Science has the answer to when you should have kids
Most couples these days are wanting to enjoy their life and worry about having a child later, but it isn't always the best option to delay parenthood.
During every couple's relationship, one of the most difficult decisions to make is deciding when to have a child.
Back in the day, it was a relationship, marriage, and kids. However, in the 21st century, things have changed tremendously. Millennial couples these days want to explore the world and see what it has to offer before deciding to settle down and start a family. Which is fine, except before you know it, you're almost in your mid-30s and now you're wanting to bear kids, which may not be the best thing to do to your body.
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In addition to complications, Parent24 shared an interesting statistic about conceiving after the age of 35. "One in six women aged between 35 and 39 years of age will not conceive after one year. If their partner is over 40, this drops to more than one in four," it is reported. Shockingly, StatsSA reports that the fertility rate has declined "from 2.68 children per woman in 2009 to 2.40 in 2018."
Thankfully, these days there are various other options other than the natural way to start a family. In vitro fertilisation - or IVF, is one option, but it is a very costly route to take. Huffington Post reported that IVF costs about R40,000 to R50,000 per cycle using your own eggs, and can cost anything from R60,000 to R90,000 for donor eggs. Yes, it's expensive, but may just be the only option for couples desperate to be parents.
While couples decide together on when to have kids, science has said that they need to take into account their ages before making a decision. It is said that the 'right' age to bear children is under 35 for women and under 40 for men. So you may want to think twice before deciding to put this important decision on the backburner.
Jane is a mom of three and thankfully had all her kids before the age of 35. Upon reading the article, she shared her thoughts on fertility in this day and age.
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"I was 30 when I had my first child and 32 when I had our twins. In this day and age where anything is possible with the assistance of IVF, surrogacy, and adoption, most folks have the chance of being parents. I have a few friends who feel like time is passing by - tick-tock, their clock is counting down," Jane said.
Do you think there's a right age to have kids? Moms - Have you had a child when over the age of 35? Share your comments with us.