How old is too old for a woman to have a baby?

Answer 1

I would say anyone over 35. If you look at the statistics, a woman who reaches 30 - has a 1 in 900 risk of having a down syndrome child, yet it jumps to 1 in 400 once they reach 35!!! I wouldn't try to have a child then. I live in an area where there are a lot of older people having babies, so many that we have a group home for them. And, they are older down syndrome people - in their 20's, whose parents are now deceased.

Granted, we all hope to live at least 80. But seriously, heart attack and stroke are still the highest causes of natural death in our lives. Many healthy people are still passing on - at ages before they reach 60.

So do the math - if you want to have a baby, and when your child is old enough to move on, out of college, is stable in their life - how old should you be? And, if you have a chance of having a down syndrome kid - what do you expect them to do when you've passed away?! No thanks!

I'm 31, I've had all my children - and I'm DONE!!

Age Risk

20 1:1,340
25 1:1,500
30 1:900
35 1:400
36 1:300
37 1:230
38 1:180
39 1:135
40 1:105
42 1:60
44 1:35
46 1:20
48 1:16
49 1:12

Answer 2

Tracy - Your question can be answered on several levels - pure biology, practicality, and morality.

Biology - Generally once a woman stops menstruation, her ability to bare children is gone. This age will vary depending on the woman and her own unique characteristics and general health. Some women go into menopause as early as their late 30's and others may be in their 50s or on the extremes later still.

Another consideration is the likelihood of birth defects. Remember that a woman is born with all the eggs she will ever have - meaning that your eggs are much older than you think. In fact, the egg which gave rise to you was part of your mother while she was in your grandmothers womb!!!!

This means eggs are 'on the shelf' for a long long time and as they get older the likelihood of them becoming more prone to damage and mutation increases - this is why being an older mother increases the risk of birth defects.

Practicality - Let me tell you - having a child will change your life forever and is not a 'predictable' thing. No matter what you may think raising a child is like, let me assure you that a child will teach you things that you did not expect. Not all the lessons are happy motherhood commercials either. As a matter of practicality you need to consider your ability to be an engaged and effective parent not only when your child is born - but as your child ages. If your child is born with a birth defect (autism, cerebral palsy, etc...) you need to also realize that the parenting phase will be longer than the typical 20 or so years most people expect. So if you are 45 having a child - you have to be practical about what you are going to be able to do for that child at the age of 65.

Morality - I'm not getting onto a religious soapbox here at all - but the morality point is this - Who is a mother having a child for???? The child, or herself and her husband/family? The truth in most cases is the latter. Since the odds of 'being there' for the child, and having the capacity to raise the child are lower as a woman gets into her later phase of middle age - one must consider the morality of having a child later in life. Also, the odds of that child being a special needs child are increased the older the woman is, so this also needs to be considered since such children are in need of much more parental support than most people can imagine.

Keep in mind, I've focussed on the issues with being 'too old' for having a child. Equally important there is such a thing as being 'too young' to have a child. Good luck finding the 'right' age, it's sort of like Goldilocks and the three bears, every woman has to find the age that is 'just right'.

I hope these answers are helpful to you.

Answer 3

i think any women should be allowed to have a child if they are capable at any age. However most parents in their later years (fifties have grandchildren coming around the corner) My mother had my baby sister when she was 39 years old which is 13 years following me and 9 following my sister. she says its the best thing ever. She has so much more time and patients for the child now. Frankly she is an overall better and more easy going baby. I think its becuase she got more than enough time and attention. She was well supported finacially and even a little spoiled. She is very smart as well. My mother says that everything about having my sister was easier than raising me or my sister by ten fold.

Answer 4

I would say 45 should be the cut off. I have friends that have married late in life and want a baby really bad. If you are only going to have one baby, I would push it into my 40's. But, I wouldn't have a second or a third child at that age. They are too much work! I have two kids and would lilke a third but 40 is around the corner and I have decided not to have another. I think it would kill me!

After 40 you run a risk of several complications with you or your baby. It's risky!

Answer 5

would say 45 should be the cut off. I have friends that have married late in life and want a baby really bad. If you are only going to have one baby, I would push it into my 40's. But, I wouldn't have a second or a third child at that age. They are too much work! I have two kids and would lilke a third but 40 is around the corner and I have decided not to have another. I think it would kill me!

After 40 you run a risk of several complications with you or your baby. It's risky!

Answer 6

Gina Davis was 46 when she became a mother for the first time and now I hear rumors of Demi Moore following in her footsteps! Is that to old? No , not if you are physically able and your body is healthy enough to carry a child. People are living longer in their 80's or more. Also I've been reading that 30's are the new 20's
40's are the new 30's and so on, in other words due to the fact that we are living longer and women now have full time careers society is changing the way we look at age and having children at a later age.

Answer 7

I would say 35 because I watch TLC and Discovery Health Channel when the lady is having a baby. They say that if you have a baby after 35 then your child might come out with problems. Then again the baby may be fine because my grandma had my mom at 44 years old and my mom came out perfect.

Answer 8

It is healthiest for a women to have a baby before she is forty years old. That is usually when doctors stop helping women conceive. It happens, but it usually isn't safe for the fetus if you are any older than that. A lady I work with got pregnant and she is 40+ and the doc wanted to test the baby for autism and the lady wouldn't let her, but a week or two later she lost it to misscarriage. I think that it is hard to keep a healthy baby if you are any older that forty, just healthwise.

Answer 9

For me, its 30. But my sister in law is 30 and hasn't started yet. I figure as a general age, 45 is a good cut off. But even that old is stretching it for me. The thought of having a child graduate and then going out for a Senior citizen's discount on coffee just kills me. I hope to have grandbabies at 65, not college kids!

Answer 10

Most pediatricians recommend that a woman have her children by the age of 30. After that, the chances of birth defects climb dramatically. It is possible, however, for a woman to have a child until menopause.