The benefits of being a younger mom
Studies show that younger and older moms do the job of parenting just as well as each other but there are benefits and disadvantages to being an older mom or starting your family at a younger age.
The main advantage youth brings is that you are likely to be fitter and less at risk of pregnancy complications – but of course that all comes down to your physical health. A younger mom who is overweight, eats a poor diet and takes little exercise likely won’t be as healthy as an older mom who takes better care of herself. Your general health and attitude also follows through into how you cope as a mom.
Your pregnancy as a younger mom-to-be
Assuming that you take care of yourself and were healthy going into your pregnancy, you’re less at risk that having a
miscarriage than an older mom to be. This comes down to chronology: you’re basically working with a younger set of eggs that are far less likely to be affected by chromosomal problems such as
Down syndrome.
You’ll have various
tests and checks during your first trimester that will assess your risks of having an affected baby, but if you’re under 35 your risk of Down syndrome is less than one percent. This carries through into the fact that younger women are less likely to have an amniocentesis, an invasive diagnostic test, which, in itself, carries a slight risk of miscarriage. For comparison, a mom-to-be age 45 has a three percent risk of conceiving a baby with Down. But despite your lower overall risk, most babies with Down syndrome are actually born to women under the age of 35 simply because more of them have babies.
Chromosomal disorders such as Down increase your rate of miscarrying so the fact that your risk is lower means you are less likely to lose your baby – up to the age of about 35 one pregnant woman in eight miscarries, but once you pass this age that falls to one in four and once you pass 40 it’s one in three.
As far as your health goes, the fact that you’re younger and might have a more immature attitude when it comes to the lifestyle changes that may be necessary to ensure your baby’s health and wellbeing can be a big factor when it comes to pregnancy complications. Younger moms-to-be may be more likely to continue to
smoke and drink
alcohol in pregnancy.
You’ll still be hit hard by
pregnancy tiredness in your first trimester (weeks 0-12), as your baby develops, but you may be able to cope better with it because your energy levels may be higher and you may have more stamina than an older mom-to-be. You also are at less risk of problems that tend to be more likely as we age, such as
diabetes and
high blood pressure, unless you are a teenage mom-to-be – 17 is a key cut-off age, and moms and pregnant women around this age or younger are at as high, or higher, a risk of high blood pressure as older moms-to-be, and also are at a higher risk of
anemia due to the fact that their diet may not be as healthful as that of an older woman. This mean your OB-GYN or midwife will still screen you for gestational diabetes and
pre-eclampsia (pregnancy-induced high blood pressure) during your pregnancy.
Your labor as a younger mom-to-be
The fact you’re less likely to develop issues such as gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia means that many younger moms-to-be have a lower risk of having a
pre-term birth for these specific reasons than older moms-to-be. However, this doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods entirely. There is evidence that very young moms-to-be (under 20 years of age) are at higher risk of a preterm delivery. Smoking and alcohol consumption also are linked to preterm labor, so if you don’t quit these habits during your pregnancy these may factor in.
Sexually transmitted infections are also a big risk among younger moms-to-be, and
teenage moms-to-be in particular are more likely to be underweight when they become pregnant and also less likely to gain an adequate amount of
weight during their pregnancy. Low weight gain increases the risk of having a low-birthweight baby – and around 10 percent of teenage moms have low birthweight babies compared to around 9 percent of older moms. Pregnant teens are also the least likely of all the maternal age groups to get early and regular prenatal care.
But if these issues don’t apply to you and you are healthy, the fact that you’re less likely to naturally conceive
twins or multiples, less likely to have used
fertility treatments to conceive, and less likely to already have had a preterm birth, also factor in to make early delivery unusual.
However you do have a big advantage for the labor itself although, once again, it depends on how fit and healthy you are going into your pregnancy. Assuming you are, you’re likely to be more flexible and have better muscle tone that make sit easier for you to deliver your baby naturally – younger laboring women are less likely to need
assisted deliveries and
cesareans.
Parenting as a younger mom
As a younger parent you may be less mature and settled than an older parent and if you’re the only one among all your friends who has a baby it can be hard to cope with the fact that you may not be able to go out and enjoy yourself like you used to. This can be complicated if your baby was unplanned, which is more likely among very young moms-to-be. You also may be less likely to be in a solid, secure relationship and even if you are, a younger partner may not be as supportive as an older, more mature significant other.
You may be still in the middle of studying and even if you are in a good job you may not yet have much
financial security. Babies are expensive to kit out, and you may find you’re having to care for yours on a very tight
budget.
While you may have more physical stamina when it comes to coping with the sleepless nights and 24-7 baby care routine, there is no doubt that these aspects of parenthood can be emotionally exhausting too. If you don‘t have much experience of spending time with friends’ babies, or other babies within your extended family, the sheer work involved can come as a big shock.
Now is when you will need to start thinking like an older mom, in order that can approach parenthood with the right level of maturity. Taking care of yourself is vital, because improved health and fitness can make all the difference. That’s where you have your biggest advantage – the fact that you will likely have more energy when you most need it and will be young enough to better relate to your baby as she grows.
The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.
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Last Modified: 17/05/2009