Midlife Motherhood
More and more women are electing to postpone having children until their late thirties and forties. In her book, "Do I Want to Be a Mom?," a physician looks at age and motherhood, including physical, emotional, social and career issues . . .
In recent years, the rate of first-time births for women in their 30s and 40s has soared. Advances in obstetrical care, coupled with changing career roles, have made postponing motherhood a viable option for millions of women. Diana Dell, an assistant clinical professor in OB-GYN and psychiatry at Duke University Medical Center, is co-author of "Do I Want to Be a Mom?" The book looks at decisions about motherhood from medical, emotional, sexual and financial perspectives, including the pros and cons of midlife motherhood. "Once a woman reaches age 30, there is a significant decline in her fertility, a really significant decline by the time she reaches 40. There are certainly higher rates of obstetrical complications and more genetic abnormalities possible in the infant, because of aging of the eggs. And Mom herself at an older age probably has lower energy. Babies require a lot of energy." On the other hand, older motherhood definitely has its advantages. "Mom is wiser. She is less reactive in many ways because she has learned over time that things that seem insurmountable will pass over time. She's got a better support system. So there are pluses and minuses to waiting." I'm Cabell Smith for MedMinute.