Are you a 40+ woman looking to get pregnant? Are you a 40 or 50+ man looking to impregnate a wife or significant other? Well, don’t lose hope. Maybe 40 really is the new 30? In fact, we predict that by 2030, a 40 to 46-year-old woman having a baby will be nothing special.
Recent data from the United States and the United Kingdom reveal a historic shift: The number of births to women over 40 now surpasses those to teenagers for the first time in recorded history. The decline in teen births alongside the increasing number of births to women in their 40s marks a reversal that began in the 1990s.
Key Statistics
- Since 1990, the birth rate for U.S. women between 40 and 44 years old has gone up by 127% while those 45 and older witnessed a remarkable 450% increase.
- The percentage of total births from women aged 40 and older reached 4.1% in 2023 which showed an increase from the 1.2% recorded in 1990.
- The year 2023 marked the first time U.S. births for women aged 40 and older surpassed those for teenage girls.
Reasons Behind the Shift
Several factors contribute to this demographic change:
Delayed Childbearing: Women today are increasingly obtaining higher education and building their careers which results in them planning families later in life.
Advances in Fertility Treatments: The expanded availability of IVF along with other assisted reproductive technologies has increased the possibility of pregnancy for women beyond 40 years old.
Cultural Shifts: Societal attitudes towards parenting have shifted to ensure greater acceptance and support for women who choose to have children later in life.
Decline in Teen Births: The teen birth rate decreased by 78% since 1990 because of improved sexual education programs together with wider access to birth control and changing cultural expectations.
But, there are still fertility and health considerations for the 40+
- Women at age 40 experience a 5% chance of pregnancy per menstrual cycle, which contrasts with the 25% rate observed in their 20s.
- The chance of miscarriage rises with age to reach approximately 27–40% by the time a woman reaches 40 years old.
- As women get older, the risk of genetic mutations in their eggs increases, which leads to a greater chance of requiring C-sections and developing gestational diabetes and chromosomal abnormalities during pregnancy.
HOWEVER, Research shows that children of older mothers tend to enjoy better early childhood health and developmental outcomes due to greater parental stability and resources as well as dedicated attention.