easier than in your 30s, due to declining fertility after age 32. Likewise, your risk of pregnancy complications and some birth defects goes up as you age, especially beyond age 35. However, delaying pregnancy might also have it's perks. BabyCenter reports that people in their 30s might be more financially stable and more emotionally ready to have a child. Plus, as an added bonus, research published in the Journal of Public Health shows that women who get pregnant in their 30s with their first child might actually live longer.
Choosing when to get pregnant is pretty much the most complex and personal choice a person can make. It seems that being pregnant in your 20s is not necessarily better than being pregnant in your 30s, it's just different and in the following ways.